For the first time since 1998, the Pakistani Students Association, PAKSA, held its Variety Show and Dinner. For three hours Saturday night, the McNeil Room saw a veritable explosion of Pakistani culture as singers, dancers, a fashion show, a film, a skit, and more took the stage to a packed house of around 300 people.
One of the most popular acts was a dancer named Mohammad Ali. Well-known in the local Pakistani community, Ali was a huge favorite of the crowd, especially with the younger women, who made a point of cheering him loudly through both of his segments.
Ali’s first performance had a decidedly techno theme, echoed by the light reflecting off of his shiny silver shirt and black pants. His dancing was rhythmic, almost hypnotizing, as he gyrated to a compilation of various music styles.
Ali’s second act was later in the show; he appeared on stage wearing a button-down shirt, khaki pants, red suspenders, and thick black eyeglass frames. After teasing the audience with just a move or two, a quick change eliminated the frames and suspenders and left Ali in red pants with an upturned collar—much more suited to a suave, fun-loving dancer. Both of his acts were joined near the end by an unannounced female partner, both of whom seemed to know what they were doing on a dance floor.
Another impressive dance number was that of the Siena Bhangra Group. Swathed in green, gold, and white, six young men did an impressive and irreverently energetic group dance number to traditional Pakistani music.
The skit, entitled the “Rishta Skit,” was a story of a Pakistani father attempting to find a suitor for his daughter. Four young Pakistani men visited the house: the first extremely pious, the second extremely rich, the third a drug dealer, and the fourth an RPI student. The dialogue was humorous and the skit well-acted. At the end, a suitor for the daughter was chosen by applause, and the drug dealer was the lucky groom of what turned out to be a man dressed in drag.
But the performances were not the only source of Pakistani culture at the Variety Show, from the free food to the 4-year-old boy who made it his task to bring the green and white balloons on the floor in front of the stage back to his mother in the audience.
The food was probably the best part of the show. Using the McNeil Room dining facilities, PAKSA put together a small buffet of Pakistani cuisine. Three dishes were served: chicken with curry, chick peas and potatoes, and a brown rice. The chick peas and potatoes combination was one of the best dishes I have had in a long time; it was not too spicy and had a robust flavor. Also, the bread served with the food was quite simply excellent.
By the time the night was done, the PAKSA Variety Show and Dinner had given the audience its fill, literally and figuratively, of Pakistani culture, serving up a variety of satisfying dishes: dancing, singing, acting, and actual food.
