Learning culture with Rhythm and Roots
Learning about each other’s cultures through the power of dancing is the mission of Roger Williams University’s Rhythm and Roots club. The club, which has been active for three months, has already left a big impression on campus.
The club has already held a number of great events, including their Twerk and Whine event, co-hosted with Women of Color Club, and their co-sponsoring of the Soca Pool Party with The Barbershop, Hispanic and Latinx Student Association (HALSA), Multicultural Student Union (MSU) and Women of Color Club.
According to the club’s e-board, its mission is “to bring everyone together for a new experience. To teach and be taught different cultural dances and hopefully get more people to come out to experience and celebrate different cultural backgrounds.”
Their club offers something new and different to the RWU campus. They offer a chance for members to learn more about others through their culture and dance. They allow their members to discuss what culture they should acknowledge next, then consult on the historical portion of the culture to ensure they are covering everything.
A usual meeting for Rhythm and Roots begins with a brief introduction of what that session will consist of. A presentation is then done that outlines the history and cultural background of the dance they are going to learn that day. After warm-ups, the members get right into the dance.
The club seamlessly blends together the history and teaching of the different dances. Rhythm and Roots gives the opportunity to bring more cultural diversity to the campus community with the power of dance.
The club also plans to keep the Twerk and Whine night as a yearly event. They are also planning events for Heritage Weekend and TikTok night.
For those interested in Rhythm and Roots, they welcome everyone. They view the club as an experience to grow as a community and to meet new people. Their meetings occur every other Wednesday at 6 p.m.
Other information about the club can be found on their Hawk Link page and their Instagram, @rwurnr.
Emily Dvareckas graduated from RWU in 2022 with a degree in forensic science. She spent three years with The Hawks’ Herald as the photo editor...
