by Aayushi Gandhi '23, Shreya Dinesh '23, Mahek Patel '23, Diya Pendyala '24, Nimisha '25
On April 8, Notre Dame and Bellarmine hosted their annual dance showcase, Nazaara. The three hour long program featured more than a dozen Bay Area dance teams and consisted of talented dancers, performers and choreographers. From Raas and Bhangra performances to Bharatanatyam and Bollywood dancing, there were a variety of South Asian cultures represented at the show. Many performances showcased the integration of Western beats and dance styles with South Asian songs. The audience enjoyed an entertaining yet insightful skit presented by Notre Dame and Bellarmine students between performances and also had the opportunity to see a beautiful display of cultural attire presented in the fashion show. During intermission, performers and audience members were able to reconnect with one another and enjoy delicious snacks outside of the auditorium before returning to their seats, eager to see the remainder of the performances.
All proceeds from Nazaara were donated to the Sankara Eye Foundation, an organization that has been working towards eliminating all curable blindness in India for close to thirty years. They raise funds to support free eye-care for those who cannot afford it and have built many eye hospitals to make healthcare more accessible to the community. This year, Sankara Eye Foundation’s co-founder and president, Sridharan Krishnamurthy, shared a few words, emphasizing the importance of the organization as well as how everyone can donate and support the cause.
The show was a huge success; audience members thoroughly enjoyed the high energy performances and could be heard laughing heartily throughout the night. When the final act, Notre Dame and Bellarmine Zamana, was announced, the room was filled with deafening applause and energetic cheers from families and students seated throughout the auditorium. After a couple of closing speeches and bows from the Zamana 2022-2023 team, audience members had the opportunity to take pictures at the photo-booth set outside. Students, teachers and parents, along with all of the teams that performed, thoroughly enjoyed Nazaara and look forward to next year’s showcase!
