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Celebrating Our Diversity – Multicultural Day
March 28, 2005
“This is my favorite assembly. When we announce it, kids come to me asking if they can perform. I am amazed by the talent!” Joan Hearst raved about Pingry’s Multicultural Assembly held on Friday, March 11, 2005 in the Hauser Auditorium. The three-year-old event, co-chaired by seniors Allison Seebald and Obi Eboh, welcomes interested students to show off their cultural heritage through a performance or by taking part in a fashion show. The goal is to bring light to underrepresented cultures and celebrate diversity.
The event began with a grand entrance onto the stage by Obi and senior Ashley Artis. The two acted as master of ceremonies and invited everyone to sit back with an open mind and enjoy the event. Zara Mannan, Form II dressed in a traditional, pink and black, Indian outfit and gently sang a cappella to “Ishqa Bina,” an Indian song.
Following Zara, sisters Neha and Ameesha Sampat demonstrated Indian dance to the music of “Kehta Hai Mera Dil.” The pair wore traditional, orange and blue, eye-catching outfits and bells around their waist. Neha, a sophomore, and Ameesha, a junior, seemed to be enjoying themselves as they fluidly moved about the stage. Similarly, eight graders Meha Patel and Zara Mannan donned red and gold and red and blue, traditional Indian outfits while dancing to “Nimooda.” Their dance incorporated elegant hand gestures, poses, spins, as well as a number of hip movements.
Moving across the globe to Ireland, the students were entertained by Allison Seebald’s Irish step dance. Allison performed to the music of “Pog Air Goid” and wore a traditional black dress. She expertly skipped about the stage fully focused and without missing a beat. She later danced to “Planxty Drury,” utilizing skilled heel and toe combinations.
Classical music and dance were incorporated into a number of student performances. Sophomore Julian Quintanilla expertly played a piano as if it were second nature. Fingers gliding across the keys, he played “Two-Part Invention #8” by J.S. Bach and “Ain’t Misbehavin’” by Fats Waller. A trio, including sophomore Michelle Yuan and sophomore Catherine Chong, took to the stage with violins and red chop sticks in their hair. The girls amazed the crowd with three sweetly melodic, classical Chinese pieces – “Chinese Romeo and Juliet,” “Give Goodbyes,” and “Chinese Spring Dance.”
Additional performances demonstrated a range of dancing styles. Sophomore Mai-Yin Picard choreographed a stunningly elegant ballet performance to Johann Strauss’ Waltz in which she gracefully twirled on toe and leaped through the air. Junior Cathryn Stanley, junior Jazmin Wright, and freshman Shadora Howard moved in sync to the quick tempo of reggaeton (Spanish reggae). The girls showed off their fancy footwork as they moved to the rhythmic, celebratory beats. Meanwhile, all that jazz was summed up by eighth grader Hannah Goldstein’s performance. Hannah demonstrated her strength, agility, and character to “Nowadays Hot Honey Rag” from Chicago.
In conclusion of the assembly, a fashion show featuring traditional outfits from Ireland, Nigeria, India, and China were modeled by students and faculty members. The historical references, symbolisms, and ceremonial uses were explained to offer the students a global lesson. As Obi Eboh stated, Multicultural Day presented an excellent opportunity for the Pingry community to embrace its flourishing culture.
© 2005 The Pingry School |
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