To his closest friends and colleagues, 34-year-old Amarnath Ghosh could be described in one word, “intensity.” From his gratitude for life, empathy towards others, passion for dance, and curiosity to learn, Ghosh is remembered by his commitment to giving his all to everything he did. 

Ghosh was in his final year as an Master of Fine Arts (MFA) student studying dance in Washington University’s Performing Arts Department (PAD) when he was killed on Feb. 27, near the Third Degree Glass Factory on Delmar Blvd, just a few months shy of completing his degree. 

“Cabaret,” a musical originally written in 1966, was certainly on the edgier and raunchier side of musicals from its time. It tells the story of a nightclub in Berlin during the rise of fascism. I was privileged enough to preview the WashU Performing Arts Department’s (PAD) production of the show on Thursday, the last dress rehearsal before opening night.

Léna Blou, choreographer, dancer, and educator, paid a visit to Washington University to give a class on the Guadeloupean Gwo-ka dance and a lecture titled “Performing the Political,” leaving encouraging remarks for students who love dancing to continue their artistic pursuit, April 19.

From cultural shows to a cappella concerts, student theater to dance showcases, the coming month is a perfect time for students to explore the diversity of unique performance organizations on campus.

All shows sponsored by Performing Arts Department are now free for all full-time Washington University students and University College students. The department hopes that this new measure will increase attendance at student productions.

SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUE: For the dozens of student-run and Student Union-funded performing arts groups on Washington University’s campus, putting on a show with a limited budget and limited resources can be a challenge.

Although the new Saturday afternoon show did not see as high a turnout as anticipated, students enjoyed the colorful and energetic performances of the 15th annual Carnaval this weekend.