Asian American Culture Night highlighted diverse cultures from all across Asia, organized by the Asian American Culture Club (AACC) Saturday, May 6 in the Lasker Auditorium.
The night opened with a cover of “Hype Boy”, a South Korean pop song. The cover featured well-coordinated dancing among its performers, juniors Melody Chuong, Joann Lin, Lorene Lu, Erica Yasuhara, and senior Stephanie Lin.
Shortly afterward came a North Indian Kathak choreography piece performed by junior Arushi Shatkin. The dance utilized bells attached to the performer’s clothing to create the rhythm.
According to junior Ryan Chao, an officer of the AACC, organizers of the event prioritized showcasing a wide variety of Asian cultures.
“You can see that we don’t just have Chinese performers,” said Chao. “We also have Korean, South Asian, and Filipino.”
The first act came to a close with junior Surya Gopal’s cover of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”. Gopal performed a reharmonized and jazzier version of the piece.
“I play jazz piano, so I’m always looking for ways to reharmonize songs and I thought, why not,” said Gopal. “It’s also a very nostalgic song for me.”
The second act opened with Gopal and senior Abby Puduseril’s cover of “Paranoia Purple” by Yebba. Afterward, junior Lorene Lu performed a dance titled the “Flying Apsaras of Dunhuang.” The dance was modeled after Chinese ribbon dancing, characterized by quick ribbon movements and flowing motions.
The evening came to a close with a fashion show. Cast members participated in the final performance, showcasing a variety of different fashion styles from all over Asia.
“The fashion show was super fun, especially when I saw my friends up there,” said junior Kavin Kannan.“Their outfits were all amazing and I can’t wait to watch it again next year.”