By Riley Fontana
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The Walpole Public Library hosted its first-ever celebration of the International Day of Dance. Dancers and the audience gathered in the community room to engage with cultural dances.
The International Day of Dance actually falls on April 29 to celebrate the birth of Jean-Georges Noverre, a French ballet master. Noverre is credited as the creator of narrative ballets. To accommodate more schedules the library opted to host it on a weekend.
The Walpole Library has been working hard to plan this event for two months, including finding its 11 performances. Every performance was unique to a different culture and the way the dancers performed for their audience. The dancers ranged in age from very young children to adults ready and willing to share their passions with the audience.
Some of the dancers represented two dance schools in Walpole: one for Irish step dance and another for Indian classical dances. Many of the other dancers performed for themselves having been taught their dances through traditions passed down by their families. Before each performance, the dancers would give a brief overview of the style of dance they would share. They explained where the dances originated, where the styles have been popularized, what stories the dances told and much more.
The styles of dances shared with the audience induced: Bollywood, Indian classical, Irish step, Kuchipudi fusion, Bagandan and dance drama medley. All of these dance techniques are vitally important to their cultures and are used to tell folklore, pray, keep traditions alive and help dancers stay active.
Along with sharing their cultural dances, the performers were also given an opportunity to share the art of their dress. The Irish step dancers shared how their dresses represented each dancer individually and how they had to work up to the sequined and detailed attire. The Indian classical dancers shared how their dress represented different gods that they were honoring through dance.
Each presentation of dance captivated the audience and sparked an interest in other cultures. The International Day of Dance was a wonderful event for all ages that the Walpole Public Library hopes to turn into an annual event. Not only does it honor countless cultures, but it also helps to bring the community together through dance.
