Willow Rodriguez & Semir Jackson
A&E Editors
On Saturday, Nov. 8, International Student Services (ISS) hosted the annual Culture Show at McGaw Chapel as part of International Education Week. The College of Wooster Pipe Band opened the event by performing several pieces from the Scottish Highlands, including “The Edinburgh Ladies’ Pipe Band,” “Moonstar and Macrae Meadow”, and “Scotland the Brave.”
Hosted by Edith-Michelle Aboa ’26 and Mehdia Sadat ’27, the event began with a land acknowledgment that honoured the Indigenous peoples whose land the College occupies. They also included the Black and immigrant laborers who helped build the campus. The evening’s theme centered on celebrating cultural expression while recognizing the ongoing challenges faced by many communities.
Chasing International Dance Team (Chasing) followed with several energetic dances. Chasing danced to songs from various cultural backgrounds, such as Fuji Kaze’s “きらり (kirari)” and Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up.” These dances were marked by high-speed, bright moments of energy as the dancers leapt and bounded across the stage.
Althea Surbeck ’27 and Laura Park ’27 then took the stage as they sang “Pasilyo” by Sunkissed Lola, a Filipino “Kundiman” song about love. “Pasilyo” embodies the culture of ligaw (courtship) and Kundiman (love songs) by illustrating the anticipation of a long-awaited love through a P-pop (Pinoy pop) song. Surbeck and Park taught the audience the phrase “ikaw at ikaw,” which means “you and only you,” encouraging the audience to join for the last chorus as the singers continued to riff and perform.
The Ballroom Dance Club showcased three international styles: the Rosita waltz, which draws from the traditional Viennese waltz; samba, an Afro-Brazilian musical genre and dance; and the cha-cha, a Cuban dance known for its quick, syncopated steps. Each was performed to popular music, reflecting the club’s focus on accessible social dance.
The Japanese Cultural Association (JCA) then presented “ソーラン節 (Sōran Bushi),” a traditional folk dance from Hokkaido, Japan. Before the performance, JCA President Haruka Ueda ’28 taught the audience two phrases to chant: “ドッコイショ (dokkoisho),” meaning “heave-ho,” and “ソーラン (sōran),” a rhythmic call used by fishermen. Audience members joined in and chanted as dancers’ movements mimicked ocean waves and net-pulling. The show then had a brief ten-minute intermission.
After the intermission, Nathan H. Ware ’28 took the stage with a piano piece titled “桜桜”(“Sakura-Sakura” or “Cherry Blossoms, Cherry Blossoms”). This melodious piece is a traditional Japanese folk song depicting spring, the season of cherry blossoms. The rendition Ware played was a fantasia composed by Hirai Kozaburo.
The next performance was by the newly formed Echo-Choom (K-pop) Dance Crew. They focus on bringing K-pop dance to the campus community. Dancing to various songs, including “Dope” by BTS and “Hot” by LE SSERAFIM, the group showcased the diversity of K-pop music to the cheering crowd.
Following Echo-Choom, Kamila Kadirova ’28 and Haruka Ueda ’28 took the stage. The duo performed the Uzbek dance called Lazgi. Lazgi is a folk music and dance, known for its energetic and passionate movements, from the Khwarazm region of Uzbekistan. The dance’s movements reflect the sounds and phenomena of nature, feelings of love and happiness.
The next act was Latinas Unidas. Willow Rodriguez ’26 opened the performance with the song “Hasta la Raíz” by Natalia Lafourcade, a Mexican pop song about the importance of remembering your roots. This was followed by a series of Latin American dances, featuring salsa (Caribbean/South American), huapango (Mexican), bachata (Dominican) and reggaeton (Puerto Rican), which concluded with a flag dance.
After Latinas Unidas came the South Asia Committee. Their performance celebrated the richness of their diverse cultures. They started their performance by representing the Indian state of Punjab with the Bhangra dance, which originated among the Sikh Punjabi community. They then showcased the lively culture of South India with a filmi Telugu dance. This was followed by a Nepali dance, and they ended with a mix of Bollywood dances.
To conclude the Culture Show, the African Student Union took the stage with the Rwandan Amaraba, a dance of grace and storytelling. They then performed the Ethiopian Guraginga dance, and Ghanaian dances such as Awoda. Finally, they concluded with the vibrant rhythms of Afrobeats and Amapiano.
Each performance showcased the time and effort that the students dedicated to delivering this showcase, making it a lively and fitting conclusion to International Education Week.
