This semester, the seniors have been learning about a myriad of religions in Ms. D’Alba’s Comparative Religions class. From Judaism to Buddhism, we have had the privilege of exploring different religions through the lens of Ninian Smart’s 7 Dimensions (experiential, mythic, doctrinal, ethical, ritual, social, and material).
In these past two weeks, we have been learning about the Sikh faith and all its rituals and customs. However, unlike the other units, Ms. D’Alba introduced a more physical aspect of the Sikh faith–Punjabi dance! After we completed our notes on the various aspects of the Sikh faith, Ms. D’Alba gave all her classes the option to choose between two different dance tutorials; most ended up choosing the Just Dance one called “Just Dance 4 Wii Gameplay- Panjabi MC: Beware of the boys (Mundian to bach ke).”
Though this activity might seem silly (and certainly felt silly), exploring the Sikh faith via Punjabi dance was both enjoyable and informative for us seniors. For example, when I asked senior Grace Raskopf what her favorite part of this unit was, she shared, “My favorite part was getting to explore different cultures in a fun and creative way.” Similarly, senior Roni Mercado also expressed, “While I had never heard of Punjabi dance before, I really enjoyed learning all its intricate steps and history.”
Moreover, on the meaning behind Sikh Punjabi dances and why she decided to add dancing to the unit’s curriculum, Ms. D’Alba stated, “When studying a religion, it is importyant to learn not only their doctrine but also their traditions so we can come to a deeper appreciation to the richness of all faiths. Thus, Punjabi dancing helped us to develop a richer appreciation of th Sikh faith.”
Overall, learning about the Sikh religion and performing Punjabi dance in our Comparative Religions class was a wonderful experience that helped the senior class better understand the aspects unique to the Sikh faith and culture. If you are not yet a senior, I ask all of you Royals to keep an open mind when taking Ms. D’Alba’s class because while certain activities might be out of your comfort zone, they are ultimately a beautiful way of promoting interreligious dialogue in our everyday lives.
