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Junior Gaurav Malhotra and Sophomore Mannsukh Bhogal, The Dance Duo, caused quite the uproar in the audience (Julia So)

Magicians, musicians, singers, dancers, and comedians all performed under the flashing lights of the theater at the Talent Show. In this combination of performances, the audience was immersed in a myriad of culture. From the calming tap of piano keys to the heating up of the dance floor, the crowd cheered with the greatest enthusiasm after each act.
The Talent Show, a fundraiser for UHS’ Drama Program, was a success, as it brought students from all niches on campus into the spotlight. Each performer had his or her moment on the stage, whether it was performing in a group dance or as a soloist. It allowed all people to come out and showcase their talents, even those who do not usually perform.
“Although many of the people in the Undertones are choir, you do get to see the people who stepped out of their comfort zones to audition,” Senior Celine Tran said.
Because of every performer’s enthusiasm, energy constantly flowed throughout the theater, as many performances, such as Viva La Vida, interacted with the audience by clapping or singing along. Reacting to the immense talent in each act, the audience formed a mob of cheering and hype.
“[The Talent Show] is good for the school dynamic,” Sophomore Praneet Iddamsetty said, “because it carries a sense of school spirit in that so much talent exists across the board.”
The group acts performed Sweet Caroline, Revolting Children, or New Light/Zombie exemplifying great talent, as they smoothly collaborated together. The success of group acts stemmed from hard work from the individual students as well as mutual support amongst group members.
“I enjoy the dynamic of performing with a group because we all hype each other up and work well as a team,” Sophomore Hiromi Nishida, a performer in Revolting Children from Advanced Drama Ensemble, said.
The Talent Show was a melting pot of culture. It included a mix of dancing from the sensational K-Pop group, Blackpink, which was contrasted by a mashup of Indian dance with pop culture in the Dance Duo. The talent show was not limited to dancing diversity, as the delicate plucking of the Guzheng Ensemble highlighted traditional Chinese music.
“I think my favorite aspect of the talent show was the variety of the acts because it really displayed the diversity of talent at Uni,” Iddamsetty said.
Since the Talent Show included some of UHS’ drama and choir groups, such as the Undertones, Footnotes, UHS Improv, and the Advanced Drama Ensemble, those who normally do not attend Comedy Sports Matches, choir concerts or school plays were able to get a taste of the talent that is always present within these groups.
“It was nice to have a performance in front of a crowd outside the normal,” Sophomore Courday Farnam said.
Most importantly, the Talent Show was a great platform for solo acts to challenge themselves by having the spotlight shine down on only them. During the individual singing, guitar and piano playing, or stand up comedy acts, the audience was silent, leaving the air to be filled with the sounds of the performers’ acts. Although this silence exposed them, they flawlessly performed, as if there was no such thing as stagefright.
All the acts at the Talent Show impressed the entire audience before and after their performances. Just being a part of this show proved to be an amazing feat, and the magnificent performances pleased the audience even more. But, one act standed out in particular: The Dance Duo of Junior Gaurav Malhotra and Sophomore Mannsukh Bhogal.
“My favorite act was the dancing duos because it really hyped the crowd and brought out the Indian culture I’m used to,” Sophomore Kavin Krishnam said, “It made me proud to see that people were showing our school what the culture of India is like.”
The most meaningful impact of the Talent Show was the showcasing of hidden talent. Some students may have never known that the people on the stage possessed such great energy and passion towards their talent, and the Talent Show gave those performers the opportunity to show off to the rest of the student body.
“[The Talent Show] opens students’ eyes to the talents students actually have aside from getting good grades,” Krishnam said.