Language barriers, unfamiliar traditions and social stereotypes can make describing a culture through words alone difficult. To understand a culture, it can be much easier just to see it.
From Chinese lion dance to Indian Bhangra and Middle Eastern Aavaa to Mexican Grupo Folklorico, UCLA dance groups can offer more insight into the traditions of a region through a 15-minute dance than a 50-minute seminar on culture.
Janelle Lin, a fourth-year business economics student who serves as the co-president for the Association of Chinese Americans Lion Dance, feels that even though students might not be familiar with a particular culture, they can still understand that culture’s dance.
“I would assume lion dance isn’t something you see a lot,” said Janelle Lin. “(But) the audience is going to be able to tell what is going on visually.”
The club performs dances that represent those seen during Chinese New Year and other celebrations. Lion dance traditions include bowing three times to show respect for the audience, to bring good luck to both the audience and performers.
Bruin Bhangra also uses dance as a way to express cultural customs. Students wear traditional dress representative of Indian culture. The men wear turbans to comply with the Sikh mandate to keep their heads covered, since many people who dance Bhangra are of the Sikh religion. The music and style of the dance may seem surprisingly close to hip-hop, representing a lively side of Indian culture that students may have never seen before.
“I like that (dance) gives me part of my own history,” said Mrigender Virk, a fourth-year bioengineering student and co-president of Bruin Bhangra. “Dance is a good way to get rid of ignorance because it is a common pathway to unite people.”
The students of the Middle Eastern dance club Aavaa also hope that their dancing helps to promote cultural understanding.
“There is a negative stigma attached to the Middle East these days, but we have a lot more to offer,” said Shahrzad Lalezari, a third-year psychobiology student and Aavaa’s publicity chair. “If you’re not Middle Eastern, you might just be basing your views on media … (but) it is not all like that.”
As opposed to the provocative belly-dance stereotype many Americans associate with Middle Eastern dancing, Aavaa explores traditional Persian and other regional dances that offer a greater variety of styles, many originating from various religious beliefs. Aavaa serves as a way for students to break the misconceptions associated with the Middle East in a post-Sept. 11 world by showing a rich culture.
“Dance is a common language between different Middle Eastern groups. We put the politics aside and just dance,” said Lalezari.
Beyond cultural value, a love of dancing initially drew Elizabeth Franco, a third-year world arts and culture student, to Grupo Folklorico de UCLA, a club that performs the traditional Mexican “grupo folklorico” dance.
“Words can only go so far, but movement can express so many more things that words cannot express,” said Franco, who is the club’s artistic director.
The variety of styles of grupo folklorico reveals the influence of the mix of cultures within Mexico, such as the Caribbean movement from slaves who were brought there.
Before they learn a dance, Grupo Folklorico de UCLA studies the culture behind it, as with the dance “Norte” which is from Northern Mexico and draws from German polka. The girls wear long, brightly colored skirts and a flower in their hair. The different flowers represent regions of Mexico, and the side the flower is worn on tells whether or not the girl is single.
And for each of these student groups, members are not required to be a part of the given culture a group represents. The groups encourage students of all backgrounds to participate, so they can see and experience the culture.
These multicultural clubs are a part of a greater collaboration of student groups at UCLA that help visualize culture, including the Chinese Cultural Dance Club, the Pilipino Samahong Modern, the Latino Salsa Society, the Argentinean Tango Club and the Japanese Odori.
Though classes can offer discussions on the traditions of world regions, Franco finds that dance teaches people about culture better than words ever could.
“Sometimes it is easier to see something instead of sitting in a lecture hall and being told about it,” said Franco. “Dance allows you to see the traditions.”