Smita Miki Patel, right, founder and instructor of India Performing Arts Center, based in West Windsor, brought two dance teams to participate in the FOGANA Dance competition in Dearborn, Michigan. IPAC’s two dance teams include an adult team with dancers 30 and up; and a senior team, ages 16 to 26. Teams from dance schools across the United States participated in the competition.
The adult team comprises professional women who are also full-time mothers, wives, and members of the sandwich generation. Their eight-week training included eight hours of practice every weekend day, which paid off with first prize in the competition. The senior team, all full-time students, took third place. Participants in both teams hail from central and northern New Jersey.
IPAC, a non-profit organization (501 (c) (3)) was founded in 1999 by Patel to advocate the importance of preserving and promoting rich Indian folk heritage while integrating American culture. Her guiding principle is to provide the next generation with a solid cultural foundation — and keep the passion of folk dancing alive in girls of all ages. Visit www.ipacglobal.org for more information.
“It was a journey of eight weeks, 600 miles, and a lifetime of memories,” says Kalpana Patel, one of the adult dancers from West Windsor.
