In past years, the Vietnamese Student Association’s culture night included skits, an emcee and ethnic food. But for this year’s showcase, the group opted to raise the bar.
“We’re stepping it up a level with nontraditional movie posters and making our own video clips to introduce each part of the event,” program co-coordinator Rob Yee said.
This year’s VSA’s culture night is titled “Doi Song Voi Ban Than,” the Vietnamese phrase for “A Life with Close Friends.”
The more elaborate setup corresponds with this year’s movie theme, incorporating more technology into the former strictly traditional presentation. The skits are designed to reflect the Vietnamese culture, folklore and history in a more modern-day setting.
The event brings an evening of food, friends and fun in the spirit of Vietnamese culture to the EMU Ballroom on Saturday. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., with a traditional Vietnamese dinner at 6 p.m.
Admission is free, but there is a suggested $8 donation, and the event is open to anyone looking to learn more about the Vietnamese culture.
Also, instead of past year’s cafeteria-style meal, this year brings the addition of a family-style shared meal, which will be served to each guest.
Yee and his team of more than 75 members from the VSA and Asian-Pacific American Student Union have been working 15-20 hours per week since January to make the evening come alive.
The evening’s activities are aimed at VSA’s longtime goal of community service and bringing a greater cultural awareness to the campus, Yee said. During the year, VSA members also participate in food drives and Asian holiday celebrations in hopes of making a positive impact on the community and enhancing diversity of University activities.
“We want to teach people about our culture, to embrace our culture, to be aware of our culture and to add to the diversity of our campus,” VSA co-director Phuc Nguyen said.
This culture is being expressed not only by skits and guest speakers, but dance as well — one modern and one traditional Lotus dance — complete with authentic costumes.
The first skit, Lac Lung Quan, is a myth about a hero who helps his village and defends the Vietnamese people, program co-coordinator Joany Wong said.
“The skits and dances tell about some history and some myth,” Wong said. “The first skit sets the tone for the rest of the evening to see how the times and people have changed.”