An enchanted CMLLC evening
On Friday, January 29, more than two hundred revelers, including Wayne State students, friends, faculty, and alumni from around the world, attended CMLLC's first annual Winter Ball in the new Student Center Ballroom.
A coalition of the department's language clubs, in collaboration with the English Language Institute, united to form the Global Language Forum, and the group coordinated an evening of food, music, dancing, and fun.
After guests enjoyed an array of foods donated by area ethnic markets, bakeries, and restaurants, the evening kicked off with a bachata lesson organized by El Club Hispano. Erika Lile, a Ph.D. student and GTA in the Spanish program, and her dance partner, Richard Jaramillo, led a half-hour lesson in the popular Latin dance style.
Next, the Wayne State Deutschklub led the crowd in singing a traditional German song, "Fin Prosit," after which they spun a mix of popular music from Germany. Professor Alina Cherry introduced the French segment of the evening, featuring an a capella rendition of chanteuse Edith Piaf's "La vie en rose," performed soulfully by Claire-Marie Brisson. After the crowd danced to a series of French dance hits, the Saudi Student Organization treated the audience to a series of traditional dances from around Saudi Arabia, as well as an acoustic piece on the lute.
During the Italian portion of the evening, the Circolo Italiano introduced Deborah Cavagna, who taught a traditional nineteenth-century courtly dance, "Marcia Roma," performed to the music of Johann Strauss. Next, the Polish Club taught a "Polonaise," a Polish national dance in which dancers wove around the dance floor in elaborate choreography followed by music from the group "Future Folk." The Slavic Klub presented a playlist of Russian pop music to round out the evening, and their lively tracks transitioned into a final, international dance party that concluded with Donna Summers' "Last Dance."
Guests raided the costume trunk to array themselves in colorful costumes, from hockey jerseys and soccer scarves to traditional Polish aprons and Italian peasant skirts, and took selfies and videos. The wall of flags in the front of the room also provided a colorful backdrop for photos, as well as a visual representation of the many cultures and nationalities represented. A cohort of students and faculty danced until the Student Center turned the lights out, agreeing to make the Winter Ball an annual celebration of the rich diversity in CMLLC and across Wayne State's campus.