The Panther

Issue date: 3/21/07 Section: Lifestyles

Media Credit: David Butler Taking time to reflect: Hasifah Najjemba sits on a Prairie View sculpture a couple of meters from the dance studio to enjoy the afternoon sun.

"That great feeling of escape, and being transformed into a world where anything is possible," is what freshman Hasifah Najjemba says is her motivation and drive.

Najjemba is a freshman majoring in nutrition and biology with a minor in dance. She has taken the role of becoming the founder/president of Spiritual Expressions, a praise dance company that she has plans of establishing the first chapter at Prairie View.

Born in Uganda, East Africa, Najjemba moved to America at the age of 10. At the tender age of seven, she noticed her undying love and passion for dance.

"I've always known that I wanted to dance, since both of my parents were dancers, and out of all sports I tried to play, dancing was the only thing that stuck," says Najjemba.

The name Spiritual Expressions comes from a childhood memory that Najjemba quickly and briefly explains, but heavily emphasizes that it is a memory she holds very close to her heart.

The team for the moment is composed of 11 women ranging from freshman to juniors, but is now open to others, whether they have dance experience or not.

Spiritual Expressions can be found dancing for Christ on every first and third Sunday in the chapel on campus. She has more than a couple of goals she plans to accomplish before graduation, one of which is to have a dance company up and running. The second is to be a certified personal trainer, and third, to turn as many people she can into vegetarians.

Najjemba is a bright star who is humble, dedicated to her craft, and has a refreshing keen sense of humor. She says, "If I had the opportunity, I would dance all day and night." When asked why, she said, "because not only does it run in my blood, it's encoded into my DNA."

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