In an attempt to bridge gaps and encourage unity between the cultures at MSU, Palestis, president of the Modern Greek Club, and members of the MSU Turkish Student Association, or TSA, hosted the Turkish and Greek Dance Night at Gilchrist Hall to bring the nationalities together for a night of fun.

The event was sponsored by the Office for International Students and Scholars as part of the West Circle Feel the Rhythms series.

Graduate student and TSA Director of Events Nazli Uygun said the dance was a chance to show students despite political differences, the two nations have many similarities to be celebrated.

“Greek people and Turkish people are very close to each other, geographically and culturally,” she said. “We have very similar food … and music.”

During the evening, anthropology senior Eve Avdoulos played the bouzouki, a Greek instrument similar to a guitar, which she has been playing for seven years.

“I wanted to pick up something with a strong tie to (my) background,” she said.

The evening featured a performance by The Habibi Dancers, a Michigan-based dance group specializing in Middle Eastern styles. As they performed, the women invited members of the audience to join the dance, including Iran native and East Lansing resident Sahar Mehrabi.

“I was a bit shy,” she said. “I’ve never done this before. It was a good experience.”

As graduate student Rupinder Sayal watched students of both nationalities participate in a group circle dance, he said he was happy to see them experiencing new traditions.

“This is really good,” he said. “People from other cultures don’t see what these dances are really like.”

Palestis said she enjoyed planning the dance with another cultural groups and considered the event a good way to encourage open minds on campus.

“Being at this campus and being amongst diverse cultures, you try to open up your (mind) and understand the fact that every student (is) just like you — no matter where you come from,” she said.