 "Photo: Jon Huang/The Daily Texan")
Every year, the texas revue showcases a variety of UT talents, ranging from bands to dance teams. Hosted by the University Co-op, this year will feature big acts like the all-Korean indie band B TSK and the Mohini Dance Team, as well as several other groups in the University’s largest showcase of talent.
The Texas Revue is sponsored and funded by the University Co-op, which this year provided $55,000 to produce the event. While the event’s budget will be cut in half for the 2010 Revue, the Co-op still continues to lend support to the event.
“Due to the current banking and lending crises, our budget has been cut in half for the 2010 show,” said Andrew Nash, co-chairman of the Texas Revue Committee. “Aside from that, the Co-op has been very generous in not reducing our budget up to this point. It has remained constant and has not been decreased in several years.”
While elements like outdoor staging, lighting equipment, labor and publicity materials are essential for the Revue’s success, there have been cuts in the amounts of labor and equipment used, and publicity methods have changed to conserve extra dollars.
“We have managed to do more with our budget this year by cutting down in areas where spending had not been efficient in previous years,” Nash said.
Nash and 15 others compose the Texas Revue committee housed in the Student Events Center. The committee’s work begins in May of every year as the chairs spend months recruiting members. Once all the members have been selected, the group begins work on the event in the fall.
“Our sole purpose is to produce the Texas Revue showcase every April,” Nash said.
The committee conducts auditions for spots in the Revue in February. Every potential act presents its product in front of the entire committee in a two-day audition process.
One of the big acts coming to the Revue this year is the band B TSK (Be The Side Kick), made up of UT students Don Choi on vocals, Daniel Ha on bass, CJ Hong on guitar and Shaun Kim on drums. Choi and Kim met in high school and later teamed up with Ha and Hong. After practicing together, the group started performing gigs around town. The inspirations for its music come from Korean culture.
“Shaun and I are immigrants, and Daniel and CJ are second-generation Korean-Americans, which may have something to do with our tendency to clash when we brainstorm,” Choi said. “But, we’ve found that there can be a middle ground. It’s just not automatic. We love and enjoy making music.”
The band will present a fusion of Western pop rock with traditional Korean sounds. In addition, B TSK will perform with Da-ool, a traditional Korean percussion team, to produce what they hope will be “soft, slow, loud, fast, musical and fun.”
“It’ll be interesting,” Choi said.
Another act in the Revue is the Mohini Dance Team, a group of 12 girls who strive to bring a fusion of Indian and American dance to the stage. The team formed in 2006 for the Indian Students Association talent show and has now become a professional dance team, performing all around Texas and around the nation, most recently in Washington, D.C. It is the only professional Bollywood Fusion dance team in Texas that competes nationally.
The team also works to conserve classic Bollywood choreography while staying close to its Indian roots. The team draws inspiration from Bollywood actors and actresses to produce a unique type of dance that fuses both Indian and American dance traditions.
“It’s the biggest competition on campus, and we know how much of an honor it is to be selected to compete,” the team said in an e-mail. “We have been to Texas Revue in the past and have really enjoyed how it brings everyone in the UT community together.”
The event will award “First Place Overall” and $1,500 to the best act, and it will present “Best Execution” with $750 to the best-performed act. Students can also vote after the shows for “Student Favorite,” which will be given $750.
Both shows are free, and seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Students are encouraged to come early and enjoy the University’s largest showcase of UT’s biggest talents.
The University Co-op presents Texas Revue 2009
Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Main Mall
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Hogg Auditorium
Admission: Free
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