On Nov. 10, the College of Creative Arts will host the 29th annual "World Culture Dance and Music Celebration" in McKenna Theatre, showcasing a mix of Afro-Puerto Rican, Hungarian, Filipino, Haitian, Peruvian and Polynesian dances.

Christina Navarro, who is part of Cacique y Kongo, an Afro-Puerto Rican Bomba dance group in Berkeley, choreographed a five-minute medley apropos of the Bomba style, using five dancers and live musicians for the concert.

“Bomba is traditionally an improvisational dance, it’s not usually choreographed,” said Navarro, an SF State dance ethnology major, but felt it was the right moment in her development as a dancer to take on this responsibility.

Dancers usually improv, call and response style, to the rich percussion sounds of the live music.

“I think it’s really important to have these kinds of [cultural] events because of where we live and the diversity we have in the Bay Area,” said Navarro.

Directed by SF State Professor of Dance, Dr. Jerry Duke, the event invites dance groups from the University and Bay Area to express their many different cultures through movement.

“This is an event that has been going on since 1978,” said Duke. “It is the only chance a lot of student [dance] groups have to perform and show off their hard work.”

Duke will perform a compilation of dance movements he learned from a group of Hungarian teenagers he met a couple years ago.

Valerie Watson, the associate director of last year’s world dance celebration and founder of the Alafia Dance Ensemble, choreographed a piece for the show entitled "Ikore." It is a Haitian harvest dance, consisting of eight dancers and live music, said Watson, who is currently earning her master’s in adult education from SF State.

"I'm happy to be a part of any event that contributes to the diversity of dance expression," Watson said.

The San Francisco based Manuia Polynesian Revue will also be participating in the event for the second year in a row.

“This is a great way to share our style of dancing and culture with everybody else,” said director Tommy Tualaulelei.

Tualaulelei picked 15 to 20 dancers from his group to perform a 10-minute piece previously performed at a 2003 international Polynesian dance competition. The dance tells a story of one of the greatest kings of Tahiti, defended his people during a tumultuous time. The instruments include a toere (a hollow log), small skin drums and ukulele.

Luis Valverde, director of the Peruvian Dance Company in San Francisco, understands the importance of this type of an event.

"It's a big window of opportunity to see, perform and share different ethnic dances," he said. "This is the first time I've been a part of it and it's a big event for me, personally."

Valverde will showcase the Peruvian national dance called "Marinera," which will be a combination of improvisation and choreography. In this partnering dance, originating from north cost of Peru, the male attempts to grab the attention of the female.

"It's a very flirtatious and romantic dance," he said. "I tell the dancers to let themselves go. It does not have strict rules."

Mariella Morales, this year’s assistant director, also choreographed “Empowerment,” an African-Haitian dance. “Empowerment” reenacts the last revolution that the Haitians fought before becoming an independent people.

“This year we have a pretty good mix,” she said. “I tried to bring [in choreography from] countries that are not usually expressed or shown.”

The World Culture Dance and Music Celebration will be held on November 10 at 8 p.m. For more information please contact the McKenna Theatre box office at 415-338-2467.