For more pictures of the festival, check out this slide show
A packed Bell Memorial Union Auditorium embraced diversity as they enjoyed multicultural arts ranging from music to poetry on Nov. 3. For a mere $2 the crowd enjoyed a wide range of cultural performances.
The 21st Annual Multicultural Night offered 13 entertaining acts recognizing many cultures through dance, poetry and music.
Cochino, a five-piece band producing a reggae-rock sound, played two songs, ending with a convincing rendition of "Evil Ways" by Santana. Livening up the crowd with a fast-paced performance and communicating the jam session finally with nods and winks to introduce each member's solo, the band members had a professional sound and stage presence that would have been worth listening to all night.
The show toned down quite a bit when Ranjita Singh-Roy came out and danced a mellow solo number to represent the hospitable culture of Nepal.
Donning a colorful Nepalese costume of flowing fabrics in blues and pinks, she shook her hips and waved her arms gracefully to the soothing Eastern-sounding music. Although timid at first, Singh-Roy became more confident and dynamic in her movements during the second half of her performance.
Anticipating a full room, the floor was filled front to back with chairs; the BMU was decorated with long strings of white lights that sloped across the stage. Halfway through the show, despite the accommodating setup, it was standing room only in the back of the auditorium.
The crowd was as diverse as the acts. The audience was filled with students, parents, children and teachers -- all there to embrace cultural diversity. The feel-good vibe was obvious in the smiles and encouraging shouts from the crowd.
The Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity performed a step dancing routine that combined elements from the Broadway show "Rent" with contemporary dance moves.
Their simple costumes enhanced their performance, wearing black tank tops, black rim hats and carrying canes as their stage props. They stomped out beats and energized the crowd with their clearly well-rehearsed act.
There was a large fan base in attendance for the Chico High Intensity Dance Crew. Once it was introduced, the excitement could be heard from many parts of the audience.
Wearing red sweatshirts and baseball caps the dynamic dance group of 20 girls filled the stage and dazzled the audience with high-energy music and contemporary dance moves. Their performance was tight and organized. The group is student run and they have only been together for a year.
The Hot Salsa Night's Productions delivered an eye-catching salsa dance performance by Jorge Acosta and Jessica Eddie.
During the introduction to their performance, salsa dancing was described as "dancing like there is no one watching," which is exactly what this couple did.
The red dress that Eddie wore contrasted with the black backdrop on stage and their steps seemed effortless.
Acosta also contributed a poem to the night. He recited "Why I've Given Up This Vice" by Carlos Rivas Larrauri in Spanish. The text of the poem was projected on a large screen in English for those who don't speak Spanish.
The poem illustrates the complexities and dangers involved in alcohol addiction. The poem was emotional and the delivery was dramatic and engaging.
Another notable performance was the traditional Egyptian folk dance adapted to the music of Egyptian pop star Amr Diab. Reina Boone danced across the stage in a beautiful costume of blue and gold. When Boone shook her hips her costume jingled to the sounds of the music. She moved with grace and confidence.
Multicultural Night was a success once again. For 21 years Chico State has been putting this event together with the hard work and efforts of the A.S. Multicultural Affairs Council. Watch for it next year.
It's worth the $2 cover for the exposure to a multitude of performances that pay tribute to cultures around the world.
Coreen Larson can be reached at
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