The Observer, February 25, 2005
Volume XXXVII, Issue 19
Dance competition highlights South Asian culture
By now you have probably witnessed the publicity efforts of Ekta Dance Troupe taped on the doors of your dorms, posted on kiosks, and scrawled on the chalkboard in Nord. Fliers advertising Taal Dhamal have invaded campus – and for a good reason. Cases's first intercollegiate South Asian dance competition, slated for 8 p.m. tomorrow night, promises to be big.
Taal Dhamal is not your typical South Asian dance competition. "Traditional garba, raas, and bhangra do not apply here. Instead, a fusion of South Asian dance along with other cultural dance styles will be showcased," senior Aziz Hasan, who has been working on the event for the past year, said. "The goal of Taal Dhamal is to not only bring different South Asian organizations together, but also to provide a venue for different styles of dance in which the theme is not exactly ordinary."
Case's dance troupe, Ekta, will compete against groups from Emory University, University of Pittsburgh, Univeristy of Cincinnati, University of Illinois at Chicago, and MIT. By drawing in schools from around the nation, Hasan hopes the event will provide an opportunity for Case and Cleveland to "become more of a cultural center for other universities and cities to see."
While Taal Dhamal is a celebration of South Asian culture, it is also a competition – at the end of the night, one group will pocket the $2000 prize. In addition to the intercollegiate competition, the night will also feature special performances by Chicago's Chai-Town and Asian Tiger Production's Tiger Dholis.
Tickets for the event are $10 and can be purchased tonight in Fribley and Leutner between 5 and 7 p.m. Tomorrow night shuttles will loop between Thwing and the Masonic Temple from 5 to 7:30 p.m. For more information, check out www.taaldhamal.com.
