The annual “Passport to Dance,” hosted by BYU Global Citizens for Study Abroad, celebrates the International Education Week with food, music and dance Friday, Nov. 22, in the Clyde Building from 8 to 11 p.m.
Taylor Ottesen, a neuroscience major from Orem, said the purpose of “Passport to Dance” is to bring people together and give them opportunities to experience international music and dance.
“Provo is actually a really culturally rich place,” Ottesen said. “Because you have so many people who have served missions, you get a lot of different languages spoken at BYU. So there’re a lot of opportunities for foreign stuff.”
Coming to “Passport to Dance,” students will enjoy top 40 music played by a professional DJ. The BYU Folk Dance Team will give free dance lessons. Pizza and Italian soda will be served at the event, and there will be a drawing with a chance of winning an iPad.
Camilla Dudley, a sophomore from Lake Tahoe, said the event sounds like a good way to learn about other cultures.
“I think it’s awesome that BYU has an activity that gets people to know about different cultures and know about different people around the world,” Dudley said.
Every year the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Education designate a week in November as “International Education Week” to encourage Americans to explore different parts of the world. “Passport to Dance” is a part of various events and lectures sponsored by The David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies to raise awareness of international education and exchange activities during the International Education Week.
Chelita Pate, study broad coordinator of International Study Program, said this is the fifth year of “Passport to Dance.”
“There will be a lot of fun,” Pate said. “People will be there, and they can talk about their experiences with each other. We will be encouraging that. The event provides a way for students to be able to talk about their experiences, and maybe the experiences come across somebody else who hasn’t done any international experiences.”
Ottesen said around 200 people came to “Passport to Dance” last year, and he hopes to have more people this year.
Tickets are $6 at the door and $3 at the WSC Info Desk. If students come with a group of six or more, tickets are $2.
