Music and movement: Saint Mary's Middle Eastern and North African Club performing the Dabke, a traditional Levantine line dance, at the Cultural Night Showcase on April 24. / Photo by Will Barsotti
‘Limitless: Cultural Interconnections’ Brought Students Together in a Tapestry of Expression
At the fourth annual Cultural Night Showcase, students celebrated heritages and traditions through dance and performance. From spoken word poetry to Baile Folklorico, K-Pop to Dabke, the evening spanned cultures and continents.
Over the last four years, the Cultural Night Showcase has established itself as a high point of the Saint Mary’s student experience. For one evening each spring, the campus diversity clubs partner with Saint Mary’s Intercultural Center to host an evening of music, dance, and poetry. From Mariachi to Dabke, West African dance to K-pop, this year’s performances spanned continents and cultures.
With the theme “Limitless: Cultural Interconnections,” this year’s showcase took place at the Soda Center on April 24. Before the show got underway, attendees snacked on halal bites, teriyaki chicken, and street tacos. After mingling and getting caricatures and henna tattoos from artists at booths in the courtyard, guests filled the hall to capacity. Because the turnout this year was so large, it truly was standing room only.
With the IC's Cultural Event Coordinators Alexis Hackett ’26 and Maggie Vance ’27 serving as hosts, the showcase kicked off with a performance by the West African Dance Company—with Pope Flyne, an adjunct professor of Dance, playing drums. Next up was Baile Folklorico Guadalupano, who gave a whirling, spirited performance, followed by the Asian Pacific American Student Association performing Tinikling, a traditional bamboo dance of the Philippines.
The first act concluded with a poetry reading and a few boisterous, brassy songs from the Mariachi Club, as well as a set from the Belly Dance Club, which closed out with a lively performance to “Ah Ya Albi,” the classic Egyptian-Spanish pop song.
Following intermission, the second act began with a high-octane dance performed by the K-Pop Club. Next up was the Middle Eastern North African Club, whose members recited a poem and performed a rousing rendition of Dabke, the popular Levantine line dance.
After a mesmerizing set of Filipino Modern Dance, the People of the Pacific Club concluded the show with four sets, taking the audience on a journey through the traditional dances of the Tongan, Thai, Māori, and Samoan peoples. Then, graduating Gaels were summoned to the stage, where they were recognized for their work in the diversity clubs over the last four years.
For Mitchell Foster, director of the Intercultural Center, the evening is a testament to the efforts of leaders like Alexis Hackett and Maggie Vance, as well as dozens of performers. “The showcase is a product of students showing up consistently, even on days when it is hard,” Foster says. “I’m encouraged, too, to see student organizations that performed this year having grown in size and impact. Each year, it’s empowering and inspiring to see how many students are committed to visibility, representation, and inclusion on this campus.”
Snapshots from the Showcase
Photos by Will Barsotti
