Growing up, I went to a predominantly white school in a predominantly white town and had predominantly white friends. I had lived in a small town in a conservative state (hello, South Carolina) for most of my life, and there’s nothing wrong with that. I wouldn’t trade those experiences for the world, but I wanted to diversify my experiences and social circles in college. As the child of two Indian immigrants, I really wanted to become more familiar with my culture: relearn the languages, cook the foods, embrace my heritage in a way I hadn’t been able to up to that point. And that amazing opportunity presented itself in a way I could have never imagined: a dance group.
Now, don’t get me wrong, dance is an incredible art form that is beautiful, but I had never danced a day in my life. So when my Honors mentor suggested that I attend the interest meeting during my first semester, I was really only half interested. I had no idea that this team would become a huge part of my life, introducing me to some of my closest friends at Clemson and become a new passion and release for me. And this year, as Social Chair, I’m more involved than ever in a team that I truly believe in.
We do three different kinds of Indian dances – Bharatnatiyam, Bollywood, and Bhangra – and we are a competitive, fusion team. New members don’t need any dance experience to join, just a willingness to learn and have fun! And no, you don’t have to be Indian (much to a lot of people’s surprise). We do have an executive board who generally makes big final decisions, but everyone is involved and encouraged to voice their opinions, especially when it comes to new ideas. In the end, we are a family, a close-knit group of friends who look out for each other on a daily basis, not just in practice.
I could go on and on about how amazing this little group of people is and how much fun we have together, but I think it would be better to hear it from them:
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“What I love about Dholna is its commitment to inclusion and diversity… Clemson is beginning to make ardent strides towards becoming a more diverse and open campus, and I love that fact that being a part of a team like Dholna allows us to do just that.”
– Neha Kumar, Junior, dancer
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“I picked Dholna because it’s something that reminds me of home. I feel so close to all the friends I’ve made because I get to learn about their culture and they get to learn about mine.”
– Jasmine Patel, Sophomore, Marketing Chair
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“For people, such as myself, who aren’t very expressive by nature, dance is a form of self expression. In a way, it’s a medium through which I feel like I’m communicating with the outside world.”
– Keerti Kosana, Sophomore, dancer
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“I picked Dholna when I was still in high school. Yes, I searched through the outdated OrgSync and found Clemson’s one and only bollywood fusion dance team… What I love most about Dholna is that I can express my “Indian-ness” and my love for Bollywood very freely with some of my closest friends.”
– Manushi Patel, Junior, Team Co-Captain
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“I love how we are more than just a team; we have become a family.”
– Natasha Patel, Sophomore, dancer
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“I wanted to be a part of something in college that was completely different from what I participated in in high school… I can also be active during practice which I find hard to do by myself.”
– Nidhi Patel, Freshman, dancer
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“Dholna is a place where I can go to just be myself with some of my closest friends. As I spend more time with the amicable people in the organization, I find them growing closer to me as brothers and sisters. It’s somewhere I can go to forget about all the struggles of college and just relax for a few hours.”
– Anonymous, Freshman, dancer
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