Randolph gets Flavorlicious

Hiawatha Johnson Jr. (left) coaches students at a rehearsal for the 18th annual Flavor show..

Randolph College’s Heritage Ensemble will perform its 20th Flavor Show, titled “Flavorlicious,” March 18 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and March 21 at 5 p.m. in Thoresen Theatre. The show embraces African culture by featuring a wide variety of performances, including gospel music, jazz, urban contemporary, love poetry, stories, and jokes.

Described by Hiawatha Johnson, Jr., a composer-in-residence and the accompanist for Randolph’s dance program, as “Flavor’s Greatest Hits,” the show highlights the growth and transformation of the performance over the years. In addition to four student poetry readings, this year’s show will present iconic and significant pieces from the show’s history, such as Maya Angelou’s poem, Still I Rise and Nikki Giovanni’s Ego Tripping.

“This year is going to be about a total indulgence of Flavor,” Johnson said. “We are doing the old performances with a new energy and a new arrangement.”

The Flavor Show provides a space for students of color to express themselves through the arts. “Flavor is a concept in the vernacular, used by African American community as adding the spice, adding the edge, adding a different perspective to it,” Johnson said. “This show is a place where they can speak up, where they must be themselves. The more they can bring themselves to the work, the richer it will be.”

The Heritage Ensemble is also reaching out to the community. Last fall, they began performing at Africa House, a small gallery in Lynchburg, and the Anne Spencer House and Garden Museum, which has an official partnership with Randolph College. “The community was so impressed and surprised that this ensemble came from Randolph that they wanted them to come here more often,” said Johnson. “We are getting out to the community and they are also coming here to us.”