Occidental College
Campus Conversations
Diwali lights and Dancing
Midterms check, Fall Break check. (What? Already? The weather does not feel like fall yet!) crazily busy schedule…err, checking. It’s been one of those months where everything feels whirlwind, and its really nice to have some time to breathe. I stayed on campus for Fall Break and found some interesting things to do around Oxy. I went to see a couple of plays in downtown, signed up for ballroom classes and visited the public library. I even had time to go see Occupy LA. A large group of students on campus spent a day chalk-painting the quad to spread awareness about it and I feel like we’re back 30 years with peaceful protests and world-change all over again- not that I’m complaining. It’s pretty impressive to know that the entire world collaborated to protest this weekend. Occupy London, Occupy LA, Occupy Wall Street- they all seem up to good starts. It makes me wonder about revolutionaries in our generation and where they come from. I always imagine revolution to be dramatic, theatrical and filled with stories and heroes- maybe the time has come for a different style of revolutionary. One who Twitters about the growing masses at a protest site, one who attends and puts pictures up on Facebook. It’s happening in our generation- we’re being handed the chance to shape the world again. The weeks are going by at an unprecedented rate. My Bollywood piece for Dance Production 2012 is picking up and we’ll be starting publicity for Dance Marathon (a fundraiser where you dance for the charity Save the Children) this Wednesday. I’m the Creative Director and have been working hard on designing the logos and promotional materials for it. It’s the magical time of year where the leaves change color and everyone wants pumpkin spiced hot chocolate and Halloween candy and I cant wait to start photographing Oxy’s (gorgeous) campus once that happens. I’m missing festivities in India, though- it’s Diwali, the festival of lights and every street corner is lit up with fairy lights and traditional oil lamps called diyas.
Diyas
People make designs on the floor outside their homes and everything is beautifully new, clean and colorful.
People making Rangolis
Diwali brings families together and there is a traditional West Indian dance called Garba involved that I might just teach my Bollywood dancers because I love it so much. Garba is traditionally danced in a circle of between 10-600 people and was used in ancient India to allow boys and girls to meet in social situations without being scandalous. The dance is partnered and you usually change partners every ten minutes, kind of like a square dance. It’s a little difficult to describe, so I found a video =] -->Click here to see the dance! I can't dance the Garba in full force all the way here but the South Asian Students Association is having a Diwali dinner though, so Indian food is on the charts-huzzah! Speaking of, I think I’ll put up some traditional Indian Diwali recipes in my next post :)