By Alexandra Valint
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Intrigued by taste testing griyo and kifto and watching a group of dancers perform to calypso and Ethiopian music?
The Association of African and Caribbean Cultures is holding its "Diaspora Bashment," a diverse cultural celebration, tonight in the Student Activities Building.
The night will start at 8:30 with assorted meals of sundry African and Caribbean dishes. Some of the foods on the extensive menu include jerk chicken, rice bread, Ghana salad and fried plantains.
The hour following dinner will be devoted to performances with seven students participating in the "Diaspora Dance." Third-year College student Andrea Gosine, AACC president, said the dance will be a combination of five types of dances: soca, chutney, meringue, hip-hop and Ethiopian. Since many of the dancers come from the countries of these respective dances, they pooled their talents and collectively choreographed the seven minute, two-part dance.
"We practiced weekends, in the evenings, whenever we could all get together," Gosine said.
Dance solos, singing performances and poetry readings will take up the rest of the performance hour. Then from 10:45 p.m. to 2 a.m. the all-out party begins. Everyone can take a turn on the dance floor to a mix of musical styles, whether it's salsa, meringue or R&B.
Third-year Commerce student Eveline Dominique, AACC vice president, said the purpose of the event "is to unite student organizations and faculty members in celebrating the culture of the African and Caribbean Diaspora."
Gosine described the African and Caribbean Diaspora as "the people of these regions who have spread out around the world. People who have spread further than their origins."
The group held a similar event in 1999.
"We definitely hope that it's a big success and we'll definitely plan to have it annually depending on how it goes this year," Dominique said.
The AACC aims to "increase awareness of cultural and societal issues of the African and Caribbean Diaspora," Dominique said.
In continued outreach efforts, the group sponsors forums, speakers and other cultural activities throughout the rest of the year.
"In the past we haven't been as active on the U.Va. campus, but in this year we've tried to have more activities," Dominique said.
Admission to the "Diaspora Bashment" is $3 for University students, but free for Hereford residents. Students need to have a University ID on hand. Tickets can be bought at the door.
"It's very open to students of all backgrounds," Dominique said. "We want everyone to come and have a good time"
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