8:13 p.m. — Just past the entrance to Edison Theatre, senior Shruthi Madhugiri was pacing and furiously typing on her phone. It was Tuesday night. As I opened the door, she looked up, smiled, and called senior Ankitha Vontela, her fellow Ashoka — WashU’s South Asian Student Association — co-president, who bounded up the stairs to meet me. Despite already being several hours into their tech rehearsal, the two energetically talked me through the schedule as we walked down to the front of the theater, where the rest of Ashoka’s executive board was. Some were sitting in the front row among a smattering of backpacks, and a few others were sitting further away working on their laptops. Vontela pointed out Ashoka’s cultural chairs, Sahil Soni and Mythili Kartik. Soni looked up and waved, while Kartik was busy flipping through tabs on her computer and talking to the crew backstage through her grey headset. 

On stage, members of WashU Raas, one of the many dance groups performing in the Diwali Showcase, were arranging their set and practicing parts of their routine. The Edison Theatre stage crew was explaining the markings on the stage, while the lighting team was running through lighting patterns.

Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor

This was the first tech rehearsal for this year’s Diwali Showcase — an event that has been months in the making. Diwali, South Asia’s festival of the lights, is the biggest holiday in South Asia, and is celebrated by millions worldwide. 

“We start planning in the summer, so we have our first initial meeting with Edison before the semester ends in April,” Vontela said. “They tell us the date, they give us feedback from the previous year’s show, all of that.”

While the cultural showcases (Diwali, LNYF, Black Anthology, Carnaval) are highly anticipated and often completely sell out, the work that it takes to coordinate all 172 Diwali performers often remains hidden. “It’s a lot of long hours, a lot of long nights,” Madhugiri said. 

”It’s kind of a joke where Subway is our dinner,” Vontela said. “We’re giving them the best business.”

8:17 p.m. — As we were talking, suddenly, from the top of the theater, an Edison staff member yelled for quiet. As silence fell over the Raas dancers, the stage crew gave instructions for moving the massive handmade set pieces on and off stage. Each group had 25 minutes to run through their routine, receive notes, make tweaks, and most importantly, allow the lighting and sound crew to line up their queues. Tonight’s slate included Raas and Classi — a classical fusion dance group — with extra time set aside for the two to do further runthroughs at the end.  

8:29 p.m. — Now backstage and in position for their runthrough, the lighting crew spent a few minutes adjusting the spotlight. The audience lights went out as the music started and the dancers slowly began to move the set pieces on stage. Exec members cheered along and yelled out to encourage performers they know by name as the routine started. 

9:01 p.m. — Later on, scrolling back and forth between Canvas, the runthrough schedule, and a presentation, Vontela walked me through their entire timeline, from last spring up until these final few rehearsals. As she’s talking, crew members and Classi performers debate where the live drummer (WashU music teacher Sebastian Buhts) should go on stage. 

As Classi prepared for their runthrough, the projector lit up the back wall of the stage, and gasps and cheers echoed throughout the theater as Classi’s intro video played. Each group makes a video to introduce the performers to the audience, and this was the first time Ashoka saw Classi’s.

Classi’s first runthrough began, with a combination of rhythmic and graceful moves. Vontela told me that most dancers in the group are trained in classical dancing, and that many are also part of multiple different dance groups performing in the showcase. She pointed out a dancer currently on stage who is also part of the Bhangra group. 

About halfway through the runthrough, the drummer took his place onstage and began drumming along to the music. Classi dancers mimed props as their captain counted off moves and reminded them of formations from the audience. Holes in certain formations served as a reminder of the many responsibilities performers must balance, as evening exams often conflict with rehearsals (the Physics I exam was happening on this particular evening). One dancer was twirling around onstage in jeans, having just come from class.  

9:17 p.m. — Classi’s runthrough ended with applause from the tiny audience. One dancer ran off to hug a member of the exec board, as immediately the captains started giving notes with the lighting shifting back and forth overhead. 

As seniors, Madhugiri and Vontela talked about how much this last show means to them. After posting an Instagram story of Classi, dropping a teaser of the show to remind students to get tickets, Vontela spent some time scrolling through highlights of previous years shows. She and Madhugiri reminisced on memories of last year’s performance dinner, and former Ashoka members who have since graduated. 

“This is a lot of our last Diwalis,” Madhugiri said. 

“When the curtain drops, we’re all [going to be] bawling,”Vontela added.  

9:24 p.m. — Raas took the stage again, ready to do a second run through their entire routine. In particular, Raas is known for the elaborate set and the theming of their routines. The dance is both rhythmic and acrobatic, including high kicks, jumps, spins, and dandiya sticks, which are twirled around throughout the performance. From the audience, the group’s captain was screaming for more energy and for them to get their knees up. 

“We’re supposed to be soldiers, not dead,” she said, as the rehearsal was nearing its fifth hour. 

Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor

9:33 p.m. — After the first runthrough, at the directive of the captain, the group went back and began running different parts of the routine. Again and again, the dancers ran through portions until the transitions were smooth and there were no mistakes. 

When the team finally ran the entire routine again, it was flawless. Each and every performer was putting as much effort as possible into every single move. The Ashoka board, thrilled by how well it was coming together, cheered and clapped along to the beat. When they stuck their final pose, the feeling of triumph was palpable. 

Immediately after the music ended, the audience lights unceremoniously came on in the Edison, and the crew began milling about again. The Raas dancers were still breathing heavily in their final poses, relieved by their perfect run. Despite the empty seats, the excitement was there. In only a few short nights, Raas’s final pose will be met with the thunderous applause and cheers of a nearly sold-out audience. 

WashU Raas and Classi will perform along with many other groups in the Diwali cultural showcase this Friday at 7 p.m. and this Saturday at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are available on the Edison Theatre website.

Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor

Isabella Diaz-Mira | Photo Editor