{"id":40186,"date":"2024-12-12T10:34:36","date_gmt":"2024-12-12T16:34:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/?p=40186"},"modified":"2024-12-12T10:34:36","modified_gmt":"2024-12-12T16:34:36","slug":"excitement-builds-for-diwali-imsas-indian-culture-show-to-feature-dances-food-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/2024\/12\/12\/excitement-builds-for-diwali-imsas-indian-culture-show-to-feature-dances-food-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"Excitement Builds for Diwali: IMSA’s Indian Culture Show to Feature Dances, Food, and More"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the fall season kicks off at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), students are eagerly awaiting one of the school\u2019s most beloved annual events: Diwali, the Indian culture show. Scheduled to take place in early November, Diwali will bring together students, teachers, and families for an unforgettable evening of vibrant dance performances and a feast of authentic Indian cuisine. <\/span>Diwali offers students the chance to celebrate and share Indian culture with the entire school community. The event primarily features dance performances of different groups\u2013 from authentic Bhangra style dance to more modern Bollywood dances. <\/span><\/p>\n

One of the event\u2019s choreographers, Fatema Shikora, spoke about the importance of incorporating both of those dance forms. \u201cWe wanted to show the depth of Indian culture through our performances, so we\u2019re trying to have a variety of choregraphies and different aspects of Indian culture highlighted in the music,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a great way to celebrate and make it fun and engaging for everyone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Shikora, who is choreographing the junior group dance, also emphasized the effort involved in preparing for the show. \u201cYeah, it\u2019s definitely not easy,\u201d she said with a laugh. \u201cBut it\u2019s all worth it. We\u2019re not just dancing\u2014we\u2019re sharing a part of who we are.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The choreography teams have been hard at work since the start of the school year, crafting routines before rehearsals start. Another student choreographer, Muskaan Kapur, discussed the challenges of coordinating such a large event, <\/span>\u201cManaging my time with choreographing is really hard. \u201d Kapur said. \u201cLike I have an idea in my head of how well I want to do this, but I also want to do well in my classes and clubs and hang out with my friends so it\u2019s all about time management.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

When asked about her goals for the performance, Kapur shared, \u201cI hope the audience feels the passion and dedication that went into these dances. We want them to feel like they\u2019re dancing up there with us.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the performances, Jalsa will also feature a dinner that promises to be just as much of a highlight as the dances. Attendees will be treated to a variety of traditional Indian dishes, offering a flavorful conclusion to the evening. From savory samosas to authentic chicken biryanis, the menu is designed to give everyone a taste of India\u2019s yummy cuisine..<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFood is such a big part of Indian culture, and it brings people together,\u201d said Anaika Bhagta, one of the event organizers. \u201cWe want the dinner to complement the performances and create a sense of community. It\u2019s a way to end the night on a high note\u2014sharing good food with good company.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

For many students, Jalsa is more than just a night of entertainment\u2014it\u2019s a meaningful way to connect with their heritage and share it with their peers. Shreshta Ghanta, a junior at IMSA, reflected on how the event has impacted her during her time at the school, <\/span>\u201cJalsa was one of my favorite events from my sophomore year,\u201d Ghanta said. \u201cIt\u2019s a way for me to connect with my roots and also show my friends the beauty of Indian culture. I think it\u2019s important for people to experience these kinds of events because they help foster cultural understanding.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

With just a few weeks to go, the anticipation for Diwali is building. Students and faculty alike are looking forward to an evening that celebrates the vibrancy, diversity, and richness of Indian culture.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe energy between all of us is amazing, and we\u2019re all counting down the days,\u201d Shikora said. \u201cI think it\u2019s going to be an amazing night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the fall season kicks off at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), students are eagerly awaiting one of the school\u2019s most beloved annual…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":920,"featured_media":37712,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1019,2724],"tags":[1359,1031],"coauthors":[4236],"class_list":["post-40186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-imsanews","category-news","tag-diwali","tag-imsa"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40186","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40186"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40186\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40283,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40186\/revisions\/40283"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40186"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40186"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40186"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.imsa.edu\/acronym\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=40186"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}