Spring Break
The Daily OrangeArtistic performances weave intricate of Asian identity
By Chinki Sinha
Posted: 3/27/06, 12:59 AM EST Section: Pulp
For Rohan Sheth, Andaz, the show put together by South Asian Students Association on Sunday evening, was a reflection of the fusion in his own life, the life of an American Indian. Andaz is the Urdu term for style. For Sheth, the show's aim was to present the harmony of East and West in an immigrant's life, which is unique and there is a certain style in that amalgamation.
"Our lives are a fusion," said Sheth, president of SASA. "As a minority group, we have lived this life with the eastern values and the western system."
The dancers and the organizers weaved in their identities and experience through the choice of music, movements and programs. But the show was not limited to harmony. Called a remix benefit show, the show involved others who wanted to showcase their talents or culture.
There were 15 acts, including dances by Raices and SU Breakerz, a poetry reading by Raza Ali Hasan, a graduate student in The College of Arts and Sciences, who read from his recent book, "Grieving Shias," and rock music. Though the songs were in different languages, energy bound them all.
As Goldstein Auditorium, where the show was organized, reverberated with the music, a blend of hip-hop, classical Indian and Bollywood songs, the audience cheered on the performers for four hours. Debadrita Saha, a graduate student in the engineering department, said she loved the performance by the graduate students, who danced on latest Hindi film songs.
"I like the Rang De Basanti song," she said. "It was amazing. It is a good effort to present the new generation India in a new way."
While fusion and showcasing South Asian culture were the night's themes the cause was to raise money for AIDS awareness in South Asia, where the stigma attached to the disease makes many people hesitate to seek medical help. The proceeds go to Breakthrough, a media organization working toward spreading knowledge about AIDS to people in that part of the world.
Christopher Cuffia, a junior in the College of Visual and Performing Arts who is HIV positive, highlighted the importance and need for wearing condoms and called on the audience to donate money for the cause. He gave an example of his own life and asked people to be honest with their partners.
"Our lives are a fusion," said Sheth, president of SASA. "As a minority group, we have lived this life with the eastern values and the western system."
The dancers and the organizers weaved in their identities and experience through the choice of music, movements and programs. But the show was not limited to harmony. Called a remix benefit show, the show involved others who wanted to showcase their talents or culture.
There were 15 acts, including dances by Raices and SU Breakerz, a poetry reading by Raza Ali Hasan, a graduate student in The College of Arts and Sciences, who read from his recent book, "Grieving Shias," and rock music. Though the songs were in different languages, energy bound them all.
As Goldstein Auditorium, where the show was organized, reverberated with the music, a blend of hip-hop, classical Indian and Bollywood songs, the audience cheered on the performers for four hours. Debadrita Saha, a graduate student in the engineering department, said she loved the performance by the graduate students, who danced on latest Hindi film songs.
"I like the Rang De Basanti song," she said. "It was amazing. It is a good effort to present the new generation India in a new way."
While fusion and showcasing South Asian culture were the night's themes the cause was to raise money for AIDS awareness in South Asia, where the stigma attached to the disease makes many people hesitate to seek medical help. The proceeds go to Breakthrough, a media organization working toward spreading knowledge about AIDS to people in that part of the world.
Christopher Cuffia, a junior in the College of Visual and Performing Arts who is HIV positive, highlighted the importance and need for wearing condoms and called on the audience to donate money for the cause. He gave an example of his own life and asked people to be honest with their partners.
