At Asian Nite, various Asian organizations dazzled with culturally rich performances encapsulating music, dancing and martial arts from all over Asia. Asian Nite, an annual event at the University of Connecticut, was held on Saturday, March 8 at the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts. The Asian American Cultural Center (AsACC) sponsored the event, and it was presented by the Pan Asian Council (PAC).  

Asian Nite began with a humorous video introducing the two emcees, Caitlin Ith and Tanya Sinha.  

The skit showed them frantically and jokingly putting together the show, interacting with upcoming performers along the way. The comedic intro foreshadowed the duo’s approach for the rest of the night, where they joked and bantered to engage the audience and flow transition between performances.   

Husky Bhangra, an Indian dance team at UConn, kicked off the event. According to Britannica, bhangra is a style of Indian folk dancing, originating from the Punjab region in India and Pakistan. The performers set a strong precedent for the night with their enthusiasm, spinning and leaping across the stage. Students incorporated sapps in their performance, a wooden Indian instrument that expands and contracts to make a clapping sound.  

Next up was Husky Hungama, a South Asian fusion acapella group. Their performance wove English and South Asian languages together seamlessly as vocalists shifted in and out of the main spotlight. Their beautiful four-part harmonies made for a melodic act that worked well with the accompanying beatboxing.   

The Filipino American Student Association (FASA) followed, showcasing their blend of Filipino and American identities through dance. The performers began with a waltz, with members wearing either Filipino or American attire. Then the students transitioned to traditional Filipino dancing, with the music becoming percussion-heavy rather than classical. Their show culminated with everyone coming together to dance along to “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire.  

The Nepali Student Organization kept things energetic with their dance performance. They highlighted traditional and modern Nepali dances to Nepali music. The performers frequently switched positions, spun around stage and impressed with complex hand movements. They flourished yellow handkerchiefs in synch with the music, adding some flair to their already impressive exhibition.  

Afterwards, Sanskriti Shakti delivered yet another captivating dance spectacle that showcased Indian styles. Their performance was narrative, reflecting the events of “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Different dance segments introduced the four elements before divulging into the central conflict. The dancers showcased a variety of movements as the music eased between dramatic military marches and peaceful, carefree ambience. The ankle bells worn by performers elevated the presentation as the dancers formed and dissolved arrangements at a moment’s notice and in perfect synch.   

After Asian Nite, Shreya Nagri, an eighth-semester dancer for Sanskriti Shakti majoring in biomedical engineering, explained the dance’s story and how the group decided on it. She said they wanted something that would “be entertaining and keep us interested in working on for the whole year,” and the Avatar theme was a perfect fit.   

The Japanese Student Association went next with another culturally rich dance routine. It began with members in kimonos brandishing hand clappers in coordination with the music. As the dance progressed, the students brought in Japanese fans and umbrellas, with the music switching between dramatic and tranquil moments. Towards the end, members in school attire came out for more modern dancing to Japanese hip-hop.  

The final performance of the first act was from T-Huskies Taekwondo. The group blended the South Korean martial art with modern K-pop music. It began with a poomsae routine in synch with the music, before smaller groups nailed weapon routines with swords, bo staffs and nun chucks. An impressive breaking routine with plenty of acrobatic kicks followed, which blended into a choreographed fight routine between members. They finished with another form routine where the fighting techniques became more of a dance. 

Sean Daly, eighth-semester computer science major and president of T-Huskies, explained some of the challenges of having such a multifaceted performance after Asian Nite.  

“The most challenging part is time. We have so much we want to put into the show, but only so many minutes to fit it in. But that helps us create a high energy performance that we hope the audience will love,” Daly said.  

After a brief intermission, Sanskriti Sadhana reignited the show with a musical performance. The emcees described their show as Indian songs about love and devotion. Most performers were singers, but there were also two drummers and three violinists. The songs were lush and enchanting, with the different parts creating a hypnotic rhythm.   

The following performance was a musical solo from Roshni Yousuf, who sang and played acoustic guitar. She fused popular Hindi and English songs together, working in “ceilings” by Lizzy McAlpine and “That’s So True” by Gracie Abrams. She switched between songs and languages fluidly and confidently. With jaw-dropping high notes and vocal runs, it was impressive to behold.   

G!F Studio came next, which focused on Chinese dance styles from minority groups. The dancers started by wearing red bamboo hats, which created dramatic silhouettes.  

After the show, Isabella Liu, a second-semester dancer for G!F Studios majoring in data science and engineering, described the dance in more detail. She said it was the “Wutu dance, which translates to five poisons and performed by one of the lesser-known ethnic groups in China.”  

KCONN was the penultimate performance, where members danced to “LUNA” by ONEUS. It was an exciting demonstration, with plenty of unique dancing formations. Different fans were added in with slow, dramatic movements, making it more elegant. Towards the end, the lights dimmed for a dramatic breakdance segment in the shadows.  

UConn Udaan closed off the show with a Bollywood story dance. It had two groups, one wearing blue and the other red, with contrasting dance routines. There was tension when the groups danced together at the end with their mirrored and call-and-response movements, but they eventually intermingled and danced as one, a signal that everyone can unite despite their differences.  

Asian Nite concluded by commemorating the people that helped make the event possible, including graduate assistant staff members and the emcees.