On February 10, Amador Valley’s Dhamaka traveled to Cupertino to participate in the showcase, Tino Dhadkan’s Riyaaz. The event donates all its profit from tickets and snacks to the India Literacy Project.
The event featured mostly dancing but also included singing, a fashion show, and a short comedic music theatre.
“We usually have two showcases in a day. It’s the morning show and the night show. We first do the morning show, which is usually a little rougher. The night show is where most of the magic happens on stage,” said Amishi Anand (‘25).
The Bollywood team usually participates in an average of six showcases every year. Last year, Amador, for the first time, hosted a Bollywood showcase. Preparation for the showcase got the team members excited, despite the work required.
“Being able to host [a showcase] for other people and to display our team at Amador, it was an amazing experience,” said Anand.
Apart from the performance on-stage, the preparation offstage is also important and time-consuming. From getting up early to dressing up for the show, showcases keep participating members busy.
“You arrive at school, do your tech rehearsal, and then, after tech rehearsal is over you spend two to three hours just hanging out with your team, getting ready: makeup, hair, [and more],” said Sanjana Raju (‘24).
Apart from being an interesting performance, showcases allow the Bollywood team to show their talent. Performing in rallies and assemblies shows a small segment of their skills, but with time constraints, their full potential and training cannot be easily seen.
“I think for me, going into this, I didn’t know what to expect. But after being on the team for four years— this is my final year— I think it’s just like forming a family with the team. I just never expected to be so close to these people. I know I will remember this Bollywood team for the rest of my life. It’s just a special bond,” said Raju.
