REMEMBERING THE TSUNAMI - If Symbolism Sets in...
The benefit held by UCLA's International Institute raises funds, raises hopes

by SIMONE KUSSATZ, special guest writer

"Welcome again, we have already raised 3500 Dollars", announced Jessica Meyer, emcee of the Benefit "A Celebration of Music and Dance from South and Southeast Asia" during an intermission. The benefit on February 9th at UCLA's Ackerman Union was sponsored by UCLA's International Institute, the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, the Asia Institute, as well as UCLA's student group Motus Sodalis.

The first half of the benefit ended with a remarkable performance by the Californian dance group, Sri Dance Company. The three female dancers, Sri Susilowati, Caroline Chang and Sydney Cassatta expressed, in abstract and metaphorical movements, the suffering of women. Dressed in white shirts, colorful skirts and yellow veils, the dancers moved their bodies in ways that complemented the gentle music of the composer, Albert Chang.

Chang, a PhD Candidate at UCLA added another dimension to the performance of the dancers by integrating elements of other music genres to it. The sound of a violin was reminiscent of Jewish or Gypsy music. The recurring lyrics of a woman in the background whispering "Remembering", communicated subtly the general suffering in the world.

The outlines of these three dancers on stage was powerful. Not only were they able to express grief through their body movements, but they also moved and lifted their yellow veils in shapes of ocean waves. When they completely covered their bodies and faces at the end of the performance, one could feel a sense of suffocation, be it the suffocation triggered by the oppression of women, 6 Million Jews in concentration camps, or the suffocation caused by the ocean.

The benefit "A Celebration of Music and Dance from South and Southeast Asia" also featured Dr. Sinduri Jayasinghe, the Nashaa Hindi Film Dance group, R. Diyah Larasati, as well as other notable Asian performers, all of whom added to this enchanting and colorful evening.

"Donations raised through the event will go directly to in-country organizations in Thailand, India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka," the leaders of the event, program director, Asiroh Cham, publicity chair, Irene Chansawang, and backstage director, Vanina Eisenhart said enthusiastically during their committee meetings.

These organziations include WAHLI (the Indonesian Forum for Environment) in Indonesia, the Coalition Network for Andaman Coastal Community Support in Thailand, Sarvodaya Organization in Sri Lanka, and the South Indian Federation of Fisherman Societies (SIFFS) in India.

Through the donations raised by the evening, food items, medical care and clothing will be distributed to the survivors. But also a fisherfolk community in the Trang Province in Thailand will be helped wth these donations.

The symbolic meaning of the event was to remember the victims of the tsunami disaster, as well as to appreciate the beauty of Asian culture. However, Jessica Meyer, also accredited the people who have helped to put this event together, including UCLA alumnies, faculty members and many others.

They all had worked hard in the spirit of giving, whether it be by participating in the weekly meetings, by writing press releases or biographies of artists, by opening up an account for the donations, or by posting flyers, or by working as ushers and technical staff behind the stage.