Dancing to the world beat

A dancer at the World Cultural Festival

Wearing silk saris and carrying parasols, Sonalee’s New Generation Dance Company brought “Bollywood” dance styles to campus during Wake Forest’s fifth annual World Cultural Festival. The group led a workshop for students to teach them some East Asian dance moves.

Known for bringing entertainment and cuisine representing different cultures to campus, the event also included student groups: Lost in Translation, a dance team devoted to Asian pop music; Ritmo Latina, performing the bachata, the merengue and other Latin dances; Apsara, a fusion dance group mixing Indian and American pop music, and the Momemtum Crew, Wake Forest’s hip-hop dance crew.

From African curried beef to Chinese vegetable stir-fry to Mediterranean gyros, the celebration featured foods from around the world.

Rain moved this year’s event indoors.

“It’s important for us to help raise cultural awareness and cultural competence,” said Wesley Harris, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Ray Lee, a first-year Wake Forest student, was pleased at the turnout: “I think it’s great to bring together other cultures because Wake Forest is a very diverse school and this shows the community what we are.”

Watch video of the performances with comments from students and staff:

 

Categories: Arts & Culture, Campus Life, For Alumni, For Parents, International, Top Stories