By: Alina Buzgar, News & Features Editor
T-Birds had a fabulous party last Saturday at the last Regional Night of the semester. The theme of the night was “Let’s Party” and so we did!
Transatlantic Regional night featured food, dances, and music representative of Latin America, Africa, and Europe. And there were no dissapointments as T-Birds put on a show to remember. The program of the night was both entertaining and diverse. Mokay Kamara (MBA ’15, Sierra Leone) and Candice Sparkes (MBA ’15, Jamaica) did a splendid job as MCs engaging the audience and keeping the program lively, on track, and a lot of fun.
Mokay Kamara & Candice Sparkes are your MCs – Photo Courtesy of Rick Beitman
The opening act was a “Trashion Show” sponsored by the Thunderbird Council for Sustainability lead by Marissa Burkett (MBA ’15, US). This was a unique fashion show that featured beautiful outfits and gowns made by T-Birds from up-cycled materials that would have otherwise been discarded (ok, from trash!). “It was a great experience! This is my first time participating in Regional Night and I’m really glad I got to and I am looking forward to participating in more” said Leah Funk (MSGM ’15, US). Claire Renaudeau (MBA Exchange Student, France) wowed the audience with a live performance of “Moi Lolita”. The dancers had original moves and the dances were splendidly choreographed and performed by groups of talented and enthusiastic T-Birds. The crowd ready to welcome the guest Samba dancers duo.
Sylvia Imbrock, dressed as a ‘garbage sack’. — Photo Courtesy of Rick Beitman
Queue lip-sync battle. T-Birds faced each other head-to-head on popular rock-n-roll, dance, rock and pop music. It got heated. It was epic. The audience was on fire! Sparkes admitted “I think I fell in love on stage with… No Direction”.
‘Alexandra Stan’ and Mr. Saxobeat — Photo Courtesy of Rick Beitman
The food was excellent, the program was fantastic, and the atmosphere was as T-Bird as it gets. The changes that we are experiencing due to the ASU merger are felt when we have to pay for our drinks at the cash bar, but looking at the stage and talking to the audience you know that not much else has changed. Michelle Monteiro (MBA ’15, U.S.) told us: “I’ve done a lot of dance performances with people and now we are all graduating together […] You wouldn’t think that something this silly would really bond you and you would really have an emotion to it. But yeah, you really do now that you are getting ready to graduate everything they said would happen did in terms of the bonds you form. I thought it was BS but it’s not.”
Claire as Alizée in “Moi… Lolita” — Photo Courtesy of Rick Beitman
We caught up with Kamara on his way out towards the pub: “I’m lost for words. It was one of the most emotional experiences I’ve had in Thunderbird on campus. There’s a confirmation that actually this experience of coming to Thunderbird was worth it. At least I felt that. I graduate in a week and I felt that this is something that was supposed to be in my path.”
Photo Courtesy of Rick Beitman
There were many unique moments to cherish in the TEC on the night of April 25. Check out the YouTube playlist with the recordings of the program. We would like to thank the organizing clubs for putting together such a wonderful night to remember: Latin America Club, American Business Club and European Business club.
Looking back on a wonderful semester, the TSG Events Planning Chair Jonaki Moitra (MSGM ’15, India), would like to extend her gratitude to the all the organizing clubs, Torrey Mann, the entire TSG team, the wonderful volunteers who served food and stayed back to clean the TEC. See you in the Fall!