UHWO will observe One Billion Rising, a campaign to end violence against women, in February 2018. If you’d like to dance on Feb. 14, you might be interested in attending the weekly campus Zumba class, where a portion of the time will be devoted to practicing the dance moves. The Zumba class meets Mondays from 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. in the Campus Center Loft area. The dance moves will be taught through Feb. 12.
The One Billion Rising campaign, launched on Valentine’s Day 2012, began as a call to action based on the statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. The 2018 campaign event is scheduled for Valentine’s Day and will once again feature dance as part of the event and a way to express solidarity with others around the globe.
Dance is an integral and creative aspect of the One Billion Rising events, with participants dancing to choreography by Debbie Allen and the song “Break the Chain.” Local communities are not required to follow the dance exactly and the organization encourages people to localize their artistic expressions by using any version of the choreography the community chooses.