Ciara Mohan (’26)
K-pop members dancing on stage.
The International Showcase brought cultures from around the world together as members of the student body represented their heritage in Graham Theater last Friday. Hosted by the International Club Board and emceed by seniors Sandra Ximen, Chloe Llavore, Elizabeth Shih, and Diya Desikan, the showcase took on a “Pop Star World Tour” theme. Ximen had written the playful script over the previous weekend, talking about the history behind performances while incorporating a few puns to announce each new set.
Different affinity groups, clubs, and students prepared the performances to represent their cultures, with a blend of dancing and music. Students rehearsed together nearly every day in the weeks leading up to the event in order to make the show memorable, and their diligence paid off. “It was slightly a bit of a high time commitment, but I think it was really worth it in the end,” said Bryan Fan (’28), who performed with the K-pop Dance Crew and the Ukulele Club.
The setlist began with a traditional Mexican dance called folklórico, performed by seniors Maríajosé Betáncourt and Alexandra Garcia. Their dance was followed by a traditional Indian folk dance medley organized and choreographed by Shruti Dusankar (’28), who is a board member for International Club. The songs originated from Gujarat, India, and celebrated the joyful festival of Navratri, a Hindu celebration symbolizing strength, femininity, and the triumph of good over evil. Dusankar credits her sister for inspiring her choreography and dance: “I watched her showcases and now I’m helping plan them and performing myself. I’ve learned so much, and I really value learning about other people’s cultures.”
The next two performances included a piano viola duet of a traditional Chinese song and a piano solo medley. The medley consisted of three Japanese songs by YOASOBI, played by senior Andrew Han, who mesmerized the audience as his fingers flew across the piano keys to create elegant melodies.
After a classical Indian dance of Bharatanatyam by Harini Sivanandh Ramadass (’26), the K-pop Dance Crew commanded the stage with their electric energy. “I really wanted to dance, and I really also like listening to K-pop, so I figured it would be a nice way to put two of my interests together,” Mia Kaminaga (’29) shared. “I love it. It’s amazing. The community’s great. I love all the showcases that we do and the dances.”
The crew practiced tirelessly for their dances, not only practicing at school but also on their own. It was challenging, yet they gave it their all. “I remember watching the video at one times speed for the first time. It’s like, ‘How did they do that? It’s not humanly possible, like they have three arms or something’,” exclaimed K-pop Dance crew member Dominic So (’27). “But on the hundredth watch or something I finally get it.”
After their electric performance, the Ukulele Club made their appearance with well-known, classic songs that everyone could sing along to, and they even came up with an easy choreography for the crowd to participate in. The final act before the intermission was a fashion show, showing off the cultural attire from around the world in a casual way.
Then, it was time for Tinikling, a popular Filipino dance that the Filipino American Student Union prepared. Freshman Emma Tanedo decided to participate to get closer to her culture, building a special community with her fellow Filipinos during the hours spent in the dance studio. “I didn’t really choose it. It chose me,” Tanedo confided. “It just spoke to me.”
The next few performances included the Puerto Rican song “Soñando con Puerto Rico,” sung by Betáncourt, an umbrella dance accompanied by a song about falling in love from the Vietnamese Student Association, another Tinikling performance with a twist of modern music, a brother and sister duet with an electric guitar and stunning vocals, and finally, an encore performed by the K-pop Dance crew board.
Each performer put their all into the showcase. “After the performance, all the stress is gone, I’m just the happiest I’ve almost ever been in my life,” So marveled. “I thought it’d be really scary at first, but to be honest the lights make it so you can’t really see the audience, which is really helpful because then it’s just like another practice for me.”
Beyond the students in the audience, families and friends also came to experience the energy and tranquility of the performances. The audience members supported everyone that was on stage, cheering after each performance and bringing flowers to shower the performers with. When looking back on the meaning of the International Showcase and the support from everyone in the audience, Ruhi Aggarwal (’28) said, “I felt really happy that everyone could come together and show different parts of their culture and see different dance styles, that’s a really great way to showcase everyone’s talents.”
Overall, the International Showcase was a success and so many students got to share their cultures with others. There were smiles and laughs all around, creating a meaningful experience for everyone there. As Dusankar put it, “Celebrating our culture is very important here at Saint Francis, and it’s just so exciting to see so many different cultures and dances and performances, all from different parts of the world.”