Sights and Sounds at Dana

By Arun Che 

On Sunday, Dana College hosted a day-long holiday celebration known as the Sights and Sounds of Christmas.  It is prominently about the traditions and culture of Scandinavia- a region of northern Europe- and happens annually at Dana. It is celebrated in the Christmas season with an emphasis on the customs and food of Scandinavia.

Dana College has welcomed the holiday season with this Christmas festival for decades. Several musical ensembles performed, including the Dana College Chorale, Omaha South High School Choir and the Iowa Western Show Choir. Demonstrators and other performance groups include the Blair Dance Centre, Swedish Weavers, Jean's Story Time of KMTV, Scandinavian Folk Dancers and Dana's Concert Band. A very popular feature of every Sights and Sounds of Christmas event is the incredible Danish “tastes” of Christmas found on the Scandinavian smorgasbord tables at Dana College. This is an event you wouldn’t want to miss. Even if you have sampled this famous smorgasbord in the past, you are urged to make plans to attend this year. The menu includes frikadeller, medisterpølse, stuffed pork loin and delicious desserts. The festivities started at 10 a.m. and ended at 5.30p.m.

            This year’s Sights and Sounds was no less than what has been already mentioned. From the filled up parking spots from the cafeteria to the Gardner Hawks Center, anyone will agree that the event was well attended as it were a festival of epic proportions. The master of ceremonies, Karla James, was a great entertainer, always keeping the crowd happy and lively. Starting at the bookstore, I saw some beautiful souvenirs from Scandinavia and other items bearing the Dana logo which were for sale. Then I went on to see art and crafts items that Dana students had made for display

including pottery and paintings.  The place I enjoyed most in the day was the cafeteria; ranging from the sumptuous foods to the arrangement of the area. I went on to see a few dances from performers from the Blair Dance Centre with little girls tapping and doing the ballet. Oh how marvellous!

Onward I marched to see the Omaha weavers demonstrate their skills and let visitors try their hand at weaving on a loom. They had ancient machines that still work great. Then I went on to listen to Miss Jean’s Story Time program, which she has been doing for the last 38 years!  Performances by the Iowa Western Community College Show Choir and Dana students followed.

The last item to be shown was the life and work of Jesus Christ that many loved and left me humbled.  It was performed wonderfully by the Dana Christ in Action Group. It was truly a memorable day.