International Gala is a huge event at Clark every year. So many people attend and plenty are involved as well. It is pretty easy to spot the different groups of people that Gala draws in every year, and chances are everyone falls into at least one of these categories.
1. The Parents – there are always plenty of supportive parents and family members who come out to cheer on their performers. They’re usually the ones that get there super early and have their cameras out constantly.
2. Main South Community Members – one awesome thing about Gala is that the event is free and open to the public. This means that people that live in the Main South community often attend.
3. Supportive Roommates – since Gala involves so many students on campus, it draws an audience of many students as well. Some of the best Gala audience members are the supportive friends and roommates of the performers. You can always tell who these people are because they’ll often be yelling their friend’s name repeatedly.
4. People Who Have No Idea What Gala Is – there is always a handful of people (typically First Years) who have no clue what Gala actually is or what all the hype is about. You can usually spot them looking confused and overwhelmed by the sheer energy in the Kneller.
5. The Superfans – these people are usually students who may or may not (read: definitely) pre-gamed the event. They’re the loudest audience members by far but if you’re a performer, you love them for all of the cheering.
6. Alumni – believe it or not, a decent amount of Clark alumni return to see Gala. Since it is such a huge event for the school, it really does leave an impact on everyone who has ever seen it or been involved, so it’s no surprise that so many former Clarkies make it a point to come back to see the show.
7. Clark Staff and Faculty – you’ll find Clark staff and faculty in their special reserved seating area right in front of the stage. There are lots of professors, administrators and staff members alike who come out to show their support for the students participating in Gala. President Angel always makes it a point to attend Gala, too.
8. The Performers – you’ll see all of the performers at some point in the performer viewing section which is usually located on the left side of the Kneller. Performers are allowed to watch whichever half of the performance they’re not dancing in, and they’re always a loud cheering section as well.
9. ISA Members – the ISA members are the people who keep Gala running from start to finish! You’ll be able to tell who they are from their distinct shirts and walkie-talkies. They’ll most likely be running around all night keeping everything under control.
Whichever category you fall into, enjoy the experience of Gala! It is such a unique event that Clark offers and is a wonderful time for the campus and the community to come together and celebrate different cultures.