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ASB Studios, the broadcasting arm of the Associated Student Body, is celebrating the success of its inaugural event, Paly’s Got Talent, featuring K-pop dance covers and live Tetris games, on Thursday in the Performing Arts Center at Palo Alto High School.
The show featured 11 student performances and live voting by the audience at the end, with prizes of an ice-cream maker, waffle maker and a Bluetooth speaker. The event drew an audience of about 50, including students, friends and family members.
According to sophomore Ivy Lee, who won first place with her cover of “Part of Your World” from “The Little Mermaid,” the event was a surreal experience.
“I didn’t think I’d get first, I was hoping I’d get third, or maybe even second,” Lee said. “Then she said my name and I was like ‘Oh my God, hot diggity damn,’ but it was amazing.”
Lee said knew she wanted to sing for the talent show, and when she was looking through the songs that would match her voice, she ended up picking the Disney song.
“I wanted to find something that I could sing comfortably without straining my voice too much,” Lee said. “I narrowed it down until I found the song I wanted to sing, which is ‘Part of Your World.’”
Coming in second place was Paly’s K-pop dance club, the Palyce Club, with their dance cover of “Ditto” by NewJeans. Senior Mina Baba secured third place with a piano performance of “Chopin Etude Op. 10 No. 8.”
According to junior Angela Rao, who performed in the K-pop dance cover, she enjoyed performing on a stage and recommends the opportunity for other students.
“We just wanted a chance to perform and showcase a dance,” Rao said. “It’s really fun and it’s low stakes. There aren’t that many people, so it’s pretty nice.”
Sophomore class President David Wu organized the event and said it helped provide an opportunity for Paly to share their talents and strengthen connections between students.
“It [Paly’s Got Talent] really showcases the diverse range of talent in Paly and helps us to bond and support each other with those talents,” Wu said.
According to Paly’s Associated Student Body Director Steven Gallagher, the event brought a sense of community by displaying students’ talents.
“It brings out different people who have different talents, brings people together to appreciate that and just have fun with it,” Gallagher said. “[During] the Spirit Week, we have all kinds of different things, but this is focusing on different gifts and talents that people have.”
Since they received approval in November 2023, the ASB worked diligently through an extensive planning process to bring “Paly’s Got Talent” to life.
“It’s the first time we put on something like this, coordinating with the theater, the technical part of it, getting the acts and the Emcees as well and just learning the process,” Gallagher said. “David [Wu] is just incredible, this is his creation.”
As a performer in the show, Lee said she enjoyed the opportunity to display her talent in front of a familiar audience.
“It’s a really nice way of letting people you know see your talent kind of shine through,” Lee said. “You can also see your peers in a different light.”
ASB Studios is planning future live events open to all Paly students, including movie nights, “Jeopardy,” and more, with additional information to come.
