Through a huge failure of the imagination, Asian identity has often been limited to the food we eat, the language we speak and the subjects we study. Yet Asian culture is hardly found in a rice bowl. Or on Convoy Street. As the Multi-Asian Student Association proves, Asian culture far exceeds the five-star Chinese- Korean- Japanese- Vietnamese- or-Filipino inquiry we often receive. We may be Laotian, too (well, five and a half million of us are) and if we are in fact from China, we’re from specific regions, like Shanghai or Tibet.

On April 3, we’ll be at RIMAC on the dance floor at Fusion.

On par with campus events like Fallfest or Winterfest, Fusion is a student-run competition hosted by MASA and Second-to-None (220) dance team. Yet while campus music festivals like Fallfest and Winterfest serve as a free night of entertainment, MASA carries a social agenda: hip-hop love and pan-Asian diversity.

Recognizing the influence of hip-hop music and dance in Asian youth culture, MASA and 220 collaborate to produce an evening of fresh competition by some of the top hip-hop teams in California. And as one of the most recognized hip-hop competitions in Southern California, Fusion provides a visible forum for talented Asian hip-hop dance teams.

In an effort to counter the lack of Asian representation in the hip-hop community, Fusion brings together dancers of all Asian descent (and then some) to RIMAC Arena to compete for prizes totaling up to $2000.

The competition will feature acts by 909 (Riverside), CADC (UCI), FORMALity (San Diego), KABA Modern (UCI), UCLA Samahang (UCLA), Team Millenia (CSU Fullerton), Sick Step (Los Angeles) and PAC Modern (CSU Long Beach). 220 (San Diego), Asayake Taiko (UCSD), Culture Shock (San Diego), Future Shock, kunFusion (UCSD), Unity and UrbanFX will also perform. Doors open at 5p.m. on Sunday, April 3.