Tempo. That is what it’s all about. If these dancers miss the beat, they’ll start over. And they don’t mind doing so, as long as their choreography is flawless by the end.

Silsilay is one of the biggest cultural events that is hosted annually by Lynbrook’s American-Indo Student Association. This event consists of dance groups and musical performances from various schools in the area that come together to perform traditional and modern Indian dances. Each year, students from Lynbrook, Monta Vista, Cupertino, Homestead, Bellarmine, Notre Dame and American High school work very hard to perfect their moves for this always heavily attended show. This year the Silsilay showcase will be on March 31, where 17 dance teams will be performing, including four teams from Lynbrook.

Preparing this massive event includes planning schedules, contacting and coordinating with other schools, while also staying on budget and making sure that food is available to the audience. “Most people don’t know about the amount of hard work behind Silsilay and don’t realize how many people are actually involved. It’s just not the dance. There’s music that has to be edited and decorations that have to be made”, says junior Tanvee Joshi, treasurer and team captain.

Dance practices, which vary from two to three hours a week are intensive and usually take place on the weekends, when most students are available to work in groups. Students start practicing as early a year before the event takes place, as they have to try out each year to get into their school’s dance teams. Additionally, students tend to practice extensively at home and push themselves to the edge in order to present a flawless performance.

“It seemed like a really fun and engaging way to connect with your own culture,” said Joshi. “Dance is my passion, and as it is a way to express myself, I enjoy spreading that feeling to my classmates as well. Silsilay means the world to me.”

While some students have been involved with Indian dance for a long time, every year Silsilay attracts new participants that might not be as familiar with Indian culture.

"At its core, Silsilay is a very 'desi' event," said junior Vennela Chukka, "But it's somehow very appealing to students of all cultures and I think that's really special."

Although originally “desi”, a loose term used to describe the people and culture from India and South Asia, Silsilay welcomes participants from all cultures, races, and ethnicities.

“When I first attended a Silsilay show as an underclassman I found the dances very interesting as they incorporated both hip hop and traditional Indian culture in their dances,” said junior Emily Leung. “I thought that it was an exclusive showcase, but later on i learned that Silsilay can be a multicultural experience.”

Tickets can be purchased for $10 at the top of the quad and $12 at the door. There will be both afternoon and evening performances, so come out on May 31 to support our dancers and see the talent that our district has to offer!