The Saint Francis quad during lunch has been the place to be the past couple weeks, hosting some amazing events from our affinity groups. On October 24, the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) hosted an affinity group event and invited other student groups such as Tinikling, Tagata Pasifika, and K-pop during first and second lunch. On November 3, a professional Azteca dance group was invited by the Latinx Student Union (LSU) for a lunchtime performance.
Focusing on the hosts of the event, the elegance of VSA’s umbrella dance was a sight to behold. The dancers wore colorful Áo Dài, traditional Vietnamese dresses, accessorized with matching umbrellas as they swayed and spun around the stage in the center of the quad. When speaking with VSA member Caroline Luu (’26), she highlighted that the “fun leading up to that day and practicing with VSA” in addition to seeing “the whole school community come together” were some of her favorite parts of performing. Luu also praised VSA’s moderator Ms. Natalie Lai as she was the reason that the multicultural event was able to happen. Luu explained that due to the event being proposed on such short notice, the group wasn’t sure if it was going to be possible, but Ms. Lai “really pulled through.” She even gave all affinity groups the opportunity to put themselves out there, expanding the experience beyond VSA.
K-pop Dance Crew and Tagata Pasifika are both affinity groups that tend to only perform in events such as the International Showcase, rallies, or Open House, so this lunchtime performance was a new experience for them. The K-pop Dance Crew, led by co-presidents Elizabeth Shih (’26) and Joanne Lee (’27), performed in sync to popular K-pop songs, enticing anyone with knowledge of the international musical world. On the other hand, Tagata Pasifika, Saint Francis’s Polynesian affinity group, had girls and boys performing to several traditional island melodies. They danced to the rhythms of the sound in such a synchronized manner that all Lancers watching wished that they had performed for longer.
Another stunner performance of the first day was the Tinikling dance group, an extension of Saint Francis’s Filipino American Student Union (FASU). They have only been growing in their activity on campus since seniors Eden Abar (’26), Jack Teano (’29), and Elizabeth Shih (’26) took over as leaders of the team. In their performance, they did the traditional Filipino dance which involved students carefully stepping between two bamboo poles that are rhythmically tapping on the ground. This particular Saint Francis dance group has seasoned professionals thanks to their participation in Saint Francis basketball halftime shows and rallies. The quality of their performance is just a sign of the thoughtful mentorship from the group’s seniors. When asking Abar about her favorite part of performing, she explained that “watching the dancers persevere even after they mess up” makes her incredibly proud of her fellow students, especially considering the complexity of tinikling. In addition to being proud of her performers, she also values “seeing VSA and other dance groups perform” and highlights the importance of being “a part of a diverse student body.”
The second day of dancing in the quad was focused on a single group from outside the Saint Francis campus: Esplendor Azteca Xipe Totec, a cultural organization that performs a modernized version of the traditional Latinx ceremonial dance, Danza Azteca. They were hosted by LSU in celebration of Dia de los Muertos, which took place the weekend before. The dance group wore different forms of ceremonial regalia that included intricate headdresses covered in feathers, colorful cloaks, and vibrant jewelry. As they performed in the quad, the group fused dancing and music to create a mesmerizing performance.
From student-led to professional dancers, each performance graced Lancers with something unique that demonstrated the diversity that’s deeply integrated in our community. If you’re looking for another chance to see these groups perform again, attend the International Showcase in January where all these groups will step forward in front of a crowd, setting the stage for an exciting night of music and dance!
