Song and dance became Carlmont’s ticket to travel the world at the Heritage Fair last Wednesday.

 

Mountains of stressful school work often overshadow the vast ocean of culture and diversity at Carlmont. The annual Heritage Fair, organized by the Associated Student Body (ASB), temporarily relieves this anxiety and enables students to recognize and appreciate the culture of their peers. 

 

“The purpose of the Heritage Fair is to show your roots. I really like that it allows you to be connected to your culture and share it with your peers,” said Lotus Tang, a member of the Korean Culture Club.

 

Maintaining and sharing this connection with one’s heritage is essential in the U.S. – a nation composed of countless cultures. The Heritage Fair also plays an especially crucial role within the state because California is the most diverse state in the U.S., according to the World Population Review.

 

The performances presented at the Heritage Fair accomplished more than merely introducing others to unfamiliar cultures. They also gave the performers the opportunity to correct misconceptions about their heritage that are commonly perpetuated in the media. One of these performers was Lauren Espaniola, a dancer from the Aloha Club.

 

“I don’t think most people understand the real Hula, so we wanted to show everyone,” Espaniola said.

 

One of the unique aspects of the Heritage Fair is the traditional clothing worn by performers. Instead of blue and gray hoodies, Carlmont saw bursts of color and traditional styles in the saris worn by the Indian Culture Club performers. In addition, the Hula dancers, representing the Aloha Club, added bright hues with their lively purple Hula skirts and matching violet leis.

 

The Heritage Fair also immersed students in music and dance from around the world, spanning from centuries-old songs to modern pop. The Korean Culture Club juxtaposed the traditional fan dance, Buchaechum, performed in hanbok, a traditional Korean garment, with a new-age dance to Korean Pop (K-Pop) music.

 

“I think most groups chose to perform a dance because it's something that the audience can really enjoy and can bring out really strong emotions in people,” said Georgia Kelly, a member of Swing Club.

 

The sentiment of the garments, music and dance presented at the Heritage Fair sparked a flame in the hearts of the audience members. Hands floated through the air as Swarra Joshi sang a song from Moana to the strumming of a ukulele by Riley Baum. Feet tapped rhythmically during the Jazz Band’s performance, and students sang along with the Swing Club’s catchy tune from “Teen Beach Movie.”

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