What is the Benefit talent Show?
UCSD APSA's Benefit Talent Show has served to bring community members together and combat cultural misconceptions for over 15 years. The Talent Show serves as an avenue of expression for a variety of existing and upcoming talents from the API Community, and is an opportunity to expose and engage community members in API culture. Our events include live performances, a film festival, a fashion show, and an art showcase.
Inviting prominent API-identified figures as guest judges is a core feature of our event. Our panel has seen past appearances by performers like David Choi, Christina Wong, JR Aquino, Us the Duo, and many more. This provides our attendees the unique opportunity to meet and network with other API-identified role models in entertainment and media. This year's benefitEvery year, as part of the Talent Show's mission, the proceeds are donated to one organization that aligns with APSA's mission statement. This year we are proud to announce that we will be donating to Empowering Pacific Islander Communities (EPIC).
EPIC was created in 2009 to empower the Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander(NHPI) Communities. Its mission is to promote social justice "through culturally relevant advocacy, research, and development." Based in Los Angeles, EPIC works with a variety of student associations and organizations that support the NHPI communities. For more information, visit their website at http://empoweredpi.org/ |
Remembering our roots
This year's talent show theme is "Remembering our Roots". In contemporary society, we are able to enjoy various freedoms that enable us to pursue our interests and develop talents like those we'll see in the talent show. Recognizing that the ability to "branch out" was secured for our generation by those who struggled through a multiplicity of hardships in the past, we believe taking this time to embrace and learn about your roots is be an enlightening experience that would help you navigate your history and identity.
Guest Judges
MELISSA POLINAR
Based in North Texas, Melissa began her musical journey in an age where careers were born via viral promotion and continuously fueled by grassroots following. She actively posted YouTUbe videos starting in 2008 which now cumulatively garnered millions of hits. Her claim to online popularity wasn't because of her covers but original work. A true singer/songwriter, Polinar's voice, musicianship, and songwriting made avid fans out of some of music industry's veterans and leaders such as Questlove, IndiaArie, Jay Sean, Karmin, Ernie Halter and Tony Lucca. Polinar's independently released full-length album entitled "Calls & Echoes" was produced by David Ryan Harris (John Mayer, India.Arie, Guy Sebastian), Josiah Bell (Johnnyswim, Jaden Smith, Mat Kearney) and Jesse Barrera (Jeremy Passion, AJ Rafael, My American Heart). With a mix of acoustic soul, folk, and vulnerably honest vocals, the project features Melissa's musical versatility yet pulls everything together with sheer cohesiveness. “Polinar channels the soulfulness of Tracy Chapman and the folkie punch of Stevie Nicks while intermittently tapping on her guitar to keep rhythm...Polinar’s vast musical collage makes it nearly impossible to ascribe her sound to any particular genre.” -Adam Joseph (Monterey County Weekly) |
DANAKADAN
DANakaDAN (Dan Matthews) is an alternative hip-hop artist based in Los Angeles, CA. His first solo album “Stuntman” chronicles his very personal journey of identity, family, adoption, and addiction. It was inspired by a trip to Korea during the summer of 2013 where he first met his biological family (including a twin brother that he never knew he had). The album is a companion piece to “aka DAN,” a documentary series appearing on Hulu, ISAtv’s YouTube channel, and the Arirang TV Network. His story and album have been featured on NPR (National Public Radio), The Huffington Post, BBC Radio, Arirang TV, Korea Daily, and was the featured cover story of KoreAm Journal’s November 2013 issue. Dan is also the Productions Director for International Secret Agents (youtube.com/isatv), an Asian American media platform created by Wong Fu Productions and Far East Movement. For more information please visit DAN-aka-DAN.com or follow across social media @DANakaDAN. |
MIKE SONG
Mike Song is an internationally renowned choreographer and dancer. At the age of 25, he has been a creative force behind several distinguished dance crews and projects such as America's Best Dance Crew's Kaba Modern, Step Up Revolution, BLAZE: World Tour, and KINJAZ. With over 30 million views of his collective work on Youtube, he has become one of the most recognizable personas in the dance scene. Since then, Mike has traveled extensively (both domestically and internationally), to perform, judge, and teach. As an instructor, Mike has taught workshops in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America and continues to travel and teach around the world. Most recently, Mike made his 2nd appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show and performed an experimental collaboration of Dancing and Beatboxing with Canadian beatbox champion KRNFX. His first appearance on the show included a performance from his viral hit video, "Gangnam Style Mom”. Mike ultimately hopes to promote positivity and inspire and encourage others through dance and entertainment. |
AYE HASEGAWA
Aye Hasegawa was born in San Francisco CA but raised in Japan. She first encountered dance while attending college and fell in love. Aye is an active member of both the community and the industry sides of dance. She is currently a dancer in America's Best Dance Crew's Boxcuttuhz. You can find Aye dancing away in David Guetta's music video "One Love". Other credits include the movie "Boogietown", "Represent", Toni Braxton, Estelle, Far East Movement, Cali Swag District, 100monkey, Collet, Mick Famous, Japanese sensation Mihimaru GT, and various commercials and international TV shows. Aye enjoys traveling around the world and teaches both locally and internationally. She has had the honor of sharing her passion with students all around California, and at various studios in Columbia, Hong Kong, China and Japan. |