South Asia Society hosts cultural show in Irvine Auditorium featuring student performing arts groups

Penn’s South Asia Society hosted its annual Cultural Show on Oct. 12 in Irvine Auditorium, providing an evening celebration of dance, music, and culture with over 1,100 people in attendance.

The event featured eight South Asian performing arts teams from Penn: Penn Raas,  Penn Masala, Penn Masti, Penn Thillana, Penn Sargam, PENNaach, Penn Dhamaka, and Penn Atma. There were guest appearances from University City Bhangra and Fuerza UPenn, along with performances from both first year and senior classes.

SAS Board President and College senior Ashley Abraham said that the annual event aims to unite the South Asian community while showcasing their talents and culture to the broader Penn and Philadelphia communities. 

“We like to choose a different theme each year to keep our performances interesting and fun," Abraham said. "Last year, for instance, our theme was villains, with each team representing a different character, like the Queen of Hearts.” 

This year, the theme centered on movies and the red rarpet. Each dance began with an introductory video highlighting group members through various Hollywood and Bollywood film themes. SEAS freshman Surabhi Sharma said that her team, Penn Thillana, focused on the iconic movie “Princess Diaries” for their video.

“Though we stuck to classical dance and outfits for our actual performance, other groups like Masti incorporated lines from Bollywood movies into their music and drew inspiration from the theme for their costumes,” Sharma said.

The student-produced show featured over 200 performers across 14 acts, showcasing a variety of dance and musical groups. 

Shikha Kumar, SAS’s vice president of finance and a member of Penn Thillana, emphasized the diversity of South Asian performing arts.

 “It’s great that a cultural show brings people together to experience various dance styles, like Bhangra, a North Indian classical dance, and Garba, a folk dance," Kumar said. "I think these styles allow people to really appreciate Indian and South Asian culture beyond what they see in popular culture."

Reflecting on her experience, Sharma said that being a part of South Asian Society provided her the opportunity to stay connected with her culture. 

 “I grew up dancing, so I knew coming to Penn I wanted it to be part of my life. This cultural show gives me the opportunity to stay connected to my roots while being far from home," Sharma said." I truly found a really amazing and inclusive community here."

Audience members shared a similar appreciation for the event. 

“It was my first time attending, and I was really impressed,” College first-year Anika Chebrolu said. “It really opened my eyes to how much work the students put into this show and how rich the South Asian performing arts are.”

Looking ahead, SAS members are planning next year’s event, aiming to build on this year’s success and continue celebrating South Asian traditions. 

“I want to find a way to make this cultural show more than just a performance,” College junior Ayanna Gandhi, SAS’s vice president of show, said. “While our audience is primarily from Penn right now, I’d love to see more people from the greater Philly community attend in the coming years.”

The show came to a close with a senior dance tribute, which had teammates and audience members on their feet, cheering loudly and dancing in support of their friends’ last performance. 

“It’s phenomenal to see that we’re able to create a place for the South Asian community at Penn, which is obviously a predominantly white institution," Abraham said. "In the end, we really just want to create a community that people can call home and find themselves reflected in the student body."