Culture Shock Stages International Talents

Author: Abigail Mitchell

It was a Friday night and McCullough Social Space was bordering on maximum capacity. All seats were taken and the remaining space was crowded with those who opted to stand. Every one was there for a good shock - a Culture Shock.

On Nov. 14, the International Student Organization (ISO) held its annual Fashion Show. Show committee co-chairs Joseph Kristiaan, Alexander Salvador-Guido and Joyce Mann, all sophomores, organized the show with the support of Ross and Wonnacott Commons and Middlebury Asian Students Organization.

Celebrating the diversity of cultures represented in Middlebury's student body, ISO managed to stage the production with style, flair and even a degree of shock.

The show featured a variety of dances, skits and fashion exhibitions from each of seven regions. Bright colors, dramatic lighting and electric energy set the mood of the evening.

The audience looked with awe as Africa kicked off the show, represented by the quick coordinated movements of gumboot dancers as they stomped and slapped their hefty boots in unison. The audience was informed that the gumboot dance was developed by African mine laborers as a means of communication. As the lights intensified, the stage was transformed into a runway exhibiting the deep purples and greens of the selections from traditional African dress.

Next, the show moved on to East Asia with an influx of techno, fans, flashy lighting and rhythm. The pieces focused on modern Asian culture. A highlight was a martial arts piece that featured Middlebury students with a dramatic battle featuring choreographed stunts worthy of a Jackie Chan film.

The North American portion began with a tap dance to "Cotton Eyed Joe" performed by On Tap. The rest of the pieces focused more on modern pop culture with a J.Lo hip-hop dance followed by the GT Breakers showing off their skills and the rivalry between East coast versus West coast.

Latin America was up next with an impressive selection of music ranging from classical to pop. The mood started out lighthearted with a traditional Nicaraguan dance and then, before the audience had time to catch up, a serious and somber mood set in with a short yet powerful skit depicting the violence in Colombia resulting from the drug trade. Guns and cocaine helped to convey that drug trafficking was holding the country hostage.

The Caribbean portion of the show brought about a fun, upbeat mood with sensual dancing and colorful costumes. In addition to dancing, a skit was featured which depicted a typical Caribbean bedtime story told by a mother to her child. As is traditional, this story contained a moral for the young child. The moral of this particular story was "Be wary of witchcraft," according to Natlie Fisher '06.

The European segment concentrated more on old culture with a depiction of a Balkan wedding followed by a Russian choir and then a fashion show of both traditional and modern European fashion.

Elaborate traditional clothing and a fun buoyancy of mood represented South Asia.

The flavor of the show could be summed up in two words: spirit and energy. There was even a moment when a dancer, in a burst of exuberance, managed, although most likely unintentionally, to fling her shoe to the ceiling.

"It was fun to see kids you only know from class in such a different setting," Tory Watts '06 said.

ISO president Sumaya Huque '06 had a clear purpose in mind when organizing the show.

"We represent the greater world outside of Middlebury. We are a group dedicated to showing the rest of the student body where we come from, not only to show Americans the ways of our cultures but also to learn more about the culture of America," Huque said. Culture Shock 2003 accomplished just that.