Proceeds for the event were donated to South Asian SOAR, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting gender-based violence in the South Asian diaspora.
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Columbia Taal hosted their 22nd annual showcase event, Naach Nation, in the Roone Auditorium, bringing together both Columbia’s South Asian dance teams and teams from visiting schools. The showcase was a brilliant display of the diversity of South Asian dance.
Columbia Taal promotes awareness of South Asian dance, Indian culture and the arts. The team performs in competitions and performance showcases, and is open to all members of the Columbia University/Barnard College community.
Proceeds for the event were donated to South Asian SOAR, a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting gender-based violence in the South Asian diaspora. Taal captains, Anjali Parande (SEAS ‘25), Abby Thayananthan (CC’24), and Vedika Basavatia (BC’24), introduced the organization at the start of the show.
The showcase featured performances by Columbia Bhangra, Columbia Raas, Jhoom Dynamix (Rutgers University), Zinda (Johns Hopkins University), Josh (Johns Hopkins University), Dheem (Boston University), and three performances from Taal.
Taal’s 9 seniors opened the show with an incredibly creative Bharatanatyam and Kathak rendition of Beyoncé’s “Alien Superstar.” The performance from Columbia Bhangra garnered huge applause from the crowd, performing the traditional Punjabi dance form.
Columbia Raas closed the first half of the event with a retelling of Dr. Seuss’s story through their signature Gujarati folk dance choreography. Taal’s freshmen, sophomores, and juniors performed a classical dance piece, followed by several other performances from the visiting teams, including a Dora the Explorer-themed set by the Johns Hopkins’ fusion team, Josh., in which Dora and Boots traveled through different regions in India, teaching the audience the respective dance styles from different parts of India.
