On Saturday, April 15, Lawrence students and the Appleton community sat in Stansbury Theater to watch Lawrence’s 45th Annual Cabaret, a variety show put on by the diverse student body of Lawrence University to share a small taste of their culture through music, dance and fashion. This year’s theme was Childhood Memories and was hosted by senior Difei Jiang and junior Cat Chu. The event was full of energy, with the two hosts interacting with the crowd and audience members cheering for their friends and peers.
The first act featured performances from the Vietnamese Cultural Organization (VCO), the LU Mariachi Ensemble (LUME) and the Korean Culture Club (KCC), as well as performances from individual students. The highlight of the first act for me was Kayci King’s performance, as well as the performances by the KCC. King performed a violin cover of “Sweat” by Jamaican reggae band Inner Circle. She was inspired by growing up listening to reggae music with her father. King’s performance was very fun and a creative way to share a piece of Jamaica with the Appleton community. The KCC’s performances were also extremely memorable, dancing to the song “Into the New World” by K-pop group Girls’ Generation, as well as a dance to the song “Candy” by NCT Dream, both songs having been a part of many Korean children’s childhoods. Both performances were very well-choreographed and energetic.
After intermission, the second act included a fashion show, featuring cultural dress from Jamaica, China, Morocco, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan, Vietnam and Korea. After the fashion show, there were more music and dance performances featuring the student bands Fusion and Lyle’s Tree, as well as dance performances representing South Asia, Japan and Africa. The performances by the South Asian students were extremely engaging and were inspired by the music and dances that would often be seen in the media and at family events. Starting with a solo by sophomore Shreeya Tilva and flowing into an energetic routine with the rest of the group, Appleton was able to experience a tiny sliver of the kind of music and dance found across South Asia. Finally, the Black Student Union ended the night with an Afro fusion dance, a type of dance combining styles from all over Africa. Towards the end of their performance, everyone came out onstage to join them, dancing to the iconic song “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)” by Shakira.
Overall, Lawrence’s 45th annual Cabaret was a night of music, dance and color. The interactions with the audience and the lighthearted tone made Cabaret stand out in the plethora of events Lawrence hosts. The event did a wonderful job showing just how diverse Lawrence University is. The event gave the community a small taste of music and fashion from around the world.