If Tufts really wants to increase Jumbo spirit, the Athletic Department should recruit members of the Tufts Association of South Asians (TASA) to join the cheerleading squad.
And that's not just because the dances displayed at this weekend's TASA culture show were athletic, energized, and polished. Rather, it was the excitement of the cross-cultural audience that imbued the performance with yelps, whistles, and cheers. Every performer must have invited a fan club of at least ten friends each, and though at times the audience's excitement took away from the show's professionalism, the performers deserved nearly every minute of praise.
There's a reason why TASA's dynamic celebration of South Asian culture plays to a full house in Cohen each year. The members are known for successfully bringing together traditional song, dance, and costumes while adding modern nuances. On Friday night, they delivered with this year's show, appropriately subtitled "Ekta"- the Hindi word for unity. The title symbolized the show's connection to the past, a mingling of the traditions from various South Asian cultures, and the group's desire to share them with all members of the Tufts population.
Even the TASA cast itself surpassed cultural boundaries. For the first time ever, the group opened up its traditional bhangra dance -an upbeat and vibrant dance that originated in the Indian state of Punjab- to dancers outside of the greater TASA community. Additional bhangra dances were presented throughout the evening, including a modern techno version performed by several of TASA's men. This number was especially exciting - the performers exuded athleticism and talent with complex lifts, leaps, and rhythms.
Other selections were purely innovative representations of culture; some set to traditional music and others calling on modern favorites. "Tarangam" embodied the lyrical classical traits of the dance style Bharat Natyam, featuring an intricate sequence in which the four dancers walked delicately across the stage on plates. "Songs from the Desh" featured a three-person ethnic rock band, performing popular Hindi melodies on drums, guitar, and tabla - a traditional instrument. And "Push the Limits," the second act's opening segment, a beautifully presented fashion show displayed both traditional and modern Indian dress.
The performers' wide array of colorful garb was a highlight of the entire show. Throughout the evening, the performers donned costumes that added refreshing touches of cultural flavor. The costumes complemented the rigorous movements in some of the acts, to the point that they began to take on a life of their own - especially in the dances that are traditionally characterized by a lack of facial expression.
Creative skits separated the song and dance numbers, adding a humorous flavor to the show. References were made to some traits stereotypically associated with South Asian culture, such as owning convenience stores, and the pressures to get into Ivy-league schools and go pre-med. A mock-episode of Jerry Springer referred to the Indian custom of getting married at a young age, while a hysterical parody of Penn Masala - the South Asian a cappella group from the University of Pennsylvania- performed a Tufts-related version of a Backstreet Boys classic: "Show me the meaning of being Jumbos/We're not Penn, but we're not dumbos."
But the acts -especially some of the interlude skits- were not perfect. Microphone problems plagued "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai," a love song duet from a popular Indian film, to the point that it was nearly impossible to hear one of the singers. And some of the skits' humor was difficult for audience members not of South Asian descent to understand. It was nevertheless amusing to watch audience reaction to such chides.
Still, one of these skits featured a stand-up comedy act that best summed up the universal campus appeal of the TASA culture show. The performer asked for a round of applause first from all audience members of South Asian descent, and then a separate reaction from everyone else. He was shocked when both groups responded with equal enthusiasm, and had to adjust his routine on the spot by ad-libbing.
"You just ruined the joke," he said. Then he repeated the question, this time requesting a greater reaction from the South Asians. He finally addressed the non-Asians in the audience with a sly smile.
"So how does it feel to be a minority now?" he asked.
