Naya Robinson stepped into her role as captain of the Dancing Divas at San Francisco State University towards the end of the season, but she didn’t expect the transition to happen so quickly or feel so big.

Robinson’s path to the team began with a strong background in cheerleading, something she pursued for years before coming to college. She was unsure about cheering after high school, but she found the divas and decided to audition in the fall of her junior year. 

“I will say it was hard my first season,” Robinson said. “It took a lot for me to get confident and grounded in what I’m doing now.”

Founded in 2019 by Isis Aminah, the Dancing Divas have grown into a prominent majorette-style dance team performing at events across campus and in the community. The dance team roots itself in traditions inspired by Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Coach Jurnee Hernandez said that the group was created to provide a space for Black women to express themselves through dance while remaining open to all students. 

“Starting off, our coach [Aminah] had a vision of wanting to create a space for Black women because there wasn’t a lot of representation on the cheer team around that time,” Hernandez said. “She wanted to do something where Black women could hopefully have their own kind of space, it’s been that way since and it’s still that way now.”

Senior dancer Aedden Makonnen explained how being with the Divas has elevated her college experience.

“I feel like it’s community, it’s a lot of different things compiled into being a diva, but it’s probably the greatest thing that I could have done,” Makonnen said. “I don’t think I would have lasted through college if I didn’t have this team.”

Robinson’s rapid growth led to her selection as co-captain through an audition process judged by coaches and former team members. She later advanced to captain, suddenly taking on a leadership role within a team she had just joined.

“Honestly, I was kind of overwhelmed, just because it was a little new,” Robinson said. “This is also my first year on the team, but I have a good group of girls, so it makes everything run really smoothly.”

Robinson is studying criminal justice in hopes of being a family lawyer. Robinson states that she realizes the journey starts at SFSU and is excited to keep pursuing that dream. When off the dance floor, Robinson enjoys hanging out with the girls outside of practices and performances. She also enjoys reading, watching movies and coloring. 

Robinson emphasized the importance of the team as a creative and emotional outlet beyond performances.

“I love to have a space where I can put all my frustrations on the floor,” Robinson said. “When you’re passionate about something, it just makes everything easier.”

As she looks ahead to her senior year, Robinson prepares to transition into a coaching role, progressing the mentorship cycle to continue building the program.

“I just try to be an example in and outside practice, I make it clear to the girls that it’s not me versus them, and I try to be an advocate for all my girls,” Robinson said. 

That sense of community has been integral to the Dancing Divas since their founding. Coaches Taliyah Irvin and Hernandez have emphasized building a program that highlights culture, performance and connection.

The team’s routines draw heavily from HBCU dance traditions, incorporating band music with complex choreography.

“We’re doing a lot of band music, that’s what they do in HBCUs,” Irvin said. “If you really watch their moves, they’re very intricate, very passionate and very sensational. I’m glad that our founder brought this program to us.”

While captains and coaches typically lead the creative process, Robinson said collaboration is key.

“It’s using everyone’s different styles to be collaborative and come up with routines,” Robinson said. “We like paying homage to Black artists and Black dancers.”

The Divas practice early in the morning throughout the week to refine their performances and maintain a high standard, continuing to grow their group on campus.

“We’ve done a lot of basketball games and we did Black Joy events at USF. We did a halftime show at USF, and then we’re doing this competition,” said junior dancer Alyssa Johnson. “And then coming up, we’re doing black grad.” 

The Dancing Divas are set to perform at Black Graduation on May 20 and hosted tryouts for the new season last week. Robison said she is enthusiastic to help usher in the next generation of dancers.

“I’m excited for tryouts at the end of the semester because then we get a whole new team,” Robinson said. “We get to pass the torch.”

For Robinson and the Dancing Divas, the mission remains clear: celebrate culture, build community and keep the rhythm going.