Posted on March 29, 2007
International students will get a chance to share their heritage at this Saturday’s Culture Show, sponsored by the International Student Association.
“JMU may not be very diverse, so it’s really cool to have this opportunity for JMU students to be exposed to the different cultures we do have here,” said junior Reetika Sethi, ISA secretary.
Members of the ISA will perform dances, read poetry and sing songs common in at least six different countries from around the world, including Greece, Russia, Spain, India, China and Sri Lanka.
The annual event is a chance for students to come out and experience a culture they might not have been exposed to otherwise.
Sophomore Sam Williams will perform as part of a group showcasing five Greek dances.
“For one of our dances, we are going to invite people from the audience to join us,” Williams said. “It’s going to be a simple three-step thing and we think people will have a lot of fun.”
Williams is not Greek but converted to the Greek Orthodox religion from Independent Baptist two years ago after attending a Greek festival in Richmond. Williams was especially attracted to the Greek Orthodox view of Christianity, which he said is a more ancient view that involves many more rituals than other forms of Christianity.
Senior Soniya Besai will perform a dance to three Indian folk songs, each representing a state in India with a different meaning. Besai wanted to participate in the show so she could demonstrate what Indian culture is all about — celebrating religion.
ISA President Heeral Bhalala said ISA wanted to represent as many cultures as possible this year. In previous years, the show has been dominated by Asian countries due to the large number of ISA members who are of Asian ethnicity. Bhalala thinks that this year’s program accomplishes this goal and will be a mind-opening experience for audience members.
Some ISA members are concerned about the scheduling of the show, which is in competition with the events of at least two other student organizations including Circles, sponsored by the breakdancing club. Despite the conflict, the ISA is optimistic and believes that the show will be a success.
“The ISA show offers variety with different performances from around the world,” Sethi said.
The International Culture show is on Saturday at 9 p.m. in Wilson Hall Auditorium. Tickets are available at the door for $1, and canned food donations will be accepted for charities in Harrisonburg.
