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DANCES AND DARTH MONTY

VISUAL OVERVIEW

Gallery • 10 Photos

Isabella Rice

Junior Kyra Lu dances for the Korean Culture Club. The members performed three different dances, one faster-paced than the others. The dances combined elements of hip-hop and jazz and were choreographed to match Korean pop music.

Photos by Isabella Rice

Graphic by Jackson Sneeringer

CARLMONT HERITAGE FAIR UNDERLINES

CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Students filled the bleachers with excitement as they cheered for each performance at Carlmont High School’s Heritage Fair last Friday. The assembly consisted of performances by six student-led culture clubs as well as Carlmont’s Symphonic Band, Drumline, and Choir. 

The Indian Club was the first to perform, showcasing a dance routine that included Bollywood and traditional Indian dances. Monika Mukerji is a member of the Indian Club and performed in the dance. 

“It is important to have Heritage Fair every year because it highlights everyone’s ethnic backgrounds,” Mukerji said. “I was able to showcase my Indian heritage through dancing with Indian Club.”

The Korean Pop Culture Club was next, and a group of students danced to a medley of trending K-pop songs. They started preparing their performance at the beginning of the school year.

“Heritage Fair shows all the students what different cultures we have, how they compare, and what makes them unique,” said Jasmine Gee, president of the Korean Pop Culture Club.

Next, junior Claire Lee and freshman Michelle Peng performed on behalf of the Chinese Culture Club. Lee sang a traditional song in Mandarin Chinese dedicated to last month’s Lunar New Year, while Peng performed a classical Chinese dance, which stunned students with each leap. 

According to Lee, she set her mind on performing at this year’s Heritage Fair after watching the prior year’s performances. 

“If Heritage Fair wasn’t there, people wouldn’t be able to learn about my culture, and I would also not be able to show other people about my culture,” Lee said.

To many, the Heritage Fair is more than just an assembly commemorating different cultures. It’s a day to put yourself out there.

“I like that I got to see the personality of everyone in the performances,” said Alyssa Ruma, one of the students attending. 

Heritage Fair is a way for students to come closer together as they share customs and traditions, which make them who they are.

Jiho Park is a member of the Symphonic Band and Drumline, both of which performed in the assembly. 

“I think the Heritage Fair exemplifies the diversity that we have at Carlmont because you get to see clubs such as Indian Club, Chinese Culture Club, and Latinos Unidos all together at once,” Park said. 

The assembly continued with music by Carlmont’s symphonic band, followed by the Filipino Club. The Filipino Club performed a traditional Tinikling dance with a unique variation in the second half. 

For participants like senior Kiana Hinkson, this performance was close to her heart.

“From the first time I saw the Heritage Fair when I was a sophomore and saw the Filipino club doing the tinikling, it really reminded me of things I’ve done in the past with my grandparents,” Hinkson said. “I always wanted to do it, and this was my last chance to really feel like I was part of it.” 

According to Hinkson, the club’s performances in past years often started with a traditional song and then would transition into a song written by a modern Filipino artist such as Bruno Mars. 

However, this year, the club decided to switch the second part of their dance to a more modern twist by dancing to the beat of “Soak City” and adding other non-traditional twists into their choreography with moves such as cartwheels in between steps.

Two students from the Turkish Club then performed traditional Turkish songs played with classical Middle Eastern instruments such as the oud, a short-neck lute, predating the modern-day guitar. 

“Heritage Fair displays performances of all cultural backgrounds that can then be appreciated. It allows students to value other cultures that are not as commonly shown,” Mukerji said.

Carlmont choir then performed “Hela Rotan,” a traditional Indonesian folk song. 

The Latinos Unidos X Black Student Union Club further amazed the crowd with a duet of “La Llorona” sung by juniors Ricardo Cobian Duarte and Kimberly Garcia Cancio. Club members wore candle headpieces and traditional dresses as they danced around the singers. Members of the audience joined in, waving their phone flashlights around to match the song. 

The event closed out with Carlmont’s Drumline, followed by members of both the Choir and Drumline performing “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus, with students joining in and singing along. 

For all those attending, Carlmont’s Heritage Fair is a time dedicated to displaying and sharing the cultures from which the students come. It is a time not only to educate but also to celebrate cultures from around the world.

“The Heritage Fair at Carlmont provides students with a reassurance that it’s okay to be proud of their culture,” Ruma said.

Writing by Kiana Chen

Arranged by Jackson Sneeringer