“This one event is our way to show the community our pride in our culture and South Asian heritage.” Sasha Malik

On Jan.28 the Indian Student’s Association (ISA) held it’s annual Culture Show in War Memorial Hall. The show, now in its 29th year, was appropriately named Culture Shock and featured dancing and musical performances that showcased Indian culture.

“The ISA’s Culture Show is an annual event we are very proud to put together for our community, students, family, and university faculty,” said Sasha Malik, President of the ISA. “This one event is our way to show the community our pride in our culture and South Asian heritage.”

The Culture Show is collection of both the old and new: this year’s show featured everything from traditional dances, to hip-hop routines, to a Bollywood fashion show. Running exclusively on volunteers, the show takes about a year to produce. Since many of the performances require a high level of skill and technique, students participating in Culture Shock had to be both dedicated and enthusiastic.

“They all love performing and practicing,” said Malik. “As a very difficult and demanding type of dance, the members of the bhangra team grow very close together each year. The bharanatyium act featured two of our classically trained ISA members, and they both take great pride in their meticulous and intricate dance style.”

However, despite the commitment, Culture Shock is as entertaining for the students who produce the show as it is for the audience. This year alone over 30 people participated in the Bollywood fashion show.

“Personally, this was my forth year participating in the girl’s Bollywood dance and fashion show, and I love doing it each time,” said Malik. “We choose songs, themes, choreograph songs, and each year I meet new people who want to get involved.”

Although the Culture Show is the ISA’s largest event, it also hosts samosa sales in the UC, movie nights, and a formal in March.

“All of our events our open to all University of Guelph students, and we love enlightening and educating others on South Asian culture,” said Malik. “We provide meeting places for students, and our events are a great way Indian students can meet other students from all backgrounds.”

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