Pre-Frosh Attend Cultural Show

The African "Gumboots Dance," a Spanish guitar recital and a story from Brother Blue were among the performances given at a multi-ethnic variety show in the Quincy House dining hall last night.

More than 80 people, including many pre-frosh, attended the show sponsored by the Association of Black Radcliffe Women (ABRW). The event, called by organizers "A Flowering of Culture," marked the 15th anniversary of ABRW. the show was the first in which the organization included non-Black cultural groups, said Valerie Beck, the director of ABRW Productions.

"We've teamed up with undergraduate admissions and we're reaching a broader community and have a more diverse ethnic spectrum," Beck said.

During the show, the Harvard African Students Association presented "The Gumboots Dance," a dance of freedom for South African miners.

One of the new offerings was the Asian American Dance Troupe, which performed a "Dance of the Red Silk Ribbon." In the dance, women swirled ribbons gracefully as they stepped back and forth.

Pre-frosh Attend

The two-hour long show--the proceeds of which will fund a scholarship for a talented Black female high school student in Boston--attracted many prospective students who squeezed it in with their other weekend activities. Some said that the Harvard visit represented a fufillment of a school career of hard work.

"I know it sounds cliched, but it was my dream [to come to Harvard] the summer before my junior year of high school, and when I found out in December, I didn't have to think twice," said Estela Torres of San Jose, Calif.

Torres, along with other prospective students, said she planned to be active in minority student groups at Harvard. She said she planned to join RAZA, the Mexican-American student group next fall.

Another pre-frosh, Michelle Taylor of Port Charlotte, Fla., said she was happy to see an event sponsored by the Black Students Association. "I was involved in the Black students' Unity Day March. I noticed that all races were involved. It was really good."

One recurring theme was the surprise at discovering what Harvard students were really like.

Another pre-frosh, Jeff Wesolowski of Pittsburgh, saw Harvard as "one big happy family. You can count on me being here in the fall."

Monique Thompson, a pre-frosh from New Rochelle N.Y., said she is deciding between Harvard and Yale. "Before I came here I had real reservations. I wondered if I would be able to get along with the people. I had images of people who study constantly, but everyone here is normal--they're fine."