The Chinese American Student Organization (CASO) transported attendees to 1920s China during its first-ever Shanghai jazz night on Oct. 26 in Horn Hall. Students dressed in attire inspired by the era and enjoyed jazz performances by students.
The event contributed to CASO’s mission to celebrate Chinese culture in novel and exciting ways at the College, according to CASO co-chair Melanie Wang ’27.
Co-chair Erika Jing ’27 said that the event, like many put on by the student organization, intended to highlight the Chinese-American experience. “The event reaches across the Chinese diaspora and signifies a transnational identity while increasing the dimensionality of Chinese culture,” she said.
During the 1920s, Shanghai was colonized by multiple countries including Great Britain, France, the United States, and Japan. As a result, the city became home to a mix of cultures. American jazz fused with Chinese lyricism and became popular at nightclubs and dance halls, leaving a cultural mark in the history of jazz in Shanghai and East Asia at large.
To enhance the atmosphere, CASO decorated Horn with warm lights and lanterns and provided a mix of Chinese snacks.
Beyond the celebration of Chinese culture at the College, the Shanghai jazz night also offered an opportunity for budding student performers to show off their talents to the College community. Sirius Tao ’28, Theresa Hu ’28, Calypso Maazel ’28, and Maira Khurana ’27 played the first set of the night. Katherine Bai ’26, Jess Hu ’25, Sophie Wu ’28, Theo Mollano ’25.5, and Jonathan Hartanto ’27 closed out the night with a second set of performances. The students performed a mix of popular and traditional Chinese and Cantonese songs as well as both classic and modern jazz pieces.
“We really wanted to spotlight the performances, and we invited freshmen performers to have a platform to advertise themselves,” Jing said.
The lively crowd sang along as the bands played through their extensive repertoire, which ranged from Frank Sinatra to Shirley Kwan to Laufey.
Tao recalled watching as audience members sang along to jazz classics like “Fly Me to the Moon” and “Can’t Take My Eyes off You.” “I saw the atmosphere of everyone dancing and having a good time, and I’m just really glad to have contributed to that,” he said. “It was vibrant and cozy, and it really brought the community together.”
Leo Yihan Wang ’27, who attended the event, said the night was a success. “It was very nice to attend a social event with live music where you can enjoy the music while socializing with people,” he said. “I had a lot of fun dressing up to the Shanghai jazz style.”
“As a Chinese student, I also felt a sense of pride in my culture to see Williams students celebrate Chinese culture, regardless of their identities,” he added.
Jing and Melanie said that they want to expand CASO’s reach beyond the Chinese-American community at the College. In November, CASO will work with the Williams College Jewish Association to host a Shabbat dinner with kosher Chinese dishes. The organization also has plans to collaborate with other Minority Coalition groups in the future, which Jing hopes will build solidarity among them, she said.
Members of the CASO board emphasized that rather than merely hosting events, CASO aims to provide Chinese-American students with a familial space. “Coming into college, I was not surrounded by Chinese culture, and I had to actively seek it out,” Melanie said. “CASO became a great space for me to do that.”
Jing expressed a similar sentiment. “CASO has been a wonderful community and made my college experience special in ways that I’ve never imagined it could be, and I want to extend that experience to the Williams community at large,” she said.
