Just before Satrang 2002 began, Amit Agarwal was backstage at Wharton Center’s Great Hall, tying loose ends.
Indian women dressed in traditional attire stared attentively at the stage, seconds before they went on. Agarwal, the Coalition of Indian Undergraduate Students’ president, is just one of 156 performers in the coalition’s annual dance and music exhibition, all of whom expected to put on a Broadway-caliber performance.
Satrang represents the seven colors of the rainbow uniting the states of India. Preparation for the event, titled “A Mesmerizing Journey ...”, began in November, with help from 10 coalition executive board members, about 15 choreographers and $25,000 from various university organizations.
“The show is indicative of all of the participants’, choreographers’ and members’ hard work and dedication,” said Agarwal, a political economy senior. “Everybody is really hyped because they are excited to see what the last four months of hard work and dedication is going to result in.
“Pretty much the last four months have been the training. This is our Super Bowl right now. We can come out and win or we can lay an egg.”
The tour of India started with both the Indian and U.S. national anthems, but quickly changed tempo as students danced to a mix of Method Man and Busta Rhymes. Throughout the show, performances mixed Western music, dance and attire with the traditional styles of India.
An audience of nearly 1,800 cheered on the program with applause and fog horns.
Economics senior Carl Oliver said he was impressed with the connection MSU’s Indian students have to their culture.
“The choreography was really cool,” he said. “The outfits were just beautiful for the girls. The girls were looking hot.
“It was really cool to get a splash of Indian culture. I just have more respect for Indian culture as a whole and the Indian students on this campus.”
Physiology junior Dan Carroll said the dances and costumes made the show worth watching.
“The show as a whole was great,” Carroll said. “The dancing, everything was something good, something to do. It was good to see different sides and different cultures.”
Shilpa Shah, the coalition’s secretary, didn’t have any trouble describing the feeling of performing in Satrang.
“It was more like excitement - if anything it’s excitement,” she said. “You’re so pumped.
“It went over really well because we all came together and became one team. Everyone chipped in.”
