Ericka Wagner is a student of journalism and photography and is fluent in five languages. She joins Tre Magazine as a columnist who works directly with government officials, reports local events, activities, and brings helpful information to the Vietnamese community in particular.

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By Ericka Wagner

It is easy to feel out of place at an all Asian festival when you're white.  Just like feeling out of place living in America being Asian. I was expecting the usual countries to be represented. China, Vietnam, Japan, Korea and the Philippines but other countries that I forgot belonged to Asia such as Bangladesh and India.

There were lots of wonderful performances. From the Philippines there was a Tinikling dance, which represents tikling bird dodging bamboo traps set by rice farmers. The bamboo is also used as a percussive instrument as it is banged against the ground (or a piece of wood to make it easier to hold) and each other in a pattern. The bamboo has to be closed hard enough to make a sound, and the dancers must be quick enough to not get their foot (or feet) caught. Also from the Philippines was a Polka performance done by Maharlika USA, which was unexpected, I usually think of Germany, Poland or Czechoslovakia for Polkas.

I have always liked India and I thoroughly enjoyed the Indian dances, especially the one from Ellora Performing Center which performed the Tillana Dance.
From Vietnam there was the Stinson Elementary School dancing Em Be Que, and the Plano Butterflies Dancers doing the Mid-Autumn Night Dance.