Tag: Ann Arbor

PREVIEW: 17th Annual Multicultural Greek Exhibition

Sappy Leave a comment

The Multicultural Greek Exhibition (MGX) hosted by Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Incorporated is tomorrow: Saturday, March 25th at 7:00 PM in the Michigan Union Rogel Ballroom. This event will be a collaboration between various multicultural greek organizations on campus, where they’ll give all kinds of performances expressing their pride and showcasing their greek traditions.

Last semester I attended the Yardshow, a similar event hosted in the Diag by Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity, Incorporated. It was an indescribable experience and certainly a night to remember, with one of the largest and most supportive crowds I’ve ever been a part of. Not only did I witness great performances, I also had a valuable learning experience regarding what multicultural greek life entails and how it differentiates itself from other kinds of fraternities and sororities. Through powerful dances and facial expressions, they showed the audience the significance of their values and history.

I can’t wait to see what MGX has in store, as they promised on their instagram (@lta_betaomicron) a “night full of energy”. The event is free and open to the public; there will also be a chance to participate in mini-games and win prizes.

If you’re still curious as to what kind of experience it may be, I recommend checking out my previous review on the Yardshow (no promises as to how alike they are though). However, the best and most accurate way to find out is by attending yourself tomorrow night!

REVIEW: Đêm Việt Nam

Sappy Leave a comment

I had a blast at this year’s Đêm Việt Nam (DVN)! Pictured above was my favorite performance from the night – the opening act done by The Detroit Lion Dance Association. I didn’t expect to see an actual traditional lion dance; it was my first time watching one as well!

It was fascinating in multiple ways. Exclaimed gasps were heard throughout the venue when the two lions suddenly appeared in the aisles. Their dance incorporated humor and storytelling, and the lions themselves showed so much emotion through their movements and eyes alone. One highlight for me was when the lions pretended to drink alcohol and afterward stumbled onto the ground in a deep slumber; then the sound of the drums awakened them and they gathered their surroundings to the rhythmic beat of the instruments. The crowd favorite was the moments when the lions would rise to face either the audience or each other. I’m truly impressed by the stamina and hard work that must’ve been put into this performance.

 

Despite being a non-dance-based organization, I enjoyed the performances the members of VSA prepared. They incorporated a lot of character and I could tell the students had a lot of fun on stage. I realized at DVN how important lighting is and how it can increase the quality of a viewer’s experience. Darker lighting heightened anticipation in the room; brighter lighting gave playful energy; and pure silhouettes on a colorful background emphasized the movements of the dancers. I think these special effects helped show off the energy the performers wanted to showcase. In my opinion, it also relieved the pressure of giving an immaculate and in-sync performance. The Power Center is an amazing venue and I hope to watch more performances there.

 

Guy/Girl traditional – this was another one of my favorite performances; the chemistry between the dancers was very charming and I loved all the romantic nuances hidden within their dance moves alongside the use of the hats

 

Fans – an example of how the background shift can change the atmosphere of a performance. The dark red was very alluring and the dark green let the shape and colors of the fans standout

 

Traditional Melody – one of the ending acts that incorporates multiple traditional dances and outfits

The event was an appropriate length: not too long that it was tiring or too short that it felt disappointing. I liked the intermittent mini-skits that helped create smooth transitions between different performances too. I even found myself smiling at the heartwarming atmosphere between the club members.

I’m already looking forward to next year’s DVN and hope you guys consider attending in the future too!

PREVIEW: Đêm Việt Nam

Sappy Leave a comment

If you have time tomorrow evening, consider coming to Đêm Việt Nam (also known as DVN), which is the Vietnamese Student Association’s annual show! The theme this year is “Tìm Đường Về”, which means “Find Your Way Home.”

This will be my first Đêm Việt Nam, so I don’t have a clear picture of what their show is like. However, I know there is a highlight on dancing. These are the specifics listed on their Instagram (@vsa_michigan) post teasing DVN a while back:

Guy/Girl Hiphop

Umbrellas

B2Viet

Guy Hiphop

Fans

Girl Hiphop

Traditional Melody

Guy/Girl traditional

Furthermore, they’re featuring a long list of guest performers, some that I found rather surprising:

The Detroit Lion Dance Association – This is a group I haven’t seen before

K-Motion + Female Gayo + DB3 (Kpop-focused dance groups collab)

Revolution (Chinese Yo-yo club)

UMTKD (The University of Michigan Tae Kwon Do Club) – I didn’t expect there to be a martial arts performance!

Photonix (Glowstick Performance Group)

It’ll be at the Power Center tomorrow, which is a really nice venue that holds various professional performances like ballet, theater, etc. The doors will open at 6:00 PM but the actual performances will be from 7-9 PM. You can buy tickets (they’re beautifully designed by the way) at the door, so if you’re looking for something to do Saturday night, stop by for some exciting performances!

REVIEW: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Nellie Shih Leave a comment

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a surprise hit from Dreamworks, and a sequel to the 2011 Shrek spinoff. The film is directed by Joel Crawford and stars Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, and John Mulaney. 

The film is beautifully animated, heartwarming, and action packed. The animation style is clearly inspired by that of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, but it is unique in that it is stylized to resemble storybooks rather than comic booka. The background art in each scene is stunning. They are designed to evoke a painterly style, with bold colors and visible brushstrokes. The character designs are also fun and dynamic – particularly the attention to individual strands of hair/fur that stand out from the otherwise flatter colors. I was particularly drawn to the designs for Goldilocks and the Three Bears. At this point in the story, the Bears had already accepted Goldie as the fourth member of their crime family, with their stolen knick-knacks and baubles adorning their hair, ears, heads, and weapons.

Speaking of the crime family, though they were supporting characters, their storyline was simply but fully fleshed out, as were the storylines for the primary and other supporting characters. The plot is simple: Puss, being a cat, is on his last of his nine lives and he seeks the magical wishing star to wish to regain the eight that have passed. He and the other characters are all racing to reach the star first, and the treacherous terrain protecting the star changes to trouble whichever character is holding the sole map at the time. This is potentially where the film could fall into becoming repetitive, however the engaging and upbeat pacing is aided by the fact the obstacles depicted are all relevant to each characters’ arc. The film does not repeat beats by putting various characters through similar obstacles as there is a single changing terrain rather than showing different paths for each character. 

Another notable aspect of the film is the depiction of death as a character who stalks Puss as he journeys towards the star and announces his presence either by suddenly materializing, stepping out of the shadows with his glowing red eyes, or whistling an ominous tune. His role in the film is also simple but not unnecessary or corny – he seeks Puss’ last life as he has been reckless with his previous eight, and taunts him for only being careful now that he is done to his final one. His character keeps the plot moving without being redundant, causing ripple effects for the other supporting characters. 

Ultimately, this film is deserving of its Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Film, and it was a delight to return to the iconic Shrek universe. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is playing at the Cinemark Ann Arbor 20, and I hope that it will come to the Michigan or State Theater to celebrate its accolades. 

REVIEW: FASA’s Philippine Culture Night

Sappy Leave a comment

The featured image above is a performance on a musical instrument called a kulintang, and the weaving of the mallets represents the motion of weaving a basket.

Saturday night, the Michigan Union was bustling with activity for FASA’s long-awaited PCN. Everybody was elegantly dressed in long gowns and suits. The audience consisted of not only students, but friends, families, alumni, special keynote speakers, and even Filipino American student associations from Universities in Grand Rapids, Oakland County, and Dearborn.

FASA prepared multiple acts, such as various live singing performances (including a featured performance from FASOU, a student band from Oakland University), traditional instrumental music accompanied by dance, a poem reading, and many more.

 

A cover of “All I Ask” by Adele

This was the most memorable live music performance for me. The students covering the song showcased so much musical talent in their harmonies and synchrony with one another, and they’re not even an established music group. I don’t even see the same chemistry or skill in groups that focus on live singing.

 

The traditional music ensemble

 

The fan dance performed alongside the ensemble

What interested me the most about this dance is the lack of facial expressions on the dancers. Normally, facial expressions are a key focus in dance, because it’s the most blatant way to express emotional depth. In this case, the poker faces created a very elegant atmosphere.

 

Dance incorporating modern music with a cultural twist

This was another performance that really stood out to me. It was so much fun seeing how modern and cultural art can collaborate with each other. As they performed the traditional dance steps, students showcased goofy and joyful facial expressions in contrast to the fan dance performed just previously.

 

FASA’s band

 

A hip-hop dance to American and Philippine pop music to end the night

 

Unfortunately, there were serious sound issues at PCN. The mics often rang and that really took away from the experience. In addition, the technical difficulties dragged the event to become an hour longer due to frequent awkward pauses between and even in the middle of performances. Overall, it was an amazing, lively, and lovely event to attend. However, I’m not sure if I would come back to PCN next year because of how long it was. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t consider going again, though, and I highly encourage anybody interested to attend the event next year!

PREVIEW: FASA’s Philippine Culture Night

Sappy Leave a comment

We’re still in the beginning of the semester but various organizations are already throwing events. You’ve probably heard of the one coming up this Saturday: FASA’s Philippine Culture Night. Their pre-sale tickets went live last semester and sold out within 30 minutes! After various struggles and being put on a long waitlist, I finally managed to get my hands on a ticket to the overflow room. Unfortunately my seat isn’t the best, so I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get any good pictures.

Here’s the description written on their instagram account: “This year’s PCN is themed Hiraya: Bridging the Generational Gap. With this theme, we want to honor our parents and those who came before us by highlighting our intergenerational differences in dreams, journeys, and aspirations. With this, we hope to spur forward-thinking conversation through dance,  performances, speeches, and more.” – @fasa_umich

Before coming to the University of Michigan, I didn’t know many Filipino people or anything about Filipino culture. It’s amazing to see how large and passionate FASA is as a community: FASA has been practicing at the Mason Hall posting wall for months now, and their dance team is extremely large. I believe modern and cultural dances will be performed on Saturday night, and it’s what I look forward to seeing the most at their event. This will be my second time exposing myself to Filipino culture (the first time being a traditional music ensemble performance), and I look forward to learning more!

I’m still unsure if tickets are viable at this point, but good luck to those trying!

PCN will be from 5:30-9:30 PM (doors open at 5 PM) in the Michigan Union, Rogel Ballroom (second floor).