Students learned to bust a move while registering to vote Saturday.
UF’s Asian American Student Union hosted Pop It to the Polls for the first time on the Reitz Union North Lawn. The dance workshop taught participants Filipino, modern and Bhangra dances. Students could also register to vote in the primaries while there.
DJ Fontenot, a UF political science senior, said he organized the event with the hopes of increasing voter registration among Asian Americans.
“Dance is something the AASU community is very passionate about,” the 21-year-old said. “It is a big part of their culture. We wanted to combine it with an issue that affects the Asian community, such as voter turnout.”
At any time during the event, participants could register to vote through organizations, including Rock the Vote, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote and Chomp the Vote, Fontenot said. About five students registered to vote.
The Icla da Silva Foundation, which aims to help minorities with leukemia, also registered students to be bone marrow donors, he said. There are not enough Asian American donors, he said. Four students signed up.
During the event, choreographers from AASU taught different dances and a step routine. A choreographer and UF’s Filipino Student Association led about 25 students in the dances.
“The Filipino Student Association is currently prepping for Barrio Fiesta, a dance event that takes place in March,” Fontenot said. “So they are pretty well-versed in teaching people how to dance.”
Before students began dancing, they were split into five groups of three and participated in a workshop that taught them how to improve issues in their organizations. The workshop also discussed how they could use dance to reach others.
The participants then presented their ideas to everyone else. After a short break, they started dancing.
Radhika Gopalan, a UF psychology and sociology senior, helped choreograph the event, and she taught participants the Bhangra routine.
“Bhangra is very high-energy,” the 21-year-old said. “There’s a lot of variety in it, too. It has a story and a meaning. It connects me to my culture.”
Gopalan said she has been dancing since she was 4. She tried out for the UF Bhangra team as a freshman and has been creating dances ever since, she said.
“The hardest part is making sure that it is something other people can pick up,” Gopalan said. “You have to make sure everyone is on the same level.”
Kennedy Ho, a UF nutrition senior, danced in the event.
“Dancing keeps us active; it is one of our passions and brings the community together to learn about an issue: voting,” the 21-year-old said.
Students learn to dance a Bhangra routine outside the Reitz Union on Saturday morning. The Asian American Student Union hosted the Pop It to the Polls event to encourage students to register while learning how to dance.
