Students react with high energy to Zuzu African Acrobats
The Zuzu African Acrobats are a group of energetic performers who combine acrobatics, popular dance moves and live and taped African music. The dancing group came to Platcha Auditorium at 8 p.m. Feb. 25, performing for cheering Central Michigan University students.
The event was sponsored by the Multicultural Academic Student Services and was the finale for the CMU Black History Month Celebration.
The Zuzu Acrobats started the show with a dance routine and slowly integrated the limbo, chair towers, jump rope, a thick hoop and human pyramids into their performance.
“We have fun over here and we like to have fun with the audience, so anytime we pick them, we bring them over here and they come over here we enjoy,” said Zuzu Acrobats member Hamisi Kitole.
Students were encouraged and selected to come on stage and take part in the different activities with the acrobats.
“It was exciting, it was fun to be a part of the show,” said Mount Pleasant sophomore Zach Colores. “I was nervous because I saw the stuff they were doing, and I thought they’d ask me to do the same things.”
As students went on stage, the Zuzu Acrobats guided them through steps similar to what they had just done, but easier for the students to do.
“Going up there and literally having them pull me through a hoop was phenomenal and it was so much fun,” said Hale freshman Tyler Ranger.
Audience members who did not participate on-stage, kept the energy in the seats high and continued to cheer and clap their fellow students on.
“I thought it was awesome, it was high energy, and everyone seemed really into it,” Colores said. “It was just a really good event.”
The Zuzu Acrobats have also performed on “America’s Got Talent,” at Disney and with the Harlem Globetrotters.
“That was the best moment to be on 'America’s Got Talent' because to be on the big stage, everybody wants to be on the big stage,” Kitole said. “We did our best and went all the way to the semifinals and now are here for you guys performing for you.”
After the event, the audience had the opportunity to take pictures with the Zuzu Acrobats and even pose in different human pyramid styles.
“The performance tonight was amazing, the audience they’re nice, they’re beautiful,” Kitole said. “Everybody was good, they enjoyed, and we enjoyed, but it’s too cold.”
