Kaylie Wang is an English sophomore and opinion columnist for Mustang News. The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang Media Group.
It’s rare to see jazz, hiphop, Chinese lion dance, Mexican folk dance and ballroom all on the same stage within the span of a single show. Cal Poly students, families and community members were lucky to experience exactly that at Illuminate this past Saturday.
Just like the Destiny Child’s song that United Movement opened the show with, Illuminate made me “lose my breath.” Each group in Illuminate brought costumes, choreography and culture that kept me at the edge of my seat.
Illuminate is hosted annually by United Movement, Cal Poly’s non-audition dance team, and featured 15 organizations this year.
READ MORE: Illuminate: A Celebration of Diversity at Cal Poly
The audience were entertained throughout with shouts and cheers going from start to finish. During the intermission, all groups went onstage for a cypher, or a freestyle dance circle. Every dancer would yell and jump to enthusiastically support each other, and their excitement was contagious. I even got to see a lion from the lion dance team twerk onstage. Illuminate was a heartwarming performance because you can feel the culture and community like you’re right there on stage, dancing with them.
Diversity in dance
I really loved how Cal Poly introduced me to dance styles that I’ve never seen. I’ve never watched Bangko live before Illuminate, and I’m sure there are people sitting in the audience who have never watched a lion dance. I am glad the show allowed the audience to experience different dance styles and cultures from around the world.
Two aspects of each organization’s performance remained universal — their skill and passion. It was clear that every dancer was having so much fun dancing with one another. Every group gave 100% of their energy.
Knowing that all of the performers are students makes this dance extra special. No matter what style, the passion from each group felt so cheerful that I felt part of this positive, welcoming community. I always feel inspired after watching these skills in action from my very own friends and classmates.
PCE Kasayahan tests the limits of gravity
With the mix of dance styles, the show flowed between fast-paced performances and slower performances. Compared to other groups, Pilipino Cultural Exchange Kasayahan’s performance sped down, but the skill certainly didn’t drop.
They performed a traditional folk Filipino dance called Bangko, or bench dance, where two people at a time would jump onto and dance on wooden benches. The group would stack the benches higher and higher. It felt like they could have reached the lights on top of the stage by the end. After their performance, the emcees commented, “Thank goodness for liability waivers,” and the crowd laughed, because everyone was on the edge of their seats watching PCE Kasayahan execute such a risky routine in front of our eyes. PCE Kasayahan’s dance was original and I had never seen anything like it. Indeed, each group quite literally kept raising the bar.
Celebrating Lunar New Year with the Lion Dance Team
One of my other favorite performances was the Chinese Student Association’s Lion Dance Team. I was particularly looking forward to their performance because I didn’t get the chance to go home to celebrate Lunar New Year with my family like I usually do. They did not disappoint. The lions picked up a scroll from the floor, stood up and unraveled the scrolls with displayed messages like “CSA” and “Happy Lunar New Year.”
I enjoyed their use of a monk mask, who kept trying to retrieve his drink from the front of the stage, but kept running away when the lions scared him. I hadn’t seen this monk mask being used in a lion dance before, but I loved how it transformed the lion dance into a story with both conflict and comedy.
READ MORE: Cal Poly’s Lion Dance Team Prepares for Illuminate
Cal Poly Andaaz powers up
Groups were able to creatively connect with the audience through dance, music and even video games. After watching last year’s Illuminate, I looked forward to watching Cal Poly Andaaz perform because they never let me down with their hype energy. This year, their performance used the backdrop of a Subway Surfers set to create a playful theme. I had fun watching their performance because they used the Subway Surfers theme to convey a story.
Andaaz is an Indian fusion dance team, so they combine genres from classical Indian dance to hiphop. I especially enjoyed their dance style because they take advantage of the stage space through jumping and exercising their full range of motions. I was impressed by how they were able to stay energized for the entire performance.
READ MORE: Performing at Illuminate, a showcase uniting cultural dance communities
Imagen y Espíritu Ballet Folklórico brightens the stage
Another standout group is Imagen y Espíritu Ballet Folklórico de Cal Poly. While I’ve watched them before at the University Union before for other events, watching them onstage was truly special because they lit up the stage with their vibrantly colored layered dresses.
The team was able to show off their dresses through moves called fadeo, where the dancers are constantly swirling and fanning their skirts to mimic waves. These motions, combined with their footwork, are so smooth that it feels like the folklórico dancers glide across the stage.
READ MORE: Connecting with cultural roots through Folklórico at Cal Poly