Penn State dance groups will come together to celebrate the many styles and influences of culture Saturday for Penn State’s intercollegiate Infusion dance competition.
At 2 p.m. Saturday at the Eisenhower Auditorium, Infusion will kick off with a taste of South Asian culture.
It is the first year that Fusion Society, a non-profit organization promoting South Asian culture, is hosting the dance show.
Saturday’s event will be one of the final rounds of Infusion, showcasing teams that have passed previous rounds and have made it to the finals.
The show will include a variety of dancing styles such as Bollywood, Bhanghra, lyrical, Raas Gaarba, jazz and classical.
Fusion Society’s Hospitality Manager Anjali Badami (sophomore-pre medical) said that Infusion will be a “big Bollywood production for us to see on stage.”
Sponsorship chair Sagar Bohra (junior-supply chain and information systems) said that these are the “best of the best” dance teams, traveling from colleges as far as the University of Southern California, and several other colleges from states such as Texas and Michigan.
The dancers will act out a story from a film in their dances and each story will feature a different theme.
“There’s always a storyline,” Badami said. “The teams are encouraged to incorporate different styles of dance into their piece to add to the story.”
The nine dance teams are all bidding for a cash prize and a chance to participate in Bollywood America, the “film producer” in India.
Badami said that most of the teams participating in Infusion already have bids, or points, to go to Bollywood America, “so they are really high caliber teams.”
Artist group The Bilz and Kashif — known for their hit, “Turn Up the Music” — will also be performing after the show.
Bohra said that Infusion is a way to put on a unique show for Penn State Students.
Fusion Management Chairperson Nidhi Desai (senior-accounting/CAS) said that Infusion is a “really good way for people to learn about South Asian culture through song and dance.”
All Penn State students are welcome to watch the performances. Tickets are sold this week at the HUB-Robeson Center at the ticket center and at the Infusion table.
“It’s going to be a great show,” Badami said. “The teams are going to give it their all because it’s one of the final rounds. Expect high energy and passion.”
Collegian candidate Dhara Shah contributed to this post.
