This year, I was lucky enough to be made aware of the ASA’s first annual African Royalty Fashion Show. Although the club has held public events in the past, this year’s fashion show was truly an event that will become a beloved tradition at CU Boulder.
I was first informed about the fashion show by my wonderful roommate and Public Relations Manager on the ASA board, Edelawit Tadesse. She first mentioned it months ago, and since then, she and the rest of the board have been working tirelessly to put together an impressively-grand and well-organized event that proved to be a blast for everyone involved, even just audience members.
The show’s main event featured students in the ASA donning their best traditional wear and walking down a colorful and beautifully-decorated runway in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom to a song of their choosing. The lights and decorations were fun and engaging, and the music, provided by DJ Ambitious Boy, was lively and catchy, showcasing the different music from each country represented. Even as someone who hasn’t had much interaction with the AfroBeat genre, I found myself clapping along and genuinely enjoying each song and its energy. They kicked off the show with a performance by CSU AfroBeat artist Emmanuel Nwaneto, which set the perfect energy in the room.
Each person’s traditional wear was unique and highly personal, with almost 20 different countries represented, including Ethiopia, Ghana, Sudan, the US, etc. Each walk was personal and fun, and was met with uproarious support and applause from an engaged audience. My personal favorite was my roommate Edel’s walk, in which she wore a beautifully elegant white, gold, and green traditional Ethiopian style dress.
The ASA also chose to separate each group of participants by a group dance number. The first dance was East African inspired, drawing inspiration from Ethiopian music and dance, choreographed by Kaleab Alemu and Menna Tarekegne. The second dance was West African, emulating many different cultures including Ghana and Nigeria and choreographed by Ola Folarin and Esther Amato. The third dance, including just two people, was inspired by the cultures of Togo and Congo, choreographed by the two dancers themselves, Esther Amato and Joshua Kao.
One of the most fun parts of the night (at least for me) was the thoughtful menu provided by caterers for the event. The choices included Ethiopian injera paired with plenty of different stews to choose from, Nigerian fufu and egusi, and my personal favorite, Ghanaian jollof rice with plantains. I was also excited to try Kenyan samosas, and found a new favorite dish in them. Guests were also able to enjoy a non-alcoholic malt, something I had never had before but ended up really enjoying.
The event was truly a picture of elegance; guests were encouraged to dress in their formal attire and the ballroom was decorated stunningly in black and gold. Each dance, song and outfit was packed full of culture and grace, and the atmosphere was incredibly welcoming and supportive to everyone there–audience member or performer. I find that sometimes I don’t end up going to events because I feel unwelcome there, or that I don’t fit in, but the fashion show was genuinely crafted to include and enlighten every person willing to show up and invest in the great energy. I would highly recommend their spring event, the Tour of Africa performance on April 13, to anyone who may be feeling apprehensive about attending CU’s many events throughout the year. You will be sure to find a lively environment with good food, good music, and even better vibes.
I would like to thank the ASA council: Menna Tarekegne, Esther Amato, Blessing Ampofo, Kaleab Alemu, Ashoya Edwang, Eyosias Lemma, Edelawit Tadesse and Ola Folarin for such a dazzling and educational night, and I’ll look forward to attending all of ASA’s public events in the future!