When some people think of a fashion show, they imagine bold styles, elegance and trendsetting outfits. But, the Bayanihan Student Organization Fashion Show creates a fashion show that is also educational. Through demonstrations of dance and fashion, the fashion show itself offers a look into Filipinx culture.
The Bayanihan Student Organization, for the past 26 years, has created a fashion show every year for Marquette Students and the greater Milwaukee area. BSO takes it a step further and donates all proceeds from its ticket sales and fundraisers. At the end of the night they announced that they had raised over $3,000.
This year, BSO is donating to the non-profit organization Waves for Water. This organization works on the front line to provide clean water to communities in the Philippines, and so far, they have helped over one million Filipinos. This goal is achieved through the creation of filtration systems and rainwater harvesting systems.
Jasmine Tanada, a junior in the College of Health Sciences, said that BSO tries to keep the segments similar to the previous year. BSO said that they continue to incorporate modeling and various dances, but adapt these customs to the given show’s theme. This year they added a Hula segment to align with their theme of “Endless Summer.”
Jocelyn Beltran, a junior in the College of Business Administration and member of BSO, said that she incorporated the Hula segment after fashion coordinator Gabriel Del Rosario, sophomore in the College of Engineering, reached out and pitched the idea. Beltran had previously done a Hula segment in the BSO’s Cultural Show and attributes being able to choreograph a dance in an hour or less to her 10 years of dancing.
“Choreography just comes naturally to me since I have been dancing ever since I was little,” Beltran said. “I take a moment to feel the music I choose and to understand the meaning behind each lyric.”
Performers at the fashion show said that for them, being a part of BSO creates a close family for them to be a part of.
“A big part of the Filipino culture is pride, unity, and coming together as a community,” Tanada said. “Bayanihan is the perfect word that encompasses all these aspects.”
This is Tanada’s first year being a part of the fashion show. After sitting in the audience last year, she said that the fashion show is special to her due to the way she has bonded with her peers.
“After watching the full production, you can see the connection that each performer makes with one another and how much fun they have together,” Tanada said.
Angelica Yabes, a first-year student in the College of Health Sciences, said that she joined the Bayanihan fashion show to help her find a home.
“I wanted to be part of the BSO fashion show to become more involved with a larger community,” Yabes said. “The members of BSO have been so welcoming and uplifting since I first joined. I knew that joining the fashion show would allow me to get closer to them and build new relationships.”
This story is written by Aiyona Calvin. She can be reached at [email protected].
