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Matt Xiong performs at the 2007 Multicultural Show presented by the URI Asian Students Association and the Student Entertainment Committee.

A.S.A. hosts annual Multicultural Show [P]

By: Justin Oswald

Posted: 4/17/07

04/17/07 - An unmistakable smile of elation crossed a young girl's face as she listened to the blaring ska music in the Memorial Union Ballroom Friday night.

The music was loud, but that did not stop the girl from dancing along to the Castronauts, just one of nine acts at this year's Multicultural Show presented by the URI Asian Students Association.

The show was diverse in composition and dancing performances during the two-hour night.

Representation of all cultures was necessary to show true multicultural understanding, Mike Varejao, the night's master of ceremonies said.

Although Stephen Yang, the president of ASA, said he was "kind of bummed that people who said they were coming didn't show up," he believed that the group accomplished what it was trying to do.

"We wanted to show diversity on the campus," Yang said. He added, "The university just has so much talent."

One group showcased Wushu, a form of Chinese martial arts that is also used for self-expression.

Jeff Reed, David Lavallee, and Spencer O'Berry, of the Way of the Dragon martial arts school in East Providence, R.I., performed Wushu moves, jumping and spinning in the air in front of the crowd of about 40 people.

The Wushu performance procured many "oohs" and "ahs" from the onlookers.

One audience member during the performance said, "It looks like Mortal Kombat."

In another act, Matt Xiong performed Shawn McDonald's "Reason."

Xiong looped sounds from his guitar to create a multi-layered track. He banged the guitar like a drum, used tools to warp the sound of the strings and played a couple chords. The sounds were played simultaneously, giving the illusion of a band playing.

Another musician, Andy Brown, played three songs on a keyboard and used a laptop to provide background music.

Brown played what he considered "a pretty serious song," with lyrics such as, "you thought you had a choice, but it wasn't up to you / Artificial intelligence, telling you what to do."

The audience laughed when Brown told them one of his songs, "Stupid Excuse," was about one-night stands.

Sharookh Daruwalla and Supriya Kulkarni performed a cover from the band Jal. Varejao introduced the group, saying, "Today, we see a remarkable influence of the Western, as well as the Sufiana styles of music."

The blend was obvious in the rock n' roll style of the guitar and Indian drumming.

Joe Xiong and Yang sang a song based on a popular Chinese drama. The song was in Chinese and similar to Frank Sinatra's style, as they serenaded women with their voices, blue blazers and a bowler hat.

A fan yelled from the audience, "I love you!"

Another facet of the night was the dances put on by the URI Ballroom Dancing Club, Indian Students Association and Alima International Dance Association.

The Ballroom Dancing Club used international styles to complement the myriad of music the two dancers moved to.

The music varied from a Spanish song to Gwen Stefani's "Rich Girl."

The Indian Students Association put on an energetic performance that lasted for about fifteen minutes of continuous dance. The folk music used in the performance, Bhangra, originates from the Punjab region of India.

In jeans and bright colored shirts, four girls danced in unison to six upbeat songs, shimmying across the stage and pounding their fists in the air.

Alima performed two songs. The first was about a woman who had to choose between her love for a man and her country. The song was performed slow and dramatically, while the second performance was more upbeat. Five women performed in black tank tops and leggings, with red or pink sarongs.

Yang said he hopes the show sparked people's interest to join the ASA, and encouraged any students, regardless of race, to attend its biweekly meetings on Mondays in the Multicultural Center. More information can be found on the group's Facebook page.