Coinciding with its regular dance session, Benalla Migrant’s Association hosted its monthly pot luck on Saturday, October 3.
Committee member Alice Crichton said the recurrent dinners began in 2022, and had been running ever since.
“It gives the group a regular meeting time and rhythm, and we have also found that it is a good opportunity for people who come to learn more about each other, find out about how we prepare and eat food, and acknowledge smaller celebrations throughout the year,” Ms Crichton said.
While the meals on offer are a tasty delight, the dinners invite Benalla residents within the migrant community into an open space where connections can easily be forged.
“Meeting new people can be very challenging for anyone who moves here, but people who have moved to Australia from another country can find meeting potential friends and developing a supportive network of people a difficult proposition,” Ms Crichton said.
“Offering low-cost and free activities is one way Benalla Migrants Association is addressing this problem.”
This year, the association was successful in its application for a Benalla Rural City Community Grant, which has supported the group to deliver regular dance sessions.
On Saturday, the group kicked off the pot luck dinner early with a dance session at 3pm, in preparation for the anticipated Diwali@Mural event next month.
Ms Crichton said the sessions were supported by a range of dance instructors from Melbourne to deliver a “high-quality and engaging program”.
“The sessions are an opportunity for participants to learn some new dances, and to get a chance to go on stage and perform at events,” she said.
“At the moment, we are preparing for Diwali@Mural in November, but we have other events throughout the year such as Lunar New Year in February.
“All of our sessions are run by volunteers and we are grateful for their commitment.”
Ms Crichton said the sessions allowed those who were interested an opportunity to connect with Benalla Migrants Association through the art of dance.
“Dancing and music are important cultural touchstones worldwide, so there are a lot of dance styles to try,” she said.
“It also gives everyone a chance to hear music that they may not come across in their day-to-day lives.
“For Diwali, we are working on dance styles in Bollywood, Garba and Bhangra styles, and these dances are from very popular movie soundtracks.”
Benalla Migrants Association is open for people to join if they are migrants themselves, if they have a close relative who is a migrant, or for people who are eligible for citizenship from another country.
For more information, visit benallamigrants.org.au
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