Levantine culture will be represented for the first time on a BYU stage at this year's Fusion Celebration.
The Levant refers to the region of the Middle East that borders the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.
Sama Salah is the student section leader and president of BYU’s Arab Student Association. Salah, who is of Egyptian descent, learned and choreographed the dances needed to represent the Levant.
“People might not know that there are any Arabs on campus, so I feel like this shows that we are here. We are here to stay,” Salah said.
Tala Alnasser, BYU’s Executive Vice President of the Student Body, is another participant in the Levantine section.
“It means alot to me because I feel seen, especially after a year of atrocities in Palestine,” Alnasser said.
The performance will highlight Palestinian culture through dabkeh, a traditional Palestinian dance. The group will also shout a common Arab cheer called an aweeha.
“My biggest privilege is being able to see people who are not Arab compose the majority of the section, and also see the love in their eyes when they’re learning the dance,” Alnasser said.
While most students in the group are new to Levantine culture, they are eager to learn.
“I don’t know a whole lot about the culture yet, but I’m really curious and I care, and I think that’s what’s most important," Nathan Caldwell, another student participant, said.
For Salah and Alnasser, this group represents progress in expanding inclusivity at BYU.
"This section is an excellent example of that; to be able to represent (it), to talk about it, to show people the beauty of (Levantine) culture," Alnasser said.