Tufts talk Thai, Tufts talk Thai real well
It's New Year's this Friday at Thai Night in Alumnae Lounge. The traditional Thai New Year, known as Songkran, falls on April 13. The end of the dry season in the country, it is a time for celebration, one that the group hopes to bring to Tufts.
Vice President of the Thai Club, junior Apisadaporn Thambundit explained the significance of the time. "[Songkran]'s known as the Water Ceremony. At this time of year water represents change, cleanliness, and washing things away," she said. In the Water Ceremony, the hands of elderly family members are washed with scented water as a blessing. The club has invited some members of the faculty to take part in the tradition at Tufts.
The 25 to 30 member group will also host dance and kickboxing demonstrations, as well as a Thai marketplace in which students can barter for Thai goods. There's a catch-it has to be in the language. Tufts band Better Than Yesterday, formerly known as The Residence, will entertain the crowd with Thai pop songs.
According to Thambundit, the club deliberately made an effort to incorporate several elements into their night, rather than only performing a show. "It's more interactive," Thambundit said, "We wanted to bring a very authentic Thai New Year celebration. People can learn Thai phrases and enjoy entertainment and home-cooked Thai food at the same time."
An $8 cover change goes to benefit tsunami rehabilitation projects in southern Thailand. The festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.
SOC celebrates their 'Legacy'
Spirit of Color, or SOC, Tufts' audition-based hip-hop dance troupe, is well known for their regularly sold-out semester shows. Their latest show, aptly titled 'Legacy,' celebrates this tenure, their alumni, and their distinctive style of performance which has continued to evolve since the group's founding in 1993.
Sophomore Assistant Director Tamara Chao explained the group's decision on the title.
"Alumni return and the senior class is influential in what we've become. SOC has definitely evolved over the years. There's been a move towards hip-hop, though we still have jazz, ballet and other forms of dance." Chao said.
This semester that legacy continues with 21 dances originally choreographed by members of the large organization, among them an open dance possible for anyone committed to and interested in learning it. The show will include skits and a dance competition for members of the audience to shake and show their stuff during intermission.
The show begins at 8 p.m. in Cohen on Thursday and Friday.
An Evening of Javanese Gamelan
This Saturday the Tufts and Boston Village Gamelan Ensembles jointly present an evening of Javanese Gamelan in the Alumnae Lounge. Featuring the respected I.M. Harjito, the concert will include his composition "Manglung" and including the work of Suyadi Tejapangrawit. The primarily percussion-based ensemble focuses on the music of Central Java. Directed by Barry Drummond, the evening is funded in part by the Somerville Arts Council.
"The Ensemble is very hands-on," Drummond said. In performance, the ensemble is seated on the ground, playing bronze gongs, xylophones, hand drums and a two-string bowed fiddle, known as the rebab. The gamelan itself was forged by Javanese gongsmith Tentrem Sarwanto.
"I remember the first time I saw gamelan; it was a magical evening, being able to listen and watch the performers," he said.
The event begins at 8 p.m. and is free and open to the public.
- compiled by Stephanie Vallejo
