International Student Talent Show

On April 9, 2010, at 7:00pm, the International Student Services Office and Global Village, an international student organization, held their annual International Talent Show at the UTD Conference Center. The audience, slowly but surely filling up the seats, was mainly full of students, many of whom were close friends and fans of the performers. Throughout the show, the audience showed a lot of support via applause, whistling, and tremendous amount of hollering.

The event showcased 10 different performances including Mexican, Bengali, Filipino, and West African songs and dances. The performers were all dressed up in traditional costumes of their particular culture, and sometimes, props and musical instruments were used to help convey certain ideas or messages. For example, the Bangladesh Student Organization waved about their national flags to promote pride in their nationality. The Loud & Proud Punjabis performed Bhangra Dance with one guy playing a loud drum to cause commotion and excitement in the environment.

In terms of music, each performance was culturally unique but the audience was able to associate with most of them because of pulsatile beats and catchy tunes that were already familiar with some. The most unique music in my opinion was from the West African dance performance because it consisted of percussion instruments entirely and it seemed to highlight the aggressive movements of the male solo dancer. On the other hand, the most familiar music was incorporated by the Filipino Student Association’s hip-hop/modern dance collaboration. Today’s American pop music, such as Rhianna’s Rude Boy was played.

This show was intended to present the cultural and ethnic diversity of UTD student body through quality performances of song, dance, and acts. Under the campus roof, students from all kinds of ethnic backgrounds were united in this musical entertainment of the evening.