2008 Woodie Awards
UTSAV shows 'modern fusion' at Nataraj show
Teresa Cheong
Issue date: 4/7/08 Section: The Inside
The Undergraduate South Asian Student Organization (UTSAV) fused sketch comedy with dancing that thrilled a full house at Blackman Auditorium Saturday night.
The show was the 19th rendition of Nataraj, a students' talent show, and attracted about 1,000 students, alumni, families and friends to the two-hour South Indian Culture display.
"Our theme this year is modern fusion," said Amrita Chabria, UTSAV vice president. "In the show, we combine the traditional dances with the American music."
Chabria said the group had been preparing the show since December and all the performers were volunteers, devoting their hearts and time to promote their Indian roots and American hearts.
"Most of us are the second generations of Indian families. We grew up here and we want to have a showcase for the parents to know what their kids had done," Chabria said.
The show was the last event UTSAV will put on this academic year.
"It is our finale this year and a party for all of us," said Rishi Palriwala, UTSAV co-president.
With about 100 performers, the show consisted of 13 acts. In between, there were pre-taped anchor shows and news, which entertained the audiences, winning rounds of applause.
The anchor shows were inspired by David Letterman, Jay Leno and Oprah Winfrey, and included the now infamous couch jumping act of Tom Cruise at the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005.
For the rest of the show, it was all dancing: from the traditional Indian welcoming dance, Bharatnatyam, to the Bollywood mass dance.
"It's amazing. The show was excellent and it's perfect. We love the crowd's response," Palriwala said afterward. "There are some glitches but it's in every show. The show was even better than our expectations."
Integrating modern dance with traditional Indian roots, the new fusion dancing team, Naach, was one of the show's highlights.
"The Naach dance is my favorite," said Michelle Bechtold, a freshman marketing major. "[The show] is really involving and the dancing is good. Everything else is great."
The show was the 19th rendition of Nataraj, a students' talent show, and attracted about 1,000 students, alumni, families and friends to the two-hour South Indian Culture display.
"Our theme this year is modern fusion," said Amrita Chabria, UTSAV vice president. "In the show, we combine the traditional dances with the American music."
Chabria said the group had been preparing the show since December and all the performers were volunteers, devoting their hearts and time to promote their Indian roots and American hearts.
"Most of us are the second generations of Indian families. We grew up here and we want to have a showcase for the parents to know what their kids had done," Chabria said.
The show was the last event UTSAV will put on this academic year.
"It is our finale this year and a party for all of us," said Rishi Palriwala, UTSAV co-president.
With about 100 performers, the show consisted of 13 acts. In between, there were pre-taped anchor shows and news, which entertained the audiences, winning rounds of applause.
The anchor shows were inspired by David Letterman, Jay Leno and Oprah Winfrey, and included the now infamous couch jumping act of Tom Cruise at the Oprah Winfrey Show in 2005.
For the rest of the show, it was all dancing: from the traditional Indian welcoming dance, Bharatnatyam, to the Bollywood mass dance.
"It's amazing. The show was excellent and it's perfect. We love the crowd's response," Palriwala said afterward. "There are some glitches but it's in every show. The show was even better than our expectations."
Integrating modern dance with traditional Indian roots, the new fusion dancing team, Naach, was one of the show's highlights.
"The Naach dance is my favorite," said Michelle Bechtold, a freshman marketing major. "[The show] is really involving and the dancing is good. Everything else is great."
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