A steady rhythm from a Taiko drum reverberated through the Hall of Presidents on Oct. 31. On stage, the drummer pounded his instrument to start the performance. Colorful lights swirled around him, and he called out, inviting the audience to clap to the beat. Soon, the two emcees entered, kicking off the ALANA Multicultural Center Fashion Show.
ALANA puts on the show every year, encouraging students to model clothing representative of their cultures — from Ao Dai (traditional Vietnamese dresses) to Mexican ranchero skirts. The outfits are crafted by family members, designers from the nation represented, and a student designer. During the event, emcees asked the models about the traditions and personal stories behind their outfits. They also explained how their outfits were made.
Student designer Aullie Allen ’28 made two ranchero skirt styles — worn on the runway and on the dancefloor, where students showed off the clothing through cultural dances. Allen’s ranchero skirts were used for the Bomba performance, a Puerto Rican dance. Incorporated into the end of the skirts was an extra fold of fabric to lengthen the skirt and give dancers the ability to lift and swirl their skirts, characteristic of the Bomba dance style.
“Their dance was beautiful, and I was really happy to have some part in it, even from the shadows,” said Allen, who also presented a line of denim clothing with fabric patches in the African Student Union fashion show last semester.
The designer created the outfits by hand through long nights on top of their schoolwork. “I made the Latin American Dance’s skirts in just under four days,” they said. “I did most of the work while burning the midnight oil.”
Allen had to make all the skirts by hand due to a sewing machine snafu. But, they added, “It was such a great experience, no matter how frustrated I got with the fabric. Now all I need to do is figure out that sewing machine.”
In addition to the baile folclórico, there was a traditional Nepali folk dance performed by Aastha Ghimire ’27, who is from Nepal. She wore a gunyo cholo (traditional dress) and patuka (a waistband), paired with Nepali jewelry including a shirbandi (headpiece), laachha dori (hair string), and pote (necklace), which is common for the folk dances of Nepal. Ghimire danced in a duo to perform a story of two people. She explains, “Our dance began with a man asking a woman to marry him, promising her a better life, and she replied that she already has a good life in her parents’ home.”
The two illustrated the storyline through their garments and dance movements. “We used a prop shawl to act out parts of the song in an expressive way,” Ghimire explains.
The fashion show was well attended, with approximately 60 people in the Hall of Presidents. Ghimire said she is “very glad to have had the opportunity to be involved in activities that celebrate the diversity on campus.”