Dance of Nations showcases diversity as part of Virginia Tech's International Education Week
The Dance of Nations, a display of international culture through dance, will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 in the Commonwealth Ballroom of the Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus. The event will kick off Virginia Tech's International Education Week, Nov. 13-18.
Dance of Nations is a night of international dance performances, music, and food. It showcases diversity at Virginia Tech and is a popular event for both the Virginia Tech and Blacksburg communities. This year the Council of International Student Organizations will host 18 student groups along with two solo performances who will share their culture through dance and music.
Those participating student groups include Bamboom Dance Crew, Japanese Cultural Association, Nepalese Students Association, Iranian Society of Virginia Tech, Virginia Tech Indian Classical Fusion, Latin Link, Virginia Tech Bhangra Team, Pakistani Students Alliance, Filipino Student Association, Salsa Tech Performance Team, Association of Bangladeshi Students, African Student Association, Latin American and Iberian Graduate Students Association, Society of Indian Americans, Saudi Student Club, Chinese Performance Arts Group, and Hill and Veil. A group from the Cranwell Global Ambassadors Program will also perform a Middle Eastern debka folk dance.
A showcase of international student organizations will take place directly following the performance, which will include the sale of traditional foods and merchandise including international cuisine sponsored by India Garden and Hunan King.
International Education Week offers the campus community an opportunity for cultural events, activities, and fairs. Other main events include an international movie at the Lyric theatre on Nov. 16 and featured presenter Jean-Marc Hachey, who will speak about education abroad and the international job market at 7 p.m. on Nov. 18 in the Graduate Life Center Auditorium. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Dance of Nations and International Education Week are sponsored by the Cranwell International Center, a department within the Division of Student Affairs, and the Council of International Student Organizations. The Council of International Student Organizations is both a university-charted student organization and an umbrella organization for 53 international groups on campus. The council works with its members on achieving its mission of promoting multiculturalism and representing the interests and voices of international students to the university's committees and commissions.
- For more information on the Council of International Student Organizations, visit their Facebook page.
Free parking is available in the Squires Lot, located at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street, or the Shultz Hall Lot, located off Alumni Drive near the North Main Street campus entrance. Find more parking information online or call (540) 231-3200.
The Division of Student Affairs at Virginia Tech encompasses departments dedicated to providing a rich co-curricular experience and essential student services. Virtually every aspect of a student's life outside the classroom is represented through the division's departments.
Written by Melanie Harris of Hampton, Va., a senior majoring in communication in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences.
