There are less than two weeks left until finals, which means it’s time to loosen up and catch the last few arts shows on campus while you still can! This weekend marks the return of the annual South Asian culture show at Wesleyan: Samsara. Filled with dances, songs, and spoken word representing all parts of South Asia, Samsara is an eclectic cultural performance that aims to share the traditions of Southern Asia with the Wesleyan student body. The first Samsara show on campus was in 2004 and became so popular among Wes students that the show sold out for five years in a row. Last year marked the first year that groups from other schools (Brown Badmaash and Yale Rangeela) were invited to perform alongside the Wes students, and this year the return of Brown’s nationally acclaimed team should prove exciting once again.
Shakti member Anika Amin ’14 said she was looking forward to the collaboration.
“[We] are especially proud of this because there exists a strong fraternity of South Asian performance groups among the larger universities in the northeast,” she said. “Regional and Samsara-esque performance shows frequently occur all over New England, and by inviting guests to perform with us we are encouraging this bond and establishing Wesleyan University as a college with a vibrant South Asian [presence].”
Shifting from the format of past years, Samsara has expanded from a cultural showcase to an integrated musical of sorts. A team of MCs will engage in short skits between performances to string the night together and create what is essentially a Bollywood film on stage. And while these wild antics provide a unique atmosphere for the show, Samara is all about the music, dance, and above all, love for an incredibly dynamic culture.
“Our performances include dances by a group of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and a Bollywood hip-hop mix,” Amin said. “This really is the perfect event for anyone who ever felt like breaking out singing ‘Jai Ho’ or loves energetic dances or wants to learn a bit more about an extremely rich culture.”
Samsara goes up in Crowell Concert Hall this Saturday at 8:30 p.m. Approximately 50 students from Wesleyan and 20 from Brown will participate in the performance. This means that the show will likely sell out quickly, so it’s best to get your tickets at the box office now! All of the proceeds go to Brighter Dawns and IMPACT India, which will donate the funds to provide clean water to the slums of Bangladesh as well as to education in various provinces of India.