With over 10 cultures represented, Cultural Night, an evening showcasing food, music and entertainment, is free to attend by students and parents on Feb. 7 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Similar to Taste of Chantilly, an event where clubs sell items to raise money, Cultural Night will host a variety of clubs such as Nepali Student Association, La Fuerza Latina and the French Honor Society that will sell food and other items in the cafeteria before the performances start.
At 7 p.m., performances ranging from playing instruments to singing and dancing will begin in the auditorium. Some performances include a Bollywood fusion dance by the Indian Student Association, a traditional fan dance (Buchaechum) by the Korean Club and a piano performance by the Vietnamese Student Association.
“People should come to Cultural Night because it is the one day in the whole school year where multiple cultures come together to showcase their hard work and effort through beautiful and captivating performances,” SASA board member senior Preethi Raja said. “It is a fun way to learn about new cultures.”
This year, along with Spanish teacher Elizabeth Rosario, the South Asian Student Association (SASA) is in charge of planning, contacting clubs and creating a schedule for the entire event. They also emcee during the performances and assist the performers backstage.
“We decided to manage Cultural Night because we were aware of the fact that Chantilly has many students from different countries and cultures,” Raja said. “We wanted to host an event where these students can showcase their love for their culture while also allowing many other people to participate in such a rich experience.”
With around 15 performances scheduled, many students work after school to practice their routines. As a part of the Bhangra Club, junior Tanvi Koya believes that Cultural Night provides a great opportunity to showcase their efforts.
“We practice after school every week on Wednesday and Thursday,” Koya said. “I am looking forward to performing in front of everyone as well as watching the other performances. I performed at Cultural Night last year and it was really fun, so I can’t wait to do it again.”
Although the performances are mostly showcased by clubs, organizations outside of CHS also have the chance to perform. As a member of the Spotlight Academy USA, a dance organization based in the DMV, junior Keira Montratama will be performing an Indonesian dance during Cultural Night. The group not only includes high schoolers but also adults and elementary schoolers.
“We will be performing an Indonesian dance called ‘Saman,’ also known as the ‘Dance of a Thousand Hands,” Montratama said. “Also, we will be singing as we perform and one person will play an instrument called ‘Gendang,’ which is similar to the drums.”
While the event is similar to last year, teachers now have the option to sign up and take their classes to watch the performances during homeroom. Students are also encouraged to wear cultural clothing at the event and during the school day.
“My favorite part of preparing for Cultural Night is knowing how hard the students and teachers work towards it,” Raja said. “It is rewarding to see the event run smoothly after the many months it took to plan such a large event.”
