Friday, Feb. 10, the Asian Student Association (ASA) hosted its annual Expo. It was a night filled with dancing, singing, contests and more to raise money for the organization.
“My favorite event in ASA is the Expo,” Expo Chair Oliver Sohn said. “Last year, when I first saw the ASA Expo, I was completely immersed and impressed by all the multicultural organizations on campus. I knew I wanted to get involved this year and help showcase that, which helped lead me into the position of Expo Chair.”
The Expo began with Villanova a cappella group Minor Problem singing the national anthem, as well as a variety of songs to get the audience ready. Afterwards, a mix of dance and language programs took the stage and helped get the crowd excited for the rest of the night.
“I really enjoyed the dance groups,” Nadia Baulduf said. “I know a lot of people in the different groups, and it is so fun seeing their talent[s] shine on stage”.
Groups such as Nova Nassa, Ablaze, The Superlative, the Vietnamese Student Association and more showcased talents through dance and the high level of energy that erupted throughout the room.
“Moving forward, ASA is trying to increase and deepen its interclub relationships,” ASA Vice President Justin Wong said. “Speaking of which, we were so excited to have the South Asian Nova Nassa Dance crew perform at Expo this year and hope to collaborate with more South Asian clubs in the future.”
During the intermission between Acts I and II, the organization served a variety of Asian foods to everyone in attendance.
“My favorite part of the showcase has to be the food,” Hai-yan Koenig said. “Expo brings dishes and flavors from our cultures together through authentic local restaurants. It is the perfect blend of bringing the Villanova community together both on campus grounds and in the local area.”
The food, as well as the environment, created an atmosphere of excitement and support for all those performing and watching the Expo.
“My favorite part of the Expo was the audience,” Sohn said. “There was a lot of hard work involved in planning everything and at times I was stressed. But it all paid off seeing the audience. They cheered for friends, laughed, smiled and were speechless at times. It was really awesome and fulfilling to see that.”
At the beginning of Act II, the audience was well-fed and eager to see what would take place next. Following the game session, where audience members could enter a raffle, the Villanova Club Taekwondo team took the stage and showcased a modern dance performance, which wowed the room.
After a few more performances, the ASA took the stage. Performing a dance cover to the songs “Mr. Chu” by Apink and “Up & Down” by EXID, the organization showcased just how much work and effort went into planning and perfecting the Expo.
“Expo could not happen without everyone’s help,” ASA President Alice Wu said. “It is a group effort to make it fun smoothly, and it is so much work. At the end of the day, being able to share a snippet of our diverse cultures is important to ourselves and others. Instead of shying away, it’s important to organize these showcases to make sure we embrace diversity.”
ASA’s annual Expo was a hit, as it is year after year. Showcasing the diverse cultures represented by students within the organization and outside the group is a tradition that students look forward to every year.
