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PS 213 students learn about cultures around the world

PS 213 students learn about cultures around the world
Photo by Christina Santucci
By Kelsey Durham

Students at PS 213 in Oakland Gardens danced around the globe Tuesday during the school’s annual International Fair, celebrating cultures and traditions from many different countries.

A series of six dance performances were put on by groups of students, ranging from pre-K to fifth-grade, in recognition of different cultures represented by PS 213 students and their families. The dance recital was the final part of a two-day event aimed at teaching students about countries on the world map.

Beth Revello, parent coordinator at PS 213, located at 231-02 67th Ave., said she started the yearly International Fair seven years ago after realizing the school had a remarkable resource to teach students about other cultures.

“I always did it at my kids’ schools, and when I came here, I saw such a diverse culture,” she said. “I suggested it to the parents and they all loved the idea.”

The first day of the event is spent learning about societies around the world, which Revello said are chosen based on what students and parents offer to bring to the performance. Since all dances are choreographed and taught by parent volunteers who either represent or are familiar with the chosen culture, she said some countries make recurring appearances at the event every year.

China and Korea, two of the most dominant ethnicities at PS 213, are consistently two of the most popular countries in the International Fair, Revello said.

On the first day, students gathered in the library to sample food and look at artifacts from the regions to learn about their history and how their people live today. The performances on the following day featured about 90 children placed into small groups to represent each culture with a dance.

“We don’t say no to anyone,” Revello said. “If you want to be in it, you’re in it. We’re very fortunate to have very involved parents who have done so much to make this happen.”

The remainder of this year’s cultures included Israeli, African and Latin American and each were represented with their own traditional dance. Each dance group had a leader who taught the movements and guided the students through their performances Tuesday, which included Korean circle dancing, Latin American bullfighting dancing, Israeli line dancing and others.

The students started preparing for the dances and the rest of the activities around October, Revello said, and it took hundreds of hours volunteered by busy parents in order to make sure everything went smoothly. Parents also provided the costumes and all the decorations.

Revello said the children are always excited to take part in the International Fair, which also brings parents together as they come out to watch the performances. As the students walk away from the experience, Revello said she hopes they remember the importance of learning about and accepting other cultures.

“We’re all different, but we’re all the same,” she said. “No matter what nation you’re from, it’s all about loving and giving and caring about each other. We’re all here for the same purpose.”

Reach reporter Kelsey Durham at 718-260-4573 or by e-mail at [email protected].