Willoughby resident Ankit Arora was having a blast, beaming as he followed the Bollywood-inspired dance steps of an instructor at the 91原创 Arts Council gallery at the Aldergrove Kinsmen Community Centre, transformed into a dance studio.
鈥淎wesome,鈥� Arora told the 91原创 Advance Times, saying he was a dance fan, 鈥�100 per cent.鈥�
It was Saturday morning, March 11, the 鈥淭raditional and Classical Movement with a Bollywood Flair class鈥� at the start of a two-day Celebration of Culture, a free family-friendly event organized by the 91原创 Arts Council, described as a 鈥渃elebratory event that promotes inclusivity and intercultural dialogue, the sharing of cultural practices, story-telling, and a safe space for conversation and the celebration of each culture鈥檚 unique attributes.鈥�
It was supposed to happen earlier, explained Freda Lombard, events coordinator.
鈥淲e have been wanting to do this event for quite awhile, but then COVID happened,鈥� Lombard remarked.
It was a free, family-friendly event that, in addition to dancing, featured multicultural music and a vendor鈥檚 market that among other things, included poems, composed on the spot by a vendor using a manual typewriter.
After the Bollywood dance demonstration, the Rock Step Swing Dance Society took over, with instructors leading participants through old-time dance steps.
It鈥檚 stated mission is 鈥渢o use swing dancing to improve the quality of lives of those within our communities 鈥� to make people feel happier and healthier.鈥�
READ ALSO: 鈥楥elebration of culture鈥� brings diverse music, dance, food, and a market, to Aldergrove
That evening, actor, comedian, writer and producer Cliff Prang was the emcee as people tucked into food by Maguis Peruvian Cocina prior to a performance by the Wild Moccasins, an intertribal dance collective that 鈥渓ives, works, and plays on the unceded Coast Salish territories,鈥� as the program description put it.
They were followed by the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra, one of the first professional concert orchestras devoted specifically to performing new intercultural music on western strings and winds alongside Chinese erhu, sanxian, zheng, and sheng/suona; Persian kamanche, tar/setar, and tombak; Vietnamese dan bau; and a variety of other instruments.
Sunday鈥檚 vendor market included Alpaca and handmade goods representing Latin American culture, Filipino sponge Cake, Chinese Incense, Peruvian food products, spicy Mexican sweets and more 鈥� with live music.
More pictures from the event can be viewed online at the .
Have a story tip? Email: dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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