To bring the school community together and connect, the Laboratory Schools Desi culture group will host a Diwali festival on Oct. 18 from 5-7 p.m. in Lower Kovler Gymnasium.
The event theme this year, “Dance to the the lights,” combines the tradition of Diwali, the festival of lights, with vibrant dance performances by students and adults.
“We’ve got an Earl Shapiro Hall dance, a middle school dance, and we’ve got some moms and dads dancing, so it will be a nice way for the community to be together,” Monica Shukla, a Lab School parent and event coordinator, said.
Masha Sajdeh, another organizer, added that the festival dances will be representative of different geographies and subcultures within India.
“The dances include Bhangra, Raasgarba, Gujarat and Bollywood, showcasing various subcultures in India,” she said.
The event, previously held in Judd C116, was moved to Lower Kovler Gymnasium to accommodate more guests and to celebrate Diwali as the season of giving.
“There are five days of Diwali, and you usually exchange gifts in India, and at Lab we celebrate Diwali by giving to the Fund for Lab,” Ms. Sajdeh said.
The event is open to the public, and guests are encouraged to reserve their tickets and make a suggested donation of $30 for adults and $15 for kids. All funds will be directed toward the Fund for Lab, which directly benefits student programs.
A highlight of the evening will be a beautiful rangoli, a geometric pattern formed with lights and flowers at the center of the dances.
Ms. Shukla is looking forward to the event.
“It’s a nice way to meet people of the south Asian background across all the divisions,” she said, “because otherwise we really don’t get the opportunity to meet each other and to celebrate this really festive celebration.”
