“I want to introduce our Nepalese culture through dance to a global audience.”
KEEPING CULTURE ALIVE THROUGH DANCE
ABOUT MY ONE-MINUTE DOCUMENTARY
by Ward Sakeik
Alisha was born and raised in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital, with her mother, father, and sister. Alisha started dancing at the age of 5, and her greatest inspiration is her father, who inspired her to express herself through dance and encouraged her every step of the way.
After seeing a commercial about a world record being held on TV, in May 2019, Alisha and her older sister Rubisha decided to enter a dance competition with the goal of holding the record. Alisha and Rubisha danced for 41 hours and 5 minutes, setting a new world record and becoming heroes in their community at just the ages of 17 and 18. The two sisters were given awards by the first woman president, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, for their dedication and hard work. Alisha and Rubisha are an inspiration to others and an example of the power of perseverance and dedication.
Surrounded by kids every Sunday, Alisha volunteers to teach Nepalese cultural dance to children at the NCSC, Shree Pashupatinath Temple and Bouddha Vihar in Euless. She encourages children to express their creativity and culture through dance, while educating them about the importance of preserving their culture and heritage. She also provides a safe space for children to learn and grow.
Alisha came to the United States to pursue a career as a professional dancer. She is currently studying at Northlake College, and plans to transfer to the University of North Dallas to study dance. She is looking forward to making her debut as a professional dancer in the coming years.
Meet Ward Sakeik
In 2010, I immigrated to the United States from the Middle East. I currently work as a wedding photographer where I’m surrounded by beautiful cultures, traditions, and fashion. I believe photography is a powerful way to preserve memories that will be cherished for years to come, and I absolutely love my job.
I’m a Journalism and Broadcasting senior graduating in December from the University of Texas at Arlington. I’m looking forward to hopefully getting a job in the news industry where I can produce news packages.
My hobbies include road cycling, listening to audiobooks and podcasts, and cooking and baking. I’m passionate about learning and understanding different cultures and I’m excited to see what my future has in store. I’m eager to tackle any challenges that come my way, and I’m confident that I’m up for the task.
About AMA+UTA CreateCollab
Since the Fall 2022 semester, the Arlington Museum of Art has partnered with The University of Texas at Arlington and a senior-level digital storytelling class to explore a wide variety of contemporary themes inspired by the museum’s mission, values, and exhibitions.
Class projects include photo essays, one-minute documentaries, and brief audio stories.
Associate Professor of Communication Erika Pribanic-Smith teaches the class. She values opportunities to bring real-world experiences to her students.
“My goal is to give my students real-world experience in all of my classes, creating real stories using real sources,” said Dr. Pribanic-Smith. “Creating stories that will be published for the public to see, not just submitted for a grade, gives students extra incentive to put forth their best effort. Furthermore, working with professionals gives the students another layer of feedback to re-enforce what they’re learning in the classroom. I prefer to work with organizations like the Arlington Museum of Art who will benefit in some way from the students’ content so that we are providing a service to the community.”
