“Dance on the Green” hosted by Kennesaw State University’s Department of Dance on March 30 at 12:30 p.m., celebrates dance from around the world for students of any level to enjoy and to see what the department has to offer.
“Dance on the Green” will be on the Campus Green in front of Kennesaw Hall. The event was started by Assistant Professor of Dance, Daniel Gwirtzman, as a new faculty member to KSU. Professor Gwirtzman had prior experience with events like “Dance on the Green,” and pitched the idea to Ivan Pulinkala, the chair of the Department of Dance.
“I saw an opportunity for the department to engage with the larger KSU community,” Gwirtzman said. “To paraphrase Walt Whitman: I see KSU dancing.”
With spring arriving, the event is a great way to get students out to have fun and experience some of what KSU has to offer. Classes in dance are not only for dance majors, but are open to all students interested. Students of any level are welcome to take a class.
The event will feature dances from all over the world like folk and popular dances from Africa, India, Europe and America just to name a few. Participants will learn circle dances, partner dance and line dances. The event will also have live drumming provided by the percussionists from the school of music.
Sponsored by the KSU Department of Dance, the event is a way for the department to get the word out about themselves.
“Being off campus, in Chastain Pointe, many KSU students do not know about our program and the wealth of classes we offer,” Gritzman said.
The event is also co-sponsored by the KSU Dance Company and Nu Delta Alpha. The KSU Dance Company is the pre-professional company that dances on campus, regionally and nationally. Nu Delta Alpha is a national dance honor society for students who not only are academically gifted, but demonstrate outstanding ability in dance technique, performance, scholarship, choreography, literature, and/or production.
Through “Dance on the Green,” the Department of Dance hopes that it will bring students together and have them experience dance as a community activity as well as encourage and promote wellness and physical exercise; learn and celebrate different cultures through dance and to have a university-wide social event to bring students together.
“Dance on the Green“ offers a great activity for individuals to get out of their comfort zone or for groups of friends to hang out and enjoy the weather. All students and faculty are welcome to celebrate dance, learn a new one or learn about KSU’s Department of Dance. So far, the event has been a success, with students clearly enjoying the workout.
“Dance on the Green” is free, and if that is not enough incentive, free KSU Ice Pops will be handed out to the first 200 participants.
