After the excitement of the pep rally, it is difficult to keep Dreyfoos students’ spirits high in the wake of the exhilarating event they wait all year for. However, when the weary crowds were led by their fourth period teachers to Meyer Hall on Jan. 27, they were met with a plethora of high-energy performances from their peers representing the many cultures that make up the Dreyfoos student and teacher population.

The Multicultural Show took place on Jan. 27, and featured diverse performances from students showcasing different styles of their art including presentations of poetry, prose writing, song, dance, band, and theatre performances. At the beginning of each segment, a student would narrate the history of the performance about to be presented and its cultural impact on the region of the world it originated.

“I performed the song Dhoom Machale, which is the main theme for the “Dhoom” movies in Bollywood,” piano senior Aalisha Jaisinghani said. “It’s a very popular song in India, and the majority of the people there would be able to recognize it immediately.”

In addition to having to prepare weeks ahead of time, some students who performed in the show also had to go through an audition process. Prospective performers met with Latin Hispanic-Heritage club sponsor and English teacher Nieves Lopez and club presidents, communications senior Isaac Ochoa and theatre senior Michelle Shannon. The Black Student Union collaborated with the Latin Hispanic Heritage Club to expand the diversity of the performances.

“I performed a piano and viola duet called Here’s One with my friend [strings junior] Cami Williams,” piano senior Tiffany Hart said. “[Williams] and I actually only rehearsed together once before the audition because we’re both so busy, but we definitely practiced separately to prepare [for the show]. It was not only a really fun experience, but it was a great opportunity to share our respective cultures with other people through our art areas as well.”

In addition to those who showcased their pieces, many students also worked backstage to make sure the show ran smoothly. Theatre senior Dante Amico was one person who managed the sounds and clips used in the show, as well as the microphones used by students throughout their performances.

“I was the sound designer and head audio engineer, which means basically that I move around the microphones, manage the wireless receiver rack, and communicate with my sound board operators to help make the mix in the monitors and the house sound the best it can,” Amico said. “Honestly, for me, the best part about working on a show like this is just hearing the mix come together. More specifically, for acts like the Latin band, getting the blend of voices and instruments just right is the most satisfying feeling in the world.”

The show was originally the idea of former English teacher Theresa Kanu, and the purpose of it was, and still is, to unite the students of Dreyfoos. The students who partake recognize this and strive to the best of their abilities to respect one another’s cultures.

“I think it’s important for Dreyfoos to host the show every year because it displays a variety of cultures that are found throughout our student population,” Jaisinghani said. “There are many sides to these different cultures and without a showcase like this, a lot of the students would not have been exposed to them.”