A Brief History of the South Carolina Multicultural Arts Center, Inc. (SC McAC, Inc)

and our Plans for Development

 

Vibrations Dance Company and Borenya West African Drum and Dance Ensemble joined forces in June, 2003 to form the SC McAC, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization with the mission of promoting multicultural dance, music and arts in Columbia and throughout South Carolina .

Vibrations Dance Company

Vibrations is a contemporary dance company dedicated to creating and performing works of modern and jazz dance reflecting the African-American culture and traditions. Vibrations was founded and is directed by dance and fitness expert Evie Belton. Artistic Director and Principal Choreographer  for Vibrations is Terrance Henderson, a graduate of the USC Theater and Dance program with a strong background in contemporary dance.  Under Terrance’s leadership, Vibrations is rapidly earning a place at the forefront of contemporary dance in Columbia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borenya West African Drum and Dance Ensemble

Borenya is a direct spin-off of the USC West African Drum and Dance Ensemble, established at the University of South Carolina in 1997 by Dr. Chris Lee, with the help of Terrance Henderson, Cindy Flach, Laura Rich, Kathleen Lee, and other talented musicians and dancers. This vibrant group adheres to traditional African themes and spirit, while at the same time exploring new avenues in West African music and dance. With Borenya, spectators are taken into a world in which dance and music are integral part of life, a vehicle of self-expression, social interaction, community building, and healing. It is not uncommon for Borenya’s concerts to end with a session where audience and performers dance together.

Vibrations and Borenya have in common a strong interest in community development and a keen awareness of the role of the arts (in this case music and dance) in education. Their desire to pursue this common interest prompted the two companies to come together under the organizational umbrella of the SC McAC.

 

Plans for Development and Activities

Our primary, immediate aim is to open and operate a facility with the space and infrastructure necessary to pursue our goals:

 

1.Phase 1: To allow Vibrations and Borenya to grow artistically, and expand their horizons with the creation and diffusion of new dance and music, and the exploration of the functions that dance and music have in society as tools in education, community-building, wellness and healing.

 

2.Phase 2: To open the Center to interested artists of diverse origins, who are willing to share their knowledge and their art (dance, music, visual arts, literature, etc.) with students from the community around them, following the model and practices established by the two founding companies.