What do hip-hop dance, break-dancing, acoustic guitar, Chinese pop music and spoken word have in common? They all gathered in List 120 Friday night for China Care Brown's Fall Care Concert.
The concert was part of the club's yearlong goal to raise money to help an orphaned Chinese girl with facial cancer and heart problems get chemotherapy and medical care. The club raises "as much as we can to donate back to the (international) China Care organization," which helps orphaned children with serious medical conditions get the care they need, said Catherine Chiu '12, co-president of the club. China Care Brown also mentors children adopted from China living in Providence.
Throughout the event, the club's organizers highlighted the importance of their cause. A major piece of the program was a video about the group's parent organization, China Care, which is in its 10th year of international operation.
"I think (China Care) is so important because it actually addresses the problem" of China's orphaned children, said Stephanie Chen '11, the group's co-president.
"It's not only spreading awareness," she added. "China Care actually takes these children into their home."
The selection of performance groups was intentionally eclectic, Chen said. "We just wanted to find a diverse group of people that everyone would enjoy."
Emceeing was spoken word artist Christopher Johnson, who opened the concert with a few reminders and a cheer. "When I say ‘China!' you say ‘Cares!'" he called out to the audience, transferring some of his infectious energy.
Two dance groups performed, providing energetic bookends to the night's program. The first group to perform was Badmaash, Brown's South Asian fusion dance group. About 10 students moved in perfect coordination through their hip-hop routine.
Closing the evening was a breakdance performance by Special Browniez Crew, who displayed an assortment of slides, spins, flips and kicks that was remarkable, almost dangerous, for the small stage.
One particularly impressive move, involving several mid-air flips, elicited gasps from the audience. Fortunately, no dancers — or audience members — were harmed.
Kaijian Gao '13 performed a Chinese pop song. He announced the song title, "Give Me Your Love," prompting several shrieks and one audience member shouting, "We'll give it to you!"
The performance included two solo acoustic sets by student singer-songwriters. Rosalind Schonwald '12, a former Herald arts and culture editor, accompanied several of her own songs on the ukulele and captivated the audience with her soaring voice. Elexis Williams '13 sang and played several pieces on guitar, including one she wrote while learning how to play, and finished her set with a soulful rendition of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door."
Chiu said she hoped the concert got people "in the spirit of Thanksgiving."
