Participants of the Indian Folk Dance Workshop celebrated culture, community and the joy of dance at the Camden County Library in Voorhees on Sept. 30.
A celebration of vibrant music, colorful costumes, and cultural heritage filled the Camden County Library in Voorhees on the evening of Monday, Sept. 30.
The Voorhees-Gibbsboro Lions Club, in collaboration with the Voorhees Cultural and Diversity Committee (VCDC), hosted an Indian Folk Dance workshop, which brought the local community together to experience the joy and history of Indian dance. Led by Sapana Raval, vice president of the Lions Club and a member of VCDC, the workshop was an inspiring cultural experience emphasizing unity through tradition and dance.
Raval, who was instrumental in organizing and leading the event, shared her passion for dance and its role in her life. “Not only does dance fill my heart with joy, but it also has motivated and inspired me throughout my life,” she said. “It gave me confidence, taught me responsibility, and teamwork. I wanted to share that with others.”
With a room full of eager participants of all ages, the evening was filled with energy and excitement as Raval introduced the group to several forms of Indian folk dance, including Garba—a traditional dance from the state of Gujarat, India. Garba, often performed during the Hindu festival of Navratri, has a deep cultural and spiritual significance.
Navratri is a holiday dedicated to the feminine Hindu Goddess Durga. It began on Oct. 3 and is celebrated through Oct. 12.
“Garba flows in every Gujarati person’s blood,” Raval explained. “Folk dances in Gujarat are a celebration of the state’s culture and tradition, and they make me feel connected to that culture and my own roots.”
For Raval, who is originally from India, said sharing these traditional dances with the community is more than just movement; it is about preserving a rich cultural heritage and passing it on to future generations.
“Primarily, it keeps the culture alive,” she said. “By sharing and teaching younger generations the dances, they can be passed down to positively affect more people in diverse communities. Folk dance can be a major tool for cultural expression and asserting one’s ethnic identity.
“In a country as diverse as India, dance and music play an important role in promoting unity and celebrating our shared identity.”
Raval carefully chose dances that would be appropriate for the venue and for the diverse age groups of the attendees.
“Not all folk dance sets are the same, so I choose the right fit based on the event venue and the age groups of registered participants,” she explained of the detail and accessibility for all.
However, teaching a diverse group came with its own set of challenges.
“Everyone starts at different levels, so I have to make sure to cater to my audience so that dancing can be enjoyable for everyone,” Raval noted. “Also, performance can make people nervous, so practice is important to build confidence in my students.”
Despite these challenges, Raval finds great rewards in seeing her participants succeed and enjoy themselves. That great reward on Monday evening came when the group successfully performed a 16-step dance sequence.
” … I anticipated [the sequence] to be hard for the participants, but they performed it so well after learning the technique in the workshop,” Raval exclaimed. “Seeing this made me incredibly happy as a teacher, and it was wonderful seeing everyone enjoy the workshop as a whole.”
The collaboration between the Lions Club and VCDC was an essential aspect of the workshop’s success.
The Voorhees Cultural and Diversity Committee brings all cultures together just like dance,” Raval said.
Along with culture, dance brings “an outstanding form of exercise.” And that’s part of their hope.
“This event was part of a larger initiative by the Lions Club to promote health, wellness, and cultural awareness in the Voorhees-Gibbsboro area,” said Mimi Hadi, secretary for the Voorhees-Gibbsboro Lions Club.
The club’s upcoming events include health lectures on topics such as diabetes and colon cancer, school vision screenings, a 5K Run for Sight with the Haddonfield Lions Club, and a Pancake Breakfast with Santa in December.
“We feel workshops like this bring community members together and show our dedication to our local community,” said Kim Gill, president of the Voorhees-Gibbsboro Lions Club.
“We look forward to hosting more workshops and lectures in the future.”
