Whitney Young has always taken great pride in its diverse student body that offers new perceptions, modes of thinking, and walks of life. In the same line of thought, Asian American Club does exactly the same thing. The entire purpose of AAC is to explore new cultures in order to understand unfamiliar worldviews and perceptions. And to display the progress that has been made, a spectacular show featuring dances as far west as the Japanese Sōran Bushi dance and as far east as the Indian Bharatanatyam dance is showcased in May. The Beacon spoke to the board of Asian American Club in order to gain some insight on the show.

Isabel An ‘17, president of AAC, said to “think of AAC as an umbrella over the dances, similar to Young Company and their crews.” And after watching the practice session after school, this seems very accurate. AAC reserves Blue House after school to accommodate its various dances including Vietnamese and Flags. Just directing one’s gaze a few inches to the right features an entirely new dance with new props and a new culture. Bea Alicante ‘17 said that, “Practice isn’t even a taste of the show. The show is featured in May and we spend all year starting from November to prepare for it but since we just started, the choreography isn’t there yet.” But just watching the tryouts, it seems clear that each dance head is incredibly capable of teaching their dances. It’s difficult to even begin to imagine how amazing it’ll be when it all comes together in one great show.

Since the club dances were still in their early phases, the Beacon asked the board to describe how a year usually goes for AAC. Isabel An ‘17 said that AAC utilizes its beginning stages, from about September to November, to perform tryouts for who’ll get into which dance and also for ice breakers to gain that family atmosphere. After that, for the most part, it seems practice is twice a week until the winter time when an additional practice is added on Saturdays to make sure that the dance is perfect for the actual show. She also said that sporadically throughout the year, there are socials, fundraisers, and other activities to make each member feel at place in their dances and club overall. Even Kaelan To ‘18, a student cut from the Sōran Bushi dance, was excited about the future of AAC in other dances. He said, “Even though I couldn’t be part of my first choice, I am still excited to help out and be a part of this community.”

Just interviewing the board as well as some other members, it was clear how excited students were for the show and practices. It was refreshing to know that students were not just obsessive over their grades, a common stereotype at selective enrollment schools, but that they have found passions and excitement at a school that has set such high standards for their students.

Photo courtesy of Asian American Club ’16