In Photos: AADT Eastbound
By Samuel A. HaThe Asian American Dance Troupe (AADT) hosted their spring showcase, Eastbound, last weekend. Their 30th annual show, which was completely sold out, was held in the Loeb Drama Center. With over 300 members and featuring over 15 dances, Eastbound is a celebration of AADT’s broader mission: to unite students under a common passion for Asian tradition, culture, and identity.
The show opened with Flagship, AADT’s legacy group dedicated to traditional Asian dances.
The group performed a classical Tibetan dance titled “Heavenly Shower,” portraying a traditional bathing festival meant to remove disease and misfortune.
“Lotus Soul,” a dance led by Daniel T. Pham ’26 and C. Thao Nguyen ’27 marked the first ever Vietnamese traditional fan dance in AADT history.
Dancers Amanda K.M. Ip ’27 and Aaron J. Arlanza ’26 perform as part of Company, AADT’s beginner-friendly group. Boasting over twenty members, Company prides itself on providing a safe space for dancers to hone their skills. Their repertoire for the evening included upbeat pieces by Niki and Bruno Mars.
Guest performers from the Harvard Wushu Club performed at the Saturday evening show. With acrobatics and sword dances, the Wushu Club put on an impressive display for the audience.
“Moment,” choreographed by Cordelia Yu ’24, combined elements of Chinese jazz, classical, contemporary, and traditional music in an emotional performance.
Dancers in the piece “Am I Dreaming” showcased their sophisticated footwork and techniques to pieces from Stray Kids and SVT The8.
“Childhood Summers” tells the story of children playing in the fields, eliciting nostalgia and longing. The dance highlights the importance of life’s small moments, as well as the happiness found in friendships.