Kamini Purushothaman, Contributing Photographer

On Saturday, flying, crimson fans, Tinikling sticks and joy filled Sheffield-Sterling-Strathcona Hall as the space came to life with song and dance for the Pan-Asian Cultural Showcase. The performance occurs every year and is hosted by the Asian American Cultural Center. 

Featuring groups Unity, Red Lantern, Kasama, the Indigenous Peoples of Oceania at Yale, or IPO, and other individual acts, the event was a vibrant celebration of identity, artistry and cross-cultural community. The event took place from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in SSS 114.

“I really enjoyed the sheer diversity of Asian culture that was presented on stage,” said Annabelle Huang ’26, who founded the Chinese dance group Red Lantern. “And I just loved the energy that was present in the audience and performers, everyone was cheering for each other and making sure those on stage felt our appreciation and support.”

Red Lantern performed various dances during Saturday’s showcase, including their debut of a Chinese folk dance called “June Jasmine. ”

For Huang, performance is fundamentally narrative-driven. Imagining herself communicating a story through movement, Huang aims to communicate each piece’s deeper meaning to viewers. 

“When I dance on stage, I envision myself as the story’s character,” Huang said. “I try to portray my emotions intensely and clearly and hope it impacts my audience as well.”

Huang taught herself the choreography and arranged formations for each member of the team before teaching the group over the span of two weeks. After just eight practices, the group had memorized and refined their choreography.

Praising her dancers’ dedication, Huang said the entire team was committed to carefully reviewing and adjusting each movement to best illustrate the story behind the choreography. The dances reflected popular Chinese folk stories about welcoming the arrival of Spring, the romance between the mythological characters Niulang and Zhinu and the struggle between angel and devil.

One of those dancers, Gabby Oulette ’27, said that the event was her first time attending a pan-Asian showcase during her time at Yale. Oulette, who joined Red Lotus last semester, said she loved the experience of performing for others while also having the opportunity to see so many other cultural expressions represented on stage.

She praised IPO’s hula-dancing performance. Many in the group were dancing for the first time ever. Recalling her own first performance not long ago, Oulette lauded their courage in sharing something meaningful on stage.

“I remember gripping my seat before my first performance, so it must have been nerve-wracking to have a first performance with such a large audience,” said Oulette. “But they did amazing and it was such a beautiful display of their culture.”

Oulette also highlighted the performance by the Filipinx club Kasama, expressing her enjoyment of their “twirling” dance moves and positive energy.

Members of Kasama took the stage for a lively performance of the traditional dance, Tinikling, which featured pairs of dancers step over and in between sliding bamboo poles. The performance included Marissa Halagao ’27, Elisa Cruz ’26, Ava Estacio-Touhey ’25 and Mark Chung ’25.

Tinikling, the national dance of the Philippines, originated on the island of Leyte during Spanish colonial rule. It soon spread across the islands of the country and has become highly regionalized. 

Chung said that performing Tinikling is a very “communal” experience that requires being highly attuned to one’s dance partner.

“There’s a lot of trust involved and you and your partner have to be very coordinated,” said Chung. “Building relationships and friendships through that trust is the most fun part.”

Like Red Lantern, Kasama began practicing a few weeks before the performance. This was paired with rehearsals for their Kasama Cultural Show, which will take place in two weeks.

This weekend’s dance included the group’s standard routine and new, faster choreography performed by Halagao and Cruz. 

For Chung, a highlight of the showcase was seeing performances from groups and individuals he wasn’t familiar with. Describing watching Red Lantern’s performance, Chung said that it was a memorable experience for the first-time viewer.

Huang shared those sentiments, saying the performances inspired her to learn more about the diversity of Asia. She said that UNITY’s Korean-drum performance, Kasama’s Tinikling, and IPO’s dance were some of her favorite parts of the showcase.

“They were all such awe-inspiring performances that made me want to get to know all Asian cultures even more,” said Huang.

Chung added that the performing arts are particularly meaningful to many in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities, offering a way to honor and reconnect with cultural roots.

“It’s always nice to end Pan-Asian Heritage Month with this performance because dance and music have such a strong connection with a lot of us culturally,” said Chung. “To be able to share that is really meaningful.”

In addition to the cultural show, on Tuesday, April 1, the AACC will hold a keynote address on imagining just futures within Asian and Pacific Islander communities.