In honor of cultural diversity, Plattsburgh State will hold its 11th annual Night of Nations performance tomorrow night on Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m in Giltz Auditorium. Auditions for the showcase were held as early as September, and many different international clubs and organizations have been chosen to perform in this year’s showcase.
Plattsburgh is home to over 300 international students from more than 60 different countries. The purpose of the event is to educate and showcase PSUC’s cultural diversity among students from a variety of organizations on campus. Night of Nations Coordinator Quynh Bui said there are 130 students are scheduled to perform in tomorrow’s main event with 11 total performances broken into two separate acts. The following international clubs and even some individuals are performing as follows: Cheyene Richards, SASA, J-Cap, The Fashion Show, JEDI, V-Nation, African Unity, Chinese Association, Club Caribbean, Korean Association and I.C.E. Each club and individual is doing a combination of different dances and visuals to reflect their club’s cultural identity.
The theme of this year’s Night of Nations is the concept of Wonderland with the title, “Wonderland: Open the Door to the World.” The idea behind the theme reflects the notion that a “wonderland” is the place where international students from all over find a home at PSUC. As a tribute to its magical qualities, decorations such as flowers, fairy wings and small fake animals will adorn the stage’s front edge. In fact, some acts of the performances tie into the story of Alice and Wonderland. JEDI’s performance begins with an interpretation of Alice and the white rabbit, while V-Nation focuses their dance routine around a familiar Queen of Hearts.
MCs Nelly Delacruz and Sadikshya Adhikari are excited to guide the audience through “a magical door” where all the PSUC performers are waiting in Wonderland to showcase their talents.
Adhikari describes this Wonderland as “a beautiful place full of diversity and talent” in her introductory narration of the show. “It’s going to be really fun,” Delacruz said. “I feel really great about all the acts performing in [the show].”
Abby Daniels, a member of the South Asian Student Association (SASA), is performing in tomorrow’s Night of Nations for the first time. The separate dances each member of SASA does is supposed to represent a different country in South Asia. “Plattsburgh is what brings the [international] students together,” Daniels said. Eventually, each country joins as one to symbolize their union in a sole and joyful dance. Student Association president Vrinda Kumar will also be performing tomorrow night with Daniels in SASA.
In addition to being a member of PSUC’s Dance Ensemble, Autumn Knight is dancing with the Korean Association (K.A.) in her first Night of Nations performance. She describes the club’s routine as an exciting tribute to K-Pop music. “It’s a really great experience,” Knight said. “I get to learn something new about an individual culture. It’s something different that I’ve never done before.”
Tickets for Night of Nations are free and available at the ACC Information Desk. This event is a fan-favorite for not only the international student community, but also for any student looking to experience a journey to a place called Wonderland, right in the heart of PSUC.
Email Emma Vallelunga at news@cardinalpointsonlinc.com
