KPU Hosts Second Annual Multicultural Dance Day
The celebration included traditional dances from Japan, Scotland, Spain, and more
The KPU School of Business hosted the second annual Multicultural Dance Day in the Cedar Conference Centre on Feb. 13.
The event, which ran from 3:30 to 5:30 pm, hosted groups performing traditional dances from six countries around the world including Japan, Scotland, Spain, and Mexico. Each performance was accompanied by a presentation on the style of dance by either a faculty member or a student.
The groups that participated were the Saltire Scottish Country Dancers, Satsuki-Kai Japanese Dancers, Sudnya Dance Academy (South Indian dance), Lyla Belly Dances (Arabic desert and belly dance), Flamenco Del Mar (Flamenco dance), and Nahualli Folklore Society (Mexican dance).
“It started in 2018 in October,” says student success coach Magdalena Mot, who organized the event. “We, at the time, wanted to have it in October every year.”
Unfortunately, a shortage in funding meant that she and the other organizers were unable to hire the dancers in time for October last year. As a result, the event was pushed to February.
“There are many dancing events or cultural events across Surrey or even at KPU,” says Mot. “Most of them are celebrating one single culture.”
By hosting an event featuring six styles of dance, Mot hoped to “bring together as many different cultures as possible.”
She says that diversity and inclusion are “very large and general terms,” and that cultural diversity “is a little slice of what diversity means.” Watching dancers perform can offer insight into various different groups from around the world.
“Through dance, because dance is so inclusive and practical … you can have a taste of culture in only five minutes. Watching them dance, it will tell you so many things,” says Mot.
The Multicultural Dance Day organizers are looking for sponsors for future events, and plan to launch a fundraiser campaign for 2021 sometime in the summer.
“We’ll choose six different cultures for next year … and we’re hoping our audience will grow, because this is also a learning curve,” she says. “Our students are also being exposed to this type of event, so that’s everything we’re hoping for.”
