Got the funk: Guest speaker Rodrick Dedrick leads Clanton Intermediate School students and staff in dancing to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars at the end of a black history program at the school on Feb. 18.

A black history program at Clanton Intermediate School on Feb. 18 focused on the evolution of music in America and black contributions to that evolution.

Fourth grade teacher and technology coordinator Angela Deamues took the stage first and talked about the origins of Black History Month.

Then, several CIS students performed a skit/dance to “Buffalo Soldiers” by Bob Marley.

Performers included Alyvia Stilwell, Aniya Walker, Treyshaun Motley, D.J. Argo, Mattie Cleckler, Gage Corley, Kristen Cox, Jamon DeJarnett, Braedon Driver, Jameria Eddins, Nathan Ellison, Skylar Gandy, Kelsie Goggins, Grace Helton, Caleb Howard, Niya Jordan, Devyn Knight, Jazmine Knight, Brandon Lee, Angel Lopez, Jace Mims, Brentley Patterson, Kellisa Pierce, Dariana Salinas, Hannah Sanders, Mary Grace Smith, Serenity Smith, Lynn Stamps, Chris Ward and Jakobe Worthy.

The guest speaker, Rodrick Dedrick, was introduced by fourth grade teacher Pamela Smith.

Dedrick is a certified personal trainer and fitness instructor for the Greater Birmingham YMCA. He was the vice president of public relations for the Toastmasters International Protective Pacesetters Club, and has worked with Better Basics to enrich Birmingham City schools with extracurricular activities.

Dedrick started with the invention of music in Africa, which was also the site of the invention of the first instrument, the drum.

“With drums come rhythm, and with rhythm comes dancing,” Dedrick said.

Dedrick said drumming by slaves was banned in the United States because slave owners saw drumming as a way for slaves to facilitate escapes or revolts.

Dedrick played samples of West African drumming and allowed students to hear how it was the foundation for salsa and samba music.

“They took those African rhythms, and they combined them with American jazz,” he said about samba music.

From there, the musical journey continued to reggae and blues music.

“The situation for slaves in America created the atmosphere for the blues,” said Dedrick, who noted that blues music gave birth to country, rock and roll and R&B.

Dedrick called jazz the “twin brother of blues, with a different personality.”

The timeline concluded with modern artists such as Beyonce and Bruno Mars being given as examples of funk and hip hop music, which can be traced all the way back to African drumming.

The program ended with students, teachers and administrators joining Dedrick on stage to dance to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars.