Student groups will showcase their talents in the bi-annual "Cultural Vogue" event sponsored by the Asian Pacific American Student Organization, or APASO, at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Auditorium.
This year's event is titled "Tridentity" and is focused on the diverse cultures represented in the organization. Performances range from traditional and modern dances to a spoken word presentation and a fashion show.
APASO is a group of 14 student organizations that promote Asian Pacific awareness on campus.
The event helps kick off the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, which runs from mid-March to mid-April. During the month, APASO hosts lectures, film presentations and other events to celebrate Asian American culture.
Yen Pham, Asian Pacific American coordinator for the Office of Racial Ethnic Student Affairs, said the title is a way to express the different facets of the APASO students' identities.
"It represents their cultural identity, American identity and individual identity," Pham said.
She said APASO is such a large organization that many people don't realize how many distinct groups are included. This event allows the students to take pride in their different cultures, Pham said.
Marvin Valencia, co-president of the Pilipino American Student Society, or PASS, said the event was a way for Asian students to celebrate their unique cultures.
"It's a different way to express ourselves to the MSU community," Valencia said.
Valencia, a psychology junior, is dancing in the PASS presentation on Saturday and said learning the traditional dances gave him a better understanding of what it means to be a Pilipino American.
"I learned the stories behind the dances," Valencia said. "They gave me a better appreciation of my culture."
Valencia said the event has grown during the years, and APASO chose to hold it in the Auditorium this year because of space concerns. The 2003 Vogue took place at the Wharton Center, and some were turned away after the center was filled to capacity.
Valencia also will dance in PASS's modern dance, a hip-hop representation of the group's American identity. He said the group has been practicing almost every day for the last two weeks.
"It's our way of showing our American side," Valencia said. "We can be ourselves but not be afraid to express our culture."
Journalism and Spanish sophomore Thea Tio said she looks forward to sharing her culture with friends. Tio helped coordinate the modern dance performance.
Tio said the event also helps to educate students and others on the differences in Asian culture.
"So many people lump Asians together in one group," Tio said. "This allows us to show our originality."
For more information on APA Heritage Month, visit the APASO Web site at apaso.msu.edu.
