MSU CIUS's annual dance show celebrates Indian culture and unity

The Michigan State University Indian Collegiate Student Alliance presented its annual satrangi dance performance on Saturday, March 30, at Everett High School. This year's show was titled “Mayuri”. Meaning “peacock”, it was meant to convey the theme of vibrant colours, unity and joy.

CIUS members performed eight different dances, showcasing different styles from all over India and America. The members practiced their dances for three months to include hip-hop performances, fusion, Bollywood and more life on stage.

“We would usually practice like… once or twice a week, and it might take an hour and a half to two hours of practice,” said Kanal Patel, a sophomore human biology major, who helped choreograph the all-girls’ fusion dance. “It's like a lot of commitment and hard work Scheduling and organization, but a lot of fun.

After images and videos were shown on the projection screen, dancers and choreographers sparkled on stage in colorful costumes, accompanied by bright lighting, sound effects and lively music. The hall was filled with family, peers and community members who cheered enthusiastically Performers.

Computer engineering junior Zachary Lapidante attended the show to support his friend, who was a dancer in a hip-hop group. Lapidante had been watching similar dance shows since high school, but Maiuri's was the biggest show he had attended so far. Lapidante said he “definitely plans” to do so I will come back next year.

“I was very exposed to the culture and I would watch all the dance shows,” Lapidante said. “So I know a little bit, but it's really nice to see in person and stuff here in university“.

The CIUS dances were accompanied by songs presented by Spartan Spur, a South Asian a cappella group, and additional dance performances by MSU Swara, Spartan Jannat and MSU. RaaSparty and Spartan Virasat.

The evening ended with a senior dance, performed by CIUS members who will graduate in 2024. After showing children's photos and current photos of senior members, they filled the stage for a final dance. together.

“It's really nice, because it's not a perfect dance,” said Akarsha Kodali, a neuroscience student and CIUS president. “They're having fun, and it's kind of like their last hello before they do it graduate“.

Each year, CIUS selects a charity to donate all proceeds from the Satrang event to; This year, the organization was Sandy Hook Promise. Kodali explained that CIUS believes it is the best choice for their donation this year because its mission of preventing gun violence hits close to home for MSU. Community.

“I feel like what happened here was very respectful,” Lapidante said. “I really appreciate (that) the administration chose to do this Which“.

With nearly 400 members, CIUS is one of the largest clubs on the MSU campus, and the annual Satrang dance show is the largest event of the year. With 700 tickets sold, this year's show was another success for CIUS in celebrating Indian dance and culture Within the MSU community.

“Like the minority culture at MSU, I think it's really important for us to have a platform or organization where we can highlight things from our background and showcase them.” “Like how proud we are to help others stay connected,” Patel said. “I think you don't get that opportunity very often.“