International Music and Dance performance at OU tonight

Ohio University students and professional performance artists will highlight the International Music and Dance Performance at 8 tonight in the Baker Center Ballroom.

The International Student Union, a group dedicated to promoting cultural understanding and encouraging a sense of community between international and American students, is sponsoring the event.

The evening will include a combination of performances based on the traditions of several different cultures, said ISU President Jorge Contreras. For example, Martha Gonzales, a professional singer and dancer from Mexico, will perform songs and lead local school children, with whom she has been practicing, in traditional Mexican dance.

OU's Chinese Students and Scholars Association will perform a Chinese bamboo dance and traditional Chinese YanGe ritual, Contreras said. Members of the Thai Student Organization will perform a traditional Thai dance for a kicking and boxing ceremony. In addition, OU student Carrie Elkin will play guitar and perform several songs.

The event also will feature a professional African drumming group, joined by a few OU students, Contreras said. The Latin jazz group Yumbambe will bring the evening to a close. The group, from Columbus, blends jazz harmonies with the rhythms of Afro-Cuban drumming.

Refreshments with an international flair will be served to attendees. Tickets are $2 and can be bought at the door or over the phone; those interested should call Francis Kwaku Fofie at 593-6555.

- Allison Cayse