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Page 4 - Spelman Spotlight
Neisha Folkes
66 Dancing Is My Life 99
by Robyn Mahone
A lot of people have been
talking about the magnificent
and breathtaking perfor
mance of the very lithe Ms
Neisha Folkes.
She performed a beautiful
dance to the tune of Donny
Hathaway’s “Extensions of a
Man” at the opening of the
Morehouse Coronation of Ms.
Iris Little as Ms. Maroon and
White.
Ms. Folkes has an interes
ting success story to tell. She
auditioned and was accepted
to the High School of the
Performing Arts in New York
City. She said, “I had people to
tell me, ‘you’re not going to be a
dancer because of this and
because of that.’ ”
If the school thought that a
student was not progressing,
according to Ms. Folkes, the
student was asked to leave.
Ms. Folkes was asked to leave.
“They asked me to leave and
I refused,” she said, “my feet
weren’t arched well, now my
feet are fine.”
Fine feet are only a part of
Ms. Folkes’ assets, as
witnessed by her graceful leg
extensions and gazelle-like
leaps. She has an impressive
repertoire. She was Mother
Mary in an off Broadway
production of “Godson” in
which she performed solo. She
danced in a touring company’s
version of the Broadway hit
“Guys and Dolls” and Vinette
Carol’s (of “Your Arms Too
Ms. Neisha Folkes Put on a Magnificent Performance At
The Morehouse Coronation
Short to Box With God” fame)
“Alice in Wonderland.” Ms.
Folkes is currently dancing in
che long-running Broadwav
play ‘The Wiz.” She has been
dancing with “The Wiz” since
August of this year and sings
in the production as well.
Ms. Folkes is presently a
student of the Juilliard School
in New York City. She attends
classes from nine until four
and then it’s off to do “The
Wiz” from seven until ten. She
is seen on stage every night
except Monday which is a
“dark night” (theater jargon
which means there are no
performances that night).
“I don’t have much of z.
social life,” she said, but did
not appear to be complaining.
“I like to go to the movies and
out to dinner.”
Ms. Folkes said that the solo
piece performed at the
Coronation, “Expecting,” was
about “a search-joy, warmth,
love, whatever the audience
might see it as.” Ms. Folkes
choreographed the piece along
with a friend, Kevin Jeff, who
is also a dancer in “The Wiz.”
Ms. Folkes has definite
plans for the future. She is go
ing to school to get her
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree
and she wants to teach dance.
She has taught in community
centers in the Bronx, New
York, her home. Ms. Folkes’
goal is to be a concert dancer.
She said that while training is
required for chorus dancing,
concert dancing really takes a
lot of effort and exacting
technique. She said that she
wants to utilize all of her
talent.
Ms. Folkes is the sister of
George “Gentle” Folkes who
was the director of this year’s
Coronation along with Monty
Ross.
German Ambassador
Addresses Morehouse
Convocation
His Excellency Heir Berndt
von Staden, Ambassador from
the Federal Republic of
Germany to the United States,
addressed an overflow crowd
in the Sale Hall Chapel on the
Morehouse College campus
October 20, 1977. Herr von
Staden spoke on the subject:
West Germany and the Third
World.
The Ambassador stated that
the relationship to the third
world is the most important is
sue in world politics today. In
a speech to the United
Nations, representatives from
the Federal Republic of
Germany stated, “every coun
try should have the right to
control its own destiny from a
cultural, political and
economic standpoint.”
Herr von Staden added,
“The policy of the Federal
Republic of Germany toward
the third world is free political
motivation. The Federal
Republic opposes the es
tablishment of zones of power
in the third world.” Herr vor,
Staden agrees with President
Carter’s statement on human
rights, which include
economic, political, and social
rights.
With reference to developing
third world nations, the Am
bassador told the audience,
“All countries must stimulate
economic growth without in
flation. Markets of in
dustrialized nations must be
kept open to the developing
countries. Technology must
also be made available to all
countries to assist in their
development.”
Morehouse College
President Dr. Hugh M. Gloster
thanked the Ambassador for
his “detailed and informative
analysis of the Federal
Republic of Germany’s policy
His Excellency Herr
Berndt von Staden, Am
bassador Germany.
toward the third world.” Dr.
Gloster added that two
representatives to the United
Nations were Morehouse
honorary degree recipients:
Andrew Young and Mrs.
Coretta Scott King. He'stated
that these two individuals
would be helping to shape
world policy for years to come
with respect to developing
third world nations.
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A. U. C. Fashion Show Launched
by Nancy Hite
Directing people is not easy,
often one is the good guy and
the bad guy all rolled into one.
Sometimes directors must give
7b percent of themselves in
order to get 25 percent res
ponse from those they are
directing. Dennis Short,
creator and director of LJnique
With Fashions (UWF) is just
such a person.
As he prepares the
participants in the Atlanta
University Center (AUC)
fashion show, “Picture Tak
ing Fashions,” he can be seen
scolding or praising them for
the work that they do. All
participants in the fashion
show are AIJ(’ students. A
group of young men and
women were walking around
in single file striking different
poses in a stage like manner.
After talking with Short a
person may find him to be very
confident and personable. He
is also about business. “I plan
to be a success at whatever I
do,” he said.
U W F has handled a
clothing budget of as much as
$60,000. They are, according
to Short, known throughout
Atlanta as a professional and
hard working group of people.
“I wanted to create, develop
and experiment with fashion,”
Short said as he watched two
models come in the room to
practice a walk and a turn.
Dennis Short, Unique With
Fashions Creator and
Director
“Through contacts I was
able to bring Iman to Atlanta
to make her first public
runway appearance,” he said.
Last year, Iman a fashion
sensation from the continent
of Africa, appeared in one of
two shows produced by Short.
“My shows were a professional
success,” he said, “they helped
me to become known in
Atlanta by retailers and
designers alike.” He hopes to
one day help talented
designers to get the exposure
they need.
Producing the fashion show
is something Short says he
really enjoys doing. “I got my
start here three years ago, so I
come back every year to direct
a show,” he said.
The show promises to be fan
tastic. Fashions from th<>
collections _ of Carol Horne,
Pierre Cardin, Yves St.
Laurent and other
internationally known
designers will be displayed.
“I hope that the students will
come out and support this
group, they’ve worked so
hard,” Short said.
“Picture Taking Fashions”
will take place on Friday, Nov.
4. at 7:00 p.m. in Read Hall on
the Spelman College campus.