"In general, I don't think I've ever been handled in that manner, not even by my parents," Oliver Telusma, one of the students who was shoved off stage, told ABC News' "Good Morning America" Monday. "It's kind of embarrassing, kind of degrading."
Student Nafeesah Attah also told Good Morning America that the dances were gestures of joy that have significance to the graduates' fraternities and sororities, adding that the white usher's yanking "was not arbitrary."
"It was definitely contingent on your race… other white students who were dancing were not perceived as a threat," Attah said.
"I kind of planned what I wanted to do on stage to celebrate my story, all of my hard work I'd done at the University of Florida. I tried to do one of my stroll moves, but I was instantly, like, blocked by one of the officials on stage and they aggressively pushed me off the stage after that. So I was definitely disappointed they took that moment from me because I can only get my bachelor's once," Attah told ABC.
On Sunday, May 6, he also tweeted, "During one of this weekend's commencement ceremonies, we were inappropriately aggressive in rushing students across the stage. I personally apologize and am reaching out to the students involved. The practice has been halted for all future ceremonies and will work to make sure all graduating students know we are proud of their achievements and celebrate with them their graduation."