International Show Runs Gamut

Author: Yvonne Chen

Every year students walk into McCullough Social Space to watch the highly anticipated variety show by Middlebury College's International Student Organization (ISO). This year, McCullough Social Space was transformed into a starry wonderland with metallic star-shaped balloons and large silver sun and moon motifs. The show opened with a captivating fashion show as student supermodels-for-a-day strutted their country's stuff on the catwalk. Pierced and decorated bellies, effervescent silk saris, Scandinavian sweaters and skis, Mandarin collars, Spanish straw hats, traditional Ghanaian formal wear, Japanese kimonos—all paved the way for a night of international delight.

A diverse mix of essential extracts from countries around the world followed. The smiling dancers of the Dholna, a traditional South Asian "Desi" dance, carried the show with their brash hand gestures, vibrant body rhythms and flirtatious courtship motions.

Working against generic convention, the Hindi A cappella group "Middchi" (Chili Peppers) performed a never-before-heard remix of American and Indian acoustic song. In contrast, the Indian Modern Dance, a Bhangra-N'Sync inspired dance that is popular in Indian music videos, was less than thrilling.

The Asian mafia, something of a cross between the Godfather and Asian martial arts, was all crude spectacle. The well-dressed crew hit it hard-core with choreographed face smashes, drop kicks and true-to-life staff sparring. I am not sure whether to applaud the buffed pretty boys, especially David Kim '05 and David Joe '03, for their talents or spurn them for the stereotype they perpetuate with these gangster images. Nevertheless, I can't help but admit I was sitting at the edge of my seat and so was everybody around me.

The African segment of the show was well rehearsed and full of life as well. South Africa was represented with Gumboot, a form of dance akin to stepping, with a complex sequence of stomps, "kick-highs" and ankle slaps. High pitched screeches and yelps were heard in the background. The American twist occurred when the dancers broke out in disco moves with the song "One More Night" and then gumbooted to the rhythm of the electronic beat.

Albeit there was a wide variety of international taste, ISO made sure to include America in its cast of cultures. Middlebury's bluegrass club played country favorites. Accordion, fiddle, guitar, mandolin and distinctively Southern vocals attended to the many honky-tonk favorites.

Additionally, "Imagine" performed by Maurice Opara '04 and Darshan Shrestha '04, in which vocalist and guitarist surprised the crowd with comic relief as technical difficulties were being attended to. Shretha won over the crowd with the corniest, if not most adorable joke, with a punch line that has something of the effect to the growing of a certain "plant" on the surrounding hills of Nepal and the words "Isn't that a wonderful thing?" spilling out of the bubbly singer's mouth.

One of the most original ideas that I have seen so far is the Marsala dance that exhibited Malaysian culture. The group of female dancers took a new spin on the traditional scarf dance by using remixed music with elements of rap and drum and bass. Then, halfway through the act, the harp music stopped, the lights dimmed and a strobe light flooded the social space as a group of fly dancers entered the stage. The girls, especially Dena Simmons '05 and Tina Velez '05, in bandanas and wife beaters sported static moves from hip hop divas J-Lo and Janet Jackson.

One of the funniest acts of the night was a modern interpretation of an old Russian folktale called 'Repka'(Turnip). In the miniature play, the central characters are introduced: babushka, the old man, the old woman, the granddaughter and the dog. Only, this is no ordinary "Once upon a time" tale. The old man is a vodka chugging yeoman. The old woman is abusive to her husband. If there ever were a way to sexualize little girls, the task is accomplished here. The dog, played by Sasha Vasilyuk '05, is wearing a brown fur coat, a taped on tail, pigtails and black shades. The old man plants the seeds for a turnip. But day after day it does not grow, until finally it grows to be the size of a grown man! One after one, first the old man, then the old woman, the granddaughter, the dog, the cat, and the mouse form a domino effect. All fall over, each on top of the one behind pulling the turnip. The turnip is really Professor of Russian Literature Sergei Davydov wearing a stuffed shirt and a palm tree on his head. The physical comedy of this artful interpretation was unbearable. The audience was on the edge of falling off their seats because they were laughing so hard.

It is amazing how the ISO could pull off such a spectacular collage of diverse culture in the span of only a few weeks of preparation. The show reached an important goal of broadening our individual perspectives into a larger worldview.