Every year, IB Leadership helps set up the annual World Week concert; the most anticipated event for ethnic students to showcase their culture. Latino Student Union (LSU), Asian Student Association (ASA), Habesha Student Union (HSU), and other students get the opportunity to showcase their culture through dance, music, and fashion from countries all over the world. Representation is important to our CT community as it allows our students to express themselves in their community. Not only that, it also “offers a great opportunity for others to learn about different cultures throughout the entire week” said senior and IB leadership member, Gopi Patel. World Week is also an opportunity for students to deepen their connection with their roots. Junior, Saruul Gantulga explains how “representing my culture on stage while showcasing my talents felt empowering and humbling. It gave me the opportunity to connect with my roots and share a piece of my identity with the audience”. Not only is the World Week concert important to individuals, such as Gantulga, but it also has great significance to clubs CT offers. Senior and president of Latino Student Union (LSU), Soledad Langley, explains the role World Week has on the club. “This was important for LSU as a club because in the past Latinos were never represented as much, especially in the past concerts, I’m really happy the club is gaining more attention and we were able to have 8 dancers willing to express and represent our culture”. The culture and history World Week represents to the student body is crucial to our school’s diversity. This concert helps “showcase the diverse spirit and the community of different ethnicities and cultures. By celebrating these diverse cultures, we’re teaching everyone who we are in a safe and secure environment with no judgment” said junior Nailia Siddiqui. Overall, World Week is vital to our school community, without IB Leadership’s commitment and work, as well as our diverse student body, the World Week concert wouldn’t be what it is today.
Organizers, presenters, and members of IB leadership set up the CT auditorium and rehearsed with participants. They help set up all the stage directions and cues, along with setting up decorations, tables, microphones, chairs, and anything needed by performers. IB Leadership is vital to the concert because of their commitment, dedication, and work put into World Week.
Members of the Latino Student Union (LSU) performed a baile sorpresa, a dance commonly performed at quinceañeras. Senior, Ingrid Zapata and junior, Alyssa Rodriguez, were dressed in traditional Mexican clothing and performed a Mexican Folklorico dance.
Members of the Habesha Student Union performed Ethiopian tribal dances featuring cultural clothes and props as well as an Eritrean and Sudanese dance. Each of the dances represents the beauty and complexities of each tribe.
Senior Rebecca Choe represented Korea and performed a traditional Korean folk song with the gayageum, a traditional Korean instrument. Junior Saruul Gantulga played a Mongolian song on the piano titled, “Mandukhai Setsen Khatan”, a song that celebrates a 15th-century queen who played a significant role in unifying the Mongol nation. Juniors, Saanvi Annaji and Jessie Mavi performed a dance to a mashup of different Indian pop songs and we also saw a performance from the CRØWN Dance Crew, a dance cover group established in 2022 made up of dancers from different backgrounds.
During the fashion show, the audience saw students representing Congo through traditional Congolese dress with vibrant prints. Students representing Nigeria also wore Agbadas worn by the Yoruba Tribe in Nigeria and lace cloth known as Ankara, a significant piece of Nigerian culture. Students also represented Jamaica, Turkey, India, and Mexico during the fashion show.
