International Bazaar- Performances
By Melissa Collins ’13
Students gathered around the stage on Sunday to watch many student groups perform during the 25th Annual International Bazaar.
A belly dance and a traditional Indian dance kicked off the event at noon, followed by a student crew, the Steel City Swingers. The group is made up of members of Lehigh’s Swing Club. Their performance at the International Bazaar was their rendition of how the zoot suiters, a group of men who dressed with extravagant suits during World War II, took over the swing dancing scene when the sailors went off to fight. The dance told a story of the rivalry between the zoot suiters and the sailors once the sailors returned.
Throughout the day, John Chen, ’12, master of ceremony, announced the various dance groups, as well as performed in an act himself. Chen partook in a segment about break dancing, where he and two other students awed the crowd with their street moves as part of the Lunatix dance team.
“I've emceed for the bazaar two years now and have gone for all
four of my years at Lehigh,” Chen said. “It has been a great experience every time, and it surprises me how many international students come out and
perform [and] promote their clubs. It's a great way for students to get exposed to new cultures, and the committee does a great job of organizing and planning everything.”
The International Fashion Show, which took place about halfway through the fair, was the highlight of the day, acquiring the most viewers. Students from various countries showed of their traditional attire to the audience while walking and posing to music from that country. At the end of the show, all the fashion show’s models came back to the stage to present a symbolic message of unity among the countries.
Other dance routines were performed by Lehigh’s Dance Team and Leela club. There were also students representing their native lands in the form of a Nepali Folk, Chinese Peacock, Indian Freestyle, Parachute and Korean Hourglass Drum dances.
Besides dancers, the crowd also enjoyed performances by musicians and singers, which included lyrics in various languages. There was a duet and quartet performed in Chinese, as well as a performance by What’s in a Name, a group of two students who mixed the sounds of a harmonica and a string instrument to create their music. The harmonicanist noted that he switched harmonicas between songs in order to obtain a different key of music. At the end of his performance, he showed off his case of harmonicas to the audience, showing his skill and enthusiasm for the instrument.
The last act of the day was a showing of Kong Fu, the traditional Chinese martial art sport.
The International Bazaar was sponsored by ArtsLehigh, the Asian Studies Program, the Student Affairs Office of the Dean of Students Office and the Graduate Life Office. The event was organized by the Office of International Students and Scholars.
