Fresh faces and veterans alike will appear at CultureFest this year for its annual contribution to Welcome Week . On Aug. 18 , IU’s cultural clubs and groups will come together outside the IU Auditorium to support and celebrate the communities that contribute to IU’s diversity.
“CultureFest is the first large celebration of diversity on campus for new students, and we hope to challenge them to step out of their comfort zone and meet new people,” said Lily Oyarzun, the Assistant Director of First Year Experience Programs.
The anticipated performances this year will include Ritmos Latinos, a dance group that says they are dedicated to the creation of an inclusive community through Latino culture and dance. They teach group-style salsa as well as other forms of latin dance.
The Filipino American Association will also be present at CultureFest. On its website, the group says it encourages the success of IU’s Filipino students, and they strive to educate the greater community about Filipino culture.
The Multicultural Greek Council will be at CultureFest as well. The Council’s goal is to encourage ethnic and cultural diversity in Indiana University’s Greek System, according to its mission statement.
Paso a Paso, a Latin dance group that’s name translates to “step by step,” will also make an appearance at CultureFest this year. The group teaches Latin dance and Latin dance education on IU’s campus as well as throughout Bloomington.
The Tau Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha, IU’s first African-American sorority, will be at CultureFest along with Alpha Phi Alpha, an African-American fraternity. According to their websites, both organizations encourage their members’ academic excellence and encourage diversity in their communities.
Crimson Clover Irish Dancers, a group that intends to teach IU about Irish culture through Irish dance, is also on the performance lineup this year.
“[CultureFest] truly shows the diversity of IU’s campus to incoming freshman,” said Paige Dausinas, Vice President of Recruitment for the Crimson Clover Irish Dancers. “It allows all the groups who perform the opportunity to showcase our deep love of our different cultures to the freshman as well.”
Other performers include Hip Hop Connxion and IU Essence, both hip-hop dance groups, as well as HooSher Bhangra, an Indian and Pakistani dance group.
Oyarzun said the keynote speaker for the indoor portion of the event will be Andrea Mosby. Mosby will speak on the importance of freshmen seizing the opportunities to embrace new people and challenges .
“I feel honored to be able to perform these past two years,” Dausinas said. “It is a positive event that sheds light on all the cultures present on campus, a lot of cultures people have not previously been exposed to prior to coming to college.”
