Taste of Asia blends cultures through food

As the curtain rose on the Indian dance group IU Ras, the IU Auditorium stage became a flurry of sequins and flashes of bright colors from the costumes of the performers.

Each dancer, equipped with a pair of short, silver sticks, clicked along to the beat of a mix of contemporary Indian music with an occasional interjection of a beat from a Soulja Boy song.

“I didn’t know our school had things like this,” said freshman Michael Mignosi, who attended Taste of Asia on Sunday.

The event, which was like a variety show, kicked off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The month is traditionally celebrated in May, but IU observes it in April, Jennifer Lee, assistant professor of sociology, said.

“It celebrates the accomplishments of all who have come before us,” Lee said.
The Asian American Association sponsored the event, which was first held 16 years ago.

Emcees Danny Nguyen and Desma Jones discussed the ethnic diversity and history of the nine acts that took the stage.

“People range in terms of language, culture and how we look,” Nguyen said. “It’s something you see illustrated here on the IU campus.”

The diversity and support of the audience also strengthened the show, Nguyen said.
“Without you, all of this would be really strange,” Nguyen said.

Acts included several dance groups ranging from hiphop to Indonesian dance to break dance.

Andrew Ramos, a student at IU-Purdue University Indianapolis, performed an original acoustic song, while Jason Nguyen played traditional Vietnamese melodies on a one-stringed sitar.

Another group, the Silk Road Ensemble, featured musicians such as Aida Huseynova, who recently returned from accompanying Yo-Yo Ma and performed music from Central Eurasia and the Middle East.

Attendees received vouchers for samples from area Asian restaurants, including Chow Bar, Esan Thai, Fortune Cookie, Sushi Bar and Z & C Teriyaki & Sushi that they could cash in at the end of the program.

“It gave you something to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon,” Mignosi said.
Senior Kurt Reyes said events like Taste of Asia expose people to different cultures and serve an important function in the IU community.

“Why wouldn’t you come?” Reyes said. “There was free food, world music and dance.”