'Night at the Apollo' talent show packs Memorial Union Ballroom

03/06/09 - Last night students filled the 300 seats and lined the inner wall of the University of Rhode Island's Memorial Union Ballroom for the National Society for Black Engineer's talent show, "The Night at the Apollo."NSBE, a national group that invites students of all races and disciplines to join, is the largest student run organization in the country, programs chair Alice Odhiambo said.

The Night at the Apollo was the third event that NSBE has held with the intent to give back to the URI community through its first talent show. Performers included a variety of dance groups, singers, rappers and poets.

"I would say that people definitely enjoy coming to our events. We're one of the top multicultural organizations on campus," programs chair John Brito said.

Emcee Maxwell Adepoju started off the night and excited the crowd. He introduced the first act, Sensual Rhythm, a group with a diverse set of dance moves. They opened with break dancing and gradually led to a more sensual style of dance. Behind them, a video from their practice showcased the time and work that led up to their performance.

Throughout the talent show, the audience screamed and clapped wildly. The next performer, simply going by Richard, brought the mood to a more subdued tone by reciting poetry. The room fell to silence as the crowd hung onto every word, bringing upon a resounding wave of gasps and cheers.

Spoken word performer Raquel, also captivated the audience the recital of her poetry. Her words and tone of voice conveyed a strong sense of emotion and power which projected through the entire ballroom.

Dance duo Chris and Esther drew one of the biggest applauses of the night merely with their names being announced. The two performed to the audience's level of expectation as they showcased their moves.

Alima International, a dance group consisting of 20-plus members brought audience members bustling forward just to get a glimpse. People stood on chairs, crowded the middle aisle and scurried around each other to see the elaborate dance routine. While spinning, jumping and touching the ground, the dancers seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the audience.

NBSE, with 57 members, prides itself on its means to network with all people, not just African American engineering majors. Odhiambo, a marketing major, said building connections and networking now will help her in the future.