Bombay in the Bay prepares for 12th annual show

Back for the 12th year in a row, the school’s Indian Culture and Awareness (ICAC) club is preparing for this year’s annual Bombay in the Bay after a successful show last year.

The cultural dance performance hosted by the ICAC, Bombay in the Bay, will take place Feb. 12-13 in the McAfee Center.

The show will consist of acts including dances from each grade, traditional dances like bhangra and classical and one singing act. According to senior ICAC president Anant Rajeev, the three most anticipated dances include Toga Tamasha, the All Men’s Dance (AMD) and All Girls’ Dance (AGD). The AMD and AGD are the final two dances of the show and are typically longer and comprised of the most experienced members.

The show, which began 11 years ago on the small stage at Argonaut Elementary School, gained popularity through the years as more and more students and parents became involved. Eventually, the event moved to the school’s own McAfee Center in 2008 and is now considered one of the biggest performances of the year, with a total of about 200 participants.  

According to senior ICAC president Sanam Mohan, the production has sold out twice in the last three years. Due to high attendance rates, the club presidents contemplated having a third show last year, but decided against it because they feared it would exhaust the performers.

Unlike previous years, club presidents have set up a calendar so that they are able to make sure that important parts of the show are finished earlier to last-minute preparations.

Besides providing entertainment, the event’s profits from ticket sales are sent to a local charity. All the proceeds this year will go to Maitri, an anti-trafficking organization in India that helps women’s rights.

“This is our first year donating to Maitri,” Mohan said. “Last year, we donated $15,000 to a charity called Pratham and we felt that we could make a greater impact by choosing a different charity.”

Additionally, for many students, Bombay in the Bay has also provided a way to become closer with their peers through dancing.

“I’ve really loved the experiences of bonding with a group of students in my grade,” senior ICAC treasurer Kanaai Shah said. “Also, I love the fact that we all take pride in the event itself, and that’s what makes it really meaningful in the end. It helps create some really good relationships that people keep for a long time.”