Students gather excitedly around the library as performers twirl in their hanbok, the vibrant colors of their dress shimmering under the stage lights as they gracefully wave their arms in a carefully choreographed dance. As the music slows into a stop and the dancers make their final pose, the hushed crowd erupts into cheers and applause. After a few seconds, the performers exit the spotlight, and a new group takes their place following the introduction of the MC. As a festive beat overtakes the library and the bright light catches on the silken fabric of lehengas, the audience leans in to witness the grand debut of the Indian Culture Club.
The Lunar New Year Celebration at THS has been an annual tradition for various clubs that celebrate the occasion to showcase their culture. The K-Pop performance, fan dance, and lion dance are beloved favorites of the show that the audience looks forward to every year. However, this year’s celebration will be a little different, as the Indian Culture Club will be joining the performances on Jan. 31 for the first time in THS history alongside the Korean Culture Club and the Chinese Culture Club.
The ICC’s participation in the show was initiated by Ms. Emily Evanowski, the advisor of the KCC and the coordinator of the Lunar New Year Celebration, when she reached out to Kavya Chettur (’25) and Anoushka Chakrabarti (’25), the co-presidents of the ICC.
“We immediately agreed because the ICC has never had the opportunity to perform for Lunar New Year at THS,” Chettur said.
The club will be performing three dances at the celebration, with the girls performing Bollywood dances to the songs “Desi Girl” and “Jillam Jillam,” while the boys will dance to “Make Some Noise for the Desi Boyz.” Chettur finalized the choreography for the dances in December, and the ICC started rehearsals in early January. Practices were held during lunch and after school in the library for two to three days a week.
“I’m extremely proud of all the dancers because dancing and performing requires dedication, practice, and a lot of hard work,” Chettur said. “Whenever we were practicing, we always had a good time, and I’m happy that we made all these memories together.”
However, according to ICC Member Sachin Durgam (’25), despite the joy in mastering the choreography and spending time with his members, preparing the performance wasn’t the easiest journey.
“The process wasn’t easy because we all had different schedules, making it hard to coordinate and be on the same page in terms of choreography, but after some diligence, we made it work,” Durgam said.
Chakrabarti also expressed her excitement, especially on having the opportunity to introduce Bollywood dancing to the Tenafly community.
“I think [students and staff] should just look forward to the performance,” Charkrabarti said. “It’s going to be really fun, and I feel like a lot of people at Tenafly might not be familiar with Indian cultural dance already, so it’s going to be interesting for them to see something new.”
However, performing at the celebration not only fulfills the members’ desire to spread their culture, but it also provides them a moment to cherish their friendship through dance.
“I’m so excited to perform with my friends,” Chettur said. “Performing together feels like celebrating our culture and traditions in a way that brings us closer, not just as dancers but as friends. It feels extra special because most of the ICC participants are seniors, so it might be one of our last opportunities to come together and share the stage as a group.”
Starting with its performance at the Lunar New Year celebration, Chettur hopes that the ICC will create appreciation for the music and art of India and encourage more members to join.
“Even though we’re one of the smaller Asian culture clubs, we’re working on expanding and spreading our culture at THS,” Chettur said. “Whether through performances or awareness events, we just want everyone to have fun and celebrate the richness and beauty of Indian culture.”
