The Indian Cultural Club Showcase brought a pop of culture and tradition to life, inviting audiences to experience the rich tapestry of India’s history through music, dance, and fashion! This school year marks the debut of this cultural performance, and what students hope will lead to a new tradition of this performance yearly. The Indian Cultural Club Showcase was produced by the members of the NAHS Indian Culture Club, as well as the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and student volunteers. All of these people worked tirelessly to bring North Atlanta all of the activities, visuals, and joys that this performance brought.
In preparation for this performance, there were countless hours put into it. Catering services were provided for staff events, as well as a handful of amazing parent volunteers, all of which had to be coordinated by the students of this club. During the week of the performance, a teacher luncheon was provided while beautiful works of henna design were created for students who wanted them. Although it seemed like all fun and games to the students outside of the cast and crew of the showcase, it was far from that. “A lot of time was spent after school and practicing, or going over to people’s houses trying to find a place to practice,” said junior Tora Bezbaruah, one of the dancers in the showcase. “It was so worth it though, the whole performance was so much fun and I loved participating in it.”
This showcase, even with all of its lively spirit, would not have been run without two hardworking and dedicated students, one of which is senior Aniyah Smith, a co-president of the Indian Culture Club. As co-president, she was in charge of gathering all the tech for behind the stage; the student tech crew, finding people to work behind the scenes, and also keeping up that communication between all of the people involved. It was not easy work, but it turned out beautifully. “I remember being super anxious about the show and just hoping it would go well,” said Smith. “Once we ran it for the first time I knew it was going to be amazing, and the audience just helped elevate that feeling.”
Another person the show could not have run without was senior Sanjana Mendonca, the president of the Indian Culture Club. Not only was Mendonca involved in the practices and dances performed, but she also worked hard to book the catering and get support from both the PTA and parents to help with the showcase of culture and heritage. “We had been overbooked by about 200 people, so trying to get through that was a lot of work,” Mendonca said. “However, as soon as I saw the audience and heard how into it they were – just their reactions really – I knew it was all worth it.”
For its debut, the Indian Cultural Club Showcase was a massive success and a beautiful display of Indian culture, especially for those familiar and unfamiliar with it. The showcase ended with a loud cry of applause from the audience, a standing ovation, and a cheer for an encore next year (including from this author!).
