This year’s annual Ethnos culture show, hosted by the International Students’ Association (ISA), will take place Nov. 11-12 in Cullen Auditorium. The theme for this years show is “Roots.” It will showcase the origin of the various cultures displayed throughout the show.
Christi Lim, junior graphic design major from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, is president of ISA this year.
“It’s about really finding out where we came from and exploring that then getting to share it with everyone,” Lim said.
In previous years, Ethnos offered a storyline for the show in which all of the acts would be incorporated together as parts of one main story. However, in this year’s show, each act will not have a narrative in between performances to connect the acts to the story. Instead, the show will have a greater emphasis on each individual culture displayed.
Esther Tsuneki, junior education major from Tokyo, has performed in the past two Ethnos shows, taking part in both Japanese and Latino acts.
“I think it definitely has worked as a gateway among international students to find connections because there are so many different cultures, but also for the local students because they are part of it as well,” Tsuneki said.
Ethnos is open to anyone interested in a culture to explore and learn more by joining in that specific cultures act.
“It’s very open; anyone can join,”Tsuneki said. “You don’t have to be an international student. Anyone interested in that culture can take part. We only had five Japanese students in the Japanese act last year, and most of them weren’t.”
Last year’s Japanese act featured American, Honduran, Malaysian, Mexican, Nigerian and Zimbabwean students. Only five Japanese students danced in the act out of 20 performers.
The show this year will begin at 7 p.m. on both nights. Tickets go on sale Oct. 3 and can be purchased in the Campus Center.
Early bird tickets will be sold until Oct. 15 at $5 a ticket. Lim said that preferred seating will be offered this year, which includes reserved seating and a complimentary drink, priced at $12.