Spicy Sunday

This year’s VCU Intercultural Festival title was “Spice Up Your World,” and the dreary drizzly Sunday sure did need some spice. Thankfully, the heavy rain didn’t deter festival-goers or participants.
As with so many planned outdoor events, Mother Nature often has different ideas. The festival was supposed to have taken place on the Commons Plaza, in the lawns around the School of Business Building and across Floyd Avenue in the VV parking lot.
Instead, the festival was held inside the Commons and took up most of the second floor. On offer at the event were 30 performances, 10 international food vendors, 33 organization booths, art-covered walls and 10 merchant vendors.
The smell of curry and kabobs wafted throughout the Commons, as exotic music played and people in native dress shared their culture.
A small girl performing with a group of Polynesian and Pacific Island dancers moved her hips in a fast and wildly agile manner.
After their display of tasseled hips and swishing wrists, the girls chose members of the audience to come up and try their hand at the sensual movement. The ensuing dance frenzy was quite comical.
Performers displayed music and dance from all over the world. Brazilian, Vietnamese, Bolivian, Ethiopian, Filipino, Indian, Caribbean, Persian and Latin dances were performed, as well as tribal belly dancing, capoeira, a step show, swing dance and fusion dance.
For music lovers there were Korean drums, West African and Brazilian music, underground rap, a rock band, jazz and reggae. Also on stage were a fashion show and chili pepper eating contest.
Activities included cultural Jeopardy, storytelling, pi