Raas-Garba reflects the modern and the traditional, a glimpse into the contrarian yet comforting feeling that embodies South Asian American identity. Whether ridiculous or serious, story-heavy or choreography-focused, each performance represented a blending of cultures and traditions. Michigan Wolveraas danced around a giant blender and fridge, hitting the floor as a dancer cracked a prop crafted into a giant egg. NCSU Nazaare meshed story and dance together effortlessly, with a dancer dressed as Beck from the Netflix show “You” being trapped in a giant prop transformed into a cage. Penn Raas kicked off the show with high kicks, setting the tone for the night. A total of 16 South Asian dance teams performed. Most people would not have been so enraptured, but for South Asian Americans, it’s a love language.Ī-Town Showdown (ATS), a premium dance competition that featured Raas-Garba and fusion dance teams, brought dance teams from across the country to perform on February 12. When Minnesota Junoon’s intro video featured a ragtag group of friends searching desperately for fast food, the entire audience laughed when the friends finally came across the gleaming lights of the Taco Bell sign.
