This weekend, students can enter a new world of culture through a dance showcase bigger and more diverse than anything the Penn State International Dance Ensemble (PSIDE) has ever held before.
PSIDE will hold the largest spring showcase in its history at 3 p.m. Sunday in 133 White Building.
The showcase will feature 14 dances from all over the world. The ensemble will provide a melting pot of dance types for the Penn State community to enjoy, such as an Afro-Peruvian piece, which is a Peruvian dance with African influences that were brought to Peru by African slaves.
"I remember watching this dance when I was in dance class and they would teach us dances from different regions of Peru," said Afro-Peruvian dance choreographer Fiorella Otero (sophomore-journalism), a native of Peru. "This type of dance is my favorite because I love the free movement of the body. It's such an expressive dance."
The spring show will also feature a traditional North Indian folk dance known as the bhangra, which is popular in India and the United Kingdom. Students can also view Tahitian dance, which has roots in the Polynesian islands, and dance styles from Ireland, China, Latin America and even hip-hop from the United States.
Ensemble dancer Mark Gough (senior-labor and industrial relations) said students can expect to see dancing styles they're not used to.
"A show like this opens the door to new dances that people have probably never heard of," he said. "There are really not a lot of opportunities for people to see these types of dances around here."
The ensemble, which was established at Penn State in 1977, strives to provide access to various cultures and nationalities through dance. The ensemble is entirely student-run and choreographed, and students audition to become a part of the dance group at the beginning of each semester.
After dancers are chosen, the group carefully picks what types of dances they want to perform throughout the semester and during their showcase.
"We usually have a sit-down and talk about what people expect and we list all different types of dances," assistant director and dancer Samantha Manoharan (sophomore-mechanical engineering) said. "Then we decide which dances are feasible and allow some of our student choreographers who are trained in those areas to teach the rest of us."
Besides the spring showcase, the ensemble also presents a big show in the fall during PennState LateNight at the HUB Robeson-Center. The group performed at different events this spring as well, such as talent shows and the Alumni Association's study abroad social.
The ensemble also performed at the Interfraternity/Panhellenic Council Dance Marathon, opening the show with a bhangra dance and also performing a belly dance routine.
Learning dance styles that are foreign to the average Penn State student can be challenging, one dancer said.
"It takes a lot of commitment and concentration," Amanda Tylka (junior-recreation, park and tourism management) said. "And with dances like the Tahitian dance, your abs definitely get a work out. But we want to do something that's not your everyday thing like jazz or ballet."
Afro-Peruvian dance choreographer Otero hopes students will come out to see what she thinks is one of the best ways to learn about new cultures.
"Through the art of dance, people can learn so much about different cultures," Otero said. "I believe dance is a huge aspect of culture in many different countries, and since our show has such a different variety of dances people will really enjoy it because it has its own unique touch to it."
