They say dance is the universal language … or was that music? Some say dance is exercise for the human spirit. Others say that dance is the mother of all the arts. But, no matter what they say dance is … most people will agree that dance is associated with happiness (or at least, good feelings), and it brings people together.

In many cultures, dance is a social activity. In others, it’s celebratory, functional, or purposeful, and the reason for dance is as widely varied as the dances themselves. Now, I’m not just talking about the club dancing — that slow- drag, bump and grind or take up the whole dance floor to express yourself kind of dance. Of course, that’s very social and common throughout the cultures and communities, too, but I’m talking more about the artistic type of dance — the dances with steps and names (and I don’t mean the Hustle and the Electric Slide, either!)

Just for a minute, think about dance as a cultural expression. Think about all of the different instruments that make music, and all the different music that makes feet and bodies move. Actually, that’s not always true — did you know that sometimes it’s the dancer letting the music-maker know what to play or when? There’s a lot of very interesting background that comes with learning about dance and culture.

On September 11, Ngozi, Inc. will bring together people from a wide geographical and cultural stretch for “A Touch of Culture,” a showcase of dance, music, drama, and cultural traditions. This showcase will be the first multi-arts dance performance on the Sunoco Performance Theater stage of Harrisburg’s new Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts.

This event seems a logical next step to follow Ngozi’s first International Dance Conference, which was held in 1998. The conference was a combination of workshops and classes, ending up with a showcase performance by many of the dance groups that participated. Last year’s conference was very much a community-oriented program where the audience and performers from different cultures were very receptive to each other. This year, Ngozi is moving into the mainstream community as a respected arts organization, which will draw members of a wider community with its cultural awareness programming.

“A Touch of Culture,” Harrisburg Dance Conservatory, Harrisburg Scottish Country Dancers, Coyle School of Irish Dance, Danzante, and Ngozi are a few of the local dance groups who are working in unison to bring diversity together through the art of universal movement. With this mix of cultures on stage, members of all cultures will be encouraged to come to Whitaker Center. As Bob Davidson of Harrisburg Scottish Country Dancers describes the cultural mix, “It evokes more of a sense of community.” Davidson’s group participated in last year’s conference and he was impressed with the turnout and the community response. “They asked us back. I’m glad they did.”

One thing that seems to be common among the different dance groups is the desire to show the local community what’s hidden within. Rafiyqa Muhammad of Ngozi says, “We want to show the community that we have jewels in our own back yard.”

In a separate conversation, Bob Davidson said, “The community should be aware of all that’s around that we don’t see.” It becomes obvious that those who teach dance are interested in reaching beyond just the individuals who originate from that culture.

As the community comes out to explore the multi-culturalism of dance, people may take an interest in learning more. Fortunately, Ngozi is already busy organizing the 2nd Annual International Dance Conference that is slated for October 22-23 of this year. All dance groups participating in “A Touch of Culture” will also be participating in the conference to provide workshops and classes. Members of the community are encouraged to learn and partake of any of the dances that appeal to them on stage, in a non-threatening environment. Much of the conference is held in a large group setting where many workshop participants are learning the steps for the first time. Registration forms for the dance conference will be available on the night of the performance.

As people come together to see “A Touch of Culture,” the community will be gathering and awareness will be growing. As people explore other cultures through dance, the community grows closer. As people start dancing with each other — traditional-type dances that require people to touch and partners to look each other in the eye in non-threatening ways — people become a community.

“A Touch of Culture” is a perfect opportunity for people to come and learn through the arts. The program is also a perfect opportunity for the community to come inside Whitaker Center for a show that is affordable and planned with the local community in mind — to educate, to unite, and to showcase the local talent.

Whether you say dance is social, artistic, or otherwise, the critical factor is that dance brings people together —whether everyone is dancing together or whether only one person dances and the rest are simply spectators. The bottom line is that dance helps build a single community by integrating communities of diverse cultures.