International students showcase global talents in 10th annual talent show
Meet the winners and performers of this year's International Talent Show
This year's talent show featured 13 performances by individual students and groups, showcasing a variety of talents.
In November, International Student Services hosted its 10th annual International Talent Show, featuring 13 performances by individual students and groups, showcasing a variety of talents. Performing for a sold-out crowd of over 150 people, the students took center stage at the Stevie Eller Dance Theater with an array of performances including dancing, playing instruments, and singing. The crowd voted on the winning performances. [This article will be updated with links to the performances as soon as they become available.]
The first performer to take the stage was Azat, with his interpretation of Love is Like a Dream by Dimash. Azat is a 2nd-year international student from Kyrgyzstan studying computer science. He is a returning performer this fall, having been one of the six participants in the International Talent Show hosted the previous spring.
Azat’s enthusiastic singing performance earned him third place overall among the competitors this time. “It was the most unexpected thing for me because all the participants did very well,” said Azat. “I also just want to say that, I love all my friends. They're the best. They supported me so well that if they were not here tonight, I don’t think I would've performed the same as I performed today.”
The next participants to take the stage were the duo HinAnnie. This duo featured third-year Hina from Japan and PhD student Annie from China. Their dance falls under the K-pop genre, with the choreography being notably characterized by hand and arm movements, with a strong influence from tutting dance.
“We feel like we do have a diverse student body, but we want to celebrate those who are more minorities like international students. This is the perfect stage for people who want to express themselves, bring their culture, or just have fun with friends,” said the duo. “We didn't imagine that we could have such an opportunity to express ourselves, and our culture and that we could share with other students. So we are very grateful to be here.”
Ameya was the third performer on Thursday night, showcasing his talent with a Bollywood performance on the piano. Ameya is an international student from Mumbai, India who is pursuing his PhD in Mathematics. Ameya had always wanted to play an instrument, and five years ago, he began playing the piano after trying the violin and realizing it wasn’t the right fit for him. This talent show was Ameya’s second performance he had ever participated in.
“I'm studying mathematics, but there are like a lot of students like me who are performing and practicing in other arts, like dance and singing,” said Ameya. “Students have a lot of hobbies, and they need a place to showcase their talent, so that's why I think this is a great event.”
The Tucson Chinese Dance Team was up next, performing the Chinese Feet Drum Dance. This group is led by PhD student Yunjia Yang, who is studying applied intercultural arts research and was a traditional dancer back in her home country of China.
“Most of our members don't have any prior dance training but are very interested in the culture and how they can use dance to promote Chinese culture, the arts, and the dance to the people of Tucson,” said Yunjia.
The fifth participant to take on the stage was Vibha Chandrasekaran, who was performing a classical Indian dance, Bharatnatyam. Vibha is an international student from South India currently a sophomore majoring in neuroscience and cognitive science.
“I saw the talent show last year and wanted to do it,” said Vibha. “It's been a really long time since I performed. I used to perform back at home. I felt like I would feel more at home if I did it and I did.”
Yuan Chen was up next on the Stevie Eller stage with his performance singing Kylin. Yuan Chen is currently a freshman studying business management. Singing has been one of Yuan Chen’s hobbies for a long time and he decided to challenge himself by taking part in the talent show.
“I think events like these help students overcome their weaknesses because, for me, I'm a very introverted person,” said Yuan Chen. “I don't really enjoy talking in front of a lot of people. So that's also one of the purposes for me to join this performance.”
The sixth participant of the night was Shravani S. a graduate student pursuing a master's of management information systems at the Eller College of Management. Shravani S. performed a classical Indian dance, Kathak, combining her experience and the expertise gained through earning a degree in this art form.
“I think the U of A has many international students from different parts of the world, and it is very important to know each other's cultures, traditions, the dance forms, any other, artform,” said Shravani. “I think it's a great initiative by ISS to hold these programs.”
The University of Arizona’s first K-pop dance team, Underskore, was next on stage with their performance to Nice Guy. This team has been around since 2017 but has recently gained popularity with their multiple performances around Tucson.
“I've liked K-pop for a while, but I'm a really big dancer. I'm not classically trained in any way whatsoever, but I like being able to dance in my free time and combining what I love -dance and K-pop,” said Underskore member Jude Nathaniel Saarenas. “It's also a good way for me to de-stress from the college stresses.”
Their routines blend a mix of dance styles, including jazz, house, and hip-hop, showcasing their versatility. “As a group, we have a wide range of people that come to our dances and also perform with us, too. So it's just a great way for people of all cultures to come together. Events like these allow us to share our love for K-pop and dancing,” said the team.
The eighth performance of the night was graduate student Surajit Pal playing the guitar and harmonica. Surajit Pal is currently studying information science and is preparing to graduate this winter.
“I have two, self compositions for tonight. I am a big fan of a lot of American blues artists, like Buddy Guy, Eric Clapton, John Mayall,” said Surajit. “I've been listening to these artists for a long period of time, and I've tried to create a rendition of my own. One of the songs is named Winding Strings, and the other one is again like an instrumental number. They are self compositions.”
Harshita was next up with her Classical and Modern Indian Dance Fushion performance. Harshita is an international student from India pursuing a PhD in computer science at the U of A. This number is a mixture of contemporary and Indian Kathak.
“Events like these motivate people around. I know it's all about studies, but since I'm performing after around ten years, I'm looking forward to actually attending dance classes again. I feel like there has been a gap and I need to do something apart from studies to keep me like going,” said Harshita. “I think mentally you feel more relaxed when you are involved in the art world. So that's why I feel like I get involved in this again. This has motivated me to do so.”
Next up were the Open style group and second place winners, Dia Clones, with their dance Diss Tracks. This number was a compilation dance of popular diss tracks that have gained popularity in the media. As a team, they do a lot of hip hop choreographies, but at the same time try to incorporate many different dance styles like tutting, vogue and whacking.
“One of our primary goals is to make dance more accessible for a lot of new dancers and expose our current members to new styles of dance,” said Aakanksha, president and artistic director of the team and junior studying astronomy and physics. “We try to give them opportunities to perform and practice dancing in a safe place and in a safe way.”
The twelfth participant of the night, Bowei, a PhD student in the Physics department took to the stage to sing, She Will Be Loved, by Maroon 5. Bowei shared that his love for singing was inspired by his aunt, who encouraged him with her own passion for music. They often sing karaoke together, and he has been singing since he was a young boy.
“As students, we need to study hard,” said Bowei. “But at the same time, we do have hobbies, and sometimes don't have a chance to show our talent. But this event is a great opportunity. That's why I'm here.”
Last but not least, the first-place winners of the talent show were the Om Shanti Dance Team, impressing the audience with their Bollywood Fusion group dance. This team brings a lot of Indian cultural elements to dance while also incorporating western elements and fuzing it with styles like hip hop contemporary, while also bringing back a lot of Indian folk culture.
“Our world has so much to offer when it comes to culture, and the different type of people that you meet,” said team captains Reva and Anisha. “I feel like this is a great way for you to be aware of what else is going on in the world and to be connected to the different cultures that are so bright and so filled with love. Our team does a really good job of incorporating love as well as being aware of your physical and mental health. So we're always there for them that way too.”
Om Shanti Dance Team was the first-place winner.