Cultures mix on the Green Field

By Zeina El-Halabi ---

The 28th Annual Folkdance Festival, held on May 13, commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of this event on the AUB Green Field as hundreds of colorful balloons were released into the air. Dancers representing diverse cultures worldwide gathered on this day to fulfill this "glorious tradition" after seven months of hard work and training. The participating groups of different ages and backgrounds along with their group leaders were introduced one by one as they marched on the field to take their positions. The students, coming from twenty-four institutions, mostly schools, were dressed in the traditional costumes of various countries including Russia, Colombia, Lebanon, Spain, Armenia, Thailand, Croatia, Italy, and Sudan. Some groups were asked to perform their specialty dance in the center of the field while other dances involved the whole parade participating in the event simultaneously. One particular Pharaonic dance performed by Hariri High School II intrigued the audience. The students skillfully danced as the strong aroma of the bakhoor accompanied their moving bodies, clearly reflecting the Egyptian heritage. The festival ended with two famous Russian dances, the Sit Dance or the Syp Simeon and the Korobushka, traditionally performed by all groups every year. The audience was also welcome to take part in and enjoy the dancing experience.