It wouldn’t be TDS without creative humor meshed with diverse dance styles. In a three-hour long performance held on Nov. 4 at Langford Auditorium, the fictional story of Monty Mehta was accompanied by a stunning fashion show, numerous South Asian dance groups and guest performances from dance teams and acapella groups.
These groups and the TDS performance as a whole demonstrated the campus’s cultural diversity spanning from Bollywood to Bharatanatyam choreography.
Swingin’ Dores, an all-female acapella group, perform together, as photographed on Nov. 4, 2023. (Hustler Multimedia/Olivia Noell)
As the showcase unfolded, the story of Monty Mehta, played by senior Shivam Vohra, ignited a wide variety of emotions as spectators witnessed his accidental transportation to the past. The fictional skit, directed by seniors Priya Bhatt and Anika Mahajan, follows Mehta’s love for dance. He faces opposition from his mother Lavanya Mehta, played by junior Nandika Chirala, who stopped dancing due to a career-ending injury in her youth. Mehta’s mother pressured him to focus on a more traditional career path following the footsteps of his father, Dr. George Mehta, played by senior Kevin Masih. When Monty Mehta is sent to the past using a time-travel machine created by Professor Patel, played by senior Janki Bava, it changes the trajectory of his life.
The four skit actors perform a scene, as photographed on Nov. 4, 2023. (Hustler Multimedia/Olivia Noell)
Although the showcase was centered around South Asian cultures, students of various backgrounds performed. These dance and acapella groups pushed their talents ranging from elements of Bollywood, Kuthu and Hip-Hop to the classical dance forms of Kathak, Odissi, Bharatanatyam and many others.
Naatu performs energetically, as photographed on Nov. 4, 2023. (Hustler Multimedia/Salma Elhandaoui)
Some of the show’s guest performances came from Confidance, VIBE, VIDA and VIVID. From K-pop choreographies to Latin dance, each group had its own unique flair.
Confidance dancers smile and dance together, as photographed on Nov. 4, 2023. (Hustler Multimedia/Olivia Noell)
The fashion show also returned to TDS this year. Many students walked the runaway as they showed off traditional clothing of Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, India and other cultures. The audience loudly cheered at the models as they added their unique styles to the stage.
Two fashion show models, Lamiya Adri and Mezbah Mofty pose together, as photographed on Nov. 4, 2023. (Hustler Multimedia/Olivia Noell)
Senior SACE members were celebrated as they performed a final last dance before gathering for a commemorative group photo. As tears and laughter filled the auditorium, the dancers joyfully ended yet another outstanding performance.
