“Keep Dancing” was the theme for the Indian Student Association’s (ISA) annual Culture Show on Sunday, April 28, and that was exactly what the audience felt as Bollywood tracks filled the University Theatre.
The show consisted of 13 performances, varying from different styles of Indian dances, singing and other non-Indian performances.
It started roughly around 7 p.m., with a welcome speech by the co-presidents.
This led straight into the singing of the Indian national anthem and the American national anthem.
The audience sang along to the Indian national anthem, loud and proud.
CPP’s very own new dance group, CPP Tamanna, started off the dance performances with a bolt of energy and a mix of Bollywood songs from various eras.
For some performers, it was their first time performing on stage.
“The show was so much fun to do and [to] be a part of,” first-year biochemistry student Bhavisha Desai said.
As more dance performances went on, there was a twist.
Inner Essence Dance Company, a CPP organization, performed.
The group performed various styles of dance like slow EDM (electric dance music) and other combinations of styles.
“I was really glad and surprised to see that Inner Essence performed,” said Pasindu Senaratne, 2019-2020 ASI president-elect and third-year finance, real estate and law student. “I had a lot of fun, especially because it has such a modern twist to it.”
The audience was in awe of Amna Dance Company and Revolution ke Deewane Mastane, which consisted of little dancers with energy that had the crowd whistling, clapping and dancing in their seats.
To show the diversity of India, there was a fusion sound performance.
This consisted of the tabla, which are hand drums used in Indian music, being played along with an added modern twist with the piano.
To further the wow factor, there was a rap added to the mixture.
“A unique performance was the piano performance because there are not many individuals who know how to play iconic Indian songs on the piano,” audience member Vishal Kumar Gupta said.
This was the first time UCLA’s Bruin Bhangra performed on stage for CPP. That group’s style of dance separated them from other forms and showed a whole different culture of India.
Another set in the show that was highly anticipated was the fashion show.
The fashion show consisted of South Asian CPP students who modeled their Indian outfit pieces.
“I always look forward to the fashion show because of the various amount of Indian clothing, dependent on region,” Gupta said.
The concluding set was the much-anticipated Group Dance.
This is the one piece that is in the show every year. It consisted of 24 performers who are mostly CPP students.
The audience members were dancing in their seats throughout the performance.
“I have to say that my favorite group is still our very own ISA,” Senaratne said.
The show seemed to be a big hit from the performances, to the intermission where samosas were being sold, to the large turnout.
The show also displays the diversity of Cal Poly Pomona.
There weren’t just South Asians in the audience, but friends and families of different ethnicities came to support and learn more about the South Asian culture.
“As diverse a campus as CPP is, oftentimes the South Asian population is overlooked. I think this event provided a great opportunity for our population to really showcase its culture,” Senaratne said.
“The show brings diversity to CPP because it allows individuals of different backgrounds to see the rich culture and distinct talents represented in this community,” Gupta said.
The night was filled with a fun, energetic cultural showcase through dance and music.
As the show is an annual show, next year’s show is already enthusiastically awaited.
