Sweat, blood, and tears.

Components that went into the production of the 27th annual Potpourri.

The Potpourri of the Arts in the African American Tradition is a performance presented by the African American Arts Institute at IU and celebrates the Black community through dance, music, and culture. The Potpourri includes three different ensembles which all come together to bring the show to life. These ensembles include the African American Dance Company, the African American Choral Ensemble, and the IU Soul Revue.

Each of these ensembles is its own entity outside of the production, but during the Potpourri, they are all one unit. One performance builds off of another in order to convey the message of community and togetherness within the African American community.

The Potpourri is such a praised event as it brings recognition to the Black students at IU, but most people don’t recognize the hard work these students put in behind the scenes.

These students put in endless hours practicing and perfecting their performances. They push their limits and go beyond points that they might have not crossed before joining their ensemble.

For dancers in the African American Dance Company, preparing for the Potpourri can be a challenging thing, both mentally and physically.

“Sometimes these dances kick their butts,” Baba Stafford Berry Jr., director of the African American Dance Company, said. “They get to immediately get in touch with who they are in the moment.”

Baba Stafford guides his dancers and students to the path of becoming stronger performers. He encourages them to put their all into anything they do while offering them the support they need to be their best.

Dancer Jaylen Ray had to reach within himself in order to perform a very emotional piece.

For Ray, it took the preparation of mind and body to get ready to perform this piece. He had to make sure he got the proper amount of rest, nutrients, and exercise to do the work. He also practiced meditation in order to align his emotions for the performance being that he switched from high to low emotions within the Potpourri.

“This piece, of all the works I performed in our set, hands down had the greatest impact on me,” Ray said.

In 2019, Ray lost his mother. With performing such an emotional piece, he tapped into the emotions of his loss which still lingered about. He expressed those emotions through the movements of the work.

As Ray starts his journey to becoming a professional dancer, he appreciated Baba Stafford giving him this piece to perform. He understood that it would come with mental and physical challenges, but was prepared to do what needed to be done.

Expression and interpretation are key within the Potpourri as it coveys so many things, and all of these things keep the voice of Black students on IU’s campus alive.

The Potpourri is of great importance and will continue to interpret the African American experience for years to come.