On Saturday night, the South Asian Students' Association held the annual MELA show in the packed Levin ballroom. Mela, which means "fair" or "celebration" in Sanskrit, showcases undergraduate and graduate students' talents in dance, music, poetry and more. The event celebrates the eight nations of South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

This year's theme, "Rang: A Mosaic of Color," was evident throughout the show. From the colorful background, a beautiful peacock with a flowing tail made up of different colored and patterned feathers against green hills, to the diverse, striking costumes of the performers, color was everywhere.

The event's proceeds went to the organization Plan International, which helps children in developing countries have a better life by providing education, clean water, food, health care.

The emcees were Hunter Greer '16, jokingly referred to as Hunter Green in the program, Natasha Qidwai '13 and Nikhil Pallikonda '16. They kept the show going in between performances with jokes that weren't too over the top, and stayed on their feet even when there were some minor technical difficulties. All three were also in their respective class dances, and they balanced their roles nicely.

The first-year, sophomore, junior and senior dances each showcased each class' talents and creativity. The first-years' dance showcased the different South Asian cultures, and the sophomores in their black pants and colorful patterned tops expressed their love of music and dance. The energetic juniors highlighted their male and female dancers in different segments and then came together as a whole, and the seniors put all of their energy and joy into their last MELA dance, sending dancers into the audience since they all couldn't fit on the stage.

The performances weren't all dances. Naman Patel '15 gave a slam poetry performance. Patel flawlessly presented his poem about the mistreatment of women in India, blending Indian pop culture imagery with the harsh reality of rape, abuse and lack of rights that Indian women face. In the middle of the upbeat, lighthearted tone of the night, Patel's performance reminded the audience that there are important social issues in South Asian countries that need to be addressed. Ullas Rao '15 and Prayuth Naduthota '15 gave a performance on bamboo instruments: Rao on the mridangam, a double-sided drum, and Naduthota on the South Indian flute. The duo, who are trained in Carnatic music, gave a melodic and entrancing performance. Naduthota and Rao, who have competed and performed nationally, brought traditional Indian music to add to the mosaic of cultural performances.

Different Indian dance styles were shown, including in the performance by Chak De 'Deis, Brandeis' Bollywood fusion dance team. Inspired by Bollywood love stories, the introductory video showed the 10 performers forming five couples, each with a unique love story. The dance that followed was explosive and energetic, with the couples from the video dancing together and having a blast while showing everyone how talented they are. Brandeis Bhangra performed the Punjabi folk dance, to the audience's enthusiastic enjoyment. Choreographed by Prasant Lokinendi M.A. '14, Gauri Thaker '14 and Rao, the dance featured colorful traditional garb and matching flags waved enthusiastically in the air by the dancers to the catchy music.

Neeraja Reddy M.A. '15 performed the classical Indian dance of Bharatahatyam, commanding the audience's attention by herself on the stage. Her movements were precise and fluid, following the beats of the music. The dance was comprised of different poses that represented the Hindi gods Vishnu and Shiva. I had never seen this type of dance before, and was entranced by her stunning performance.

The ladies of the So Unique Step Team showed us what they could do, at first with just the beats created by their hands and feet and then with some Indian and hip-hop background music. Their cohesiveness as a team as well as their individual talents were clear as they stomped and clapped and danced.

The event was a huge success, judging by the large audience of students, friends and family that filled Levin as well as its balconies. A sense of joy encompassed the room as each group or performer took the stage, and the audience was smiling and clapping the entire night.