Students David Jiang (9), Tiana Salvi (11), Harshini Chaturvedula (11) and Ivanya Sadana (9) express their cultures by playing musical instruments, dancing and singing while wearing cultural apparel. (Illustration by Young Min, Photos by Margaret Cartee and provided by Tiana Salvi)

Every step to a dance, every stitch for a keychain, every note from an instrument and every lyric in a song form a vibrant tapestry of cultural expression, weaving a connection between artists and their diverse backgrounds. Communities around the world maintain a connection to their roots and celebrate their identities through traditional music, dance and crafts.

For many second-generation high school students and immigrants at Harker, the arts allow them to express and connect with their cultures despite living in a different country. 

Frosh David Tang began playing the erhu, a traditional Chinese bowed musical instrument, at age seven in a Chinese instrument ensemble located in the Bay Area. This ensemble showcased ancient instruments rooted in Chinese heritage, including the tones of the guzheng, a zither. Though David also plays the viola, erhu teaches him traditional string techniques distinct from those of the viola. 

“I’ve usually played traditional erhu repertoire like ‘Sai ma,’ or racing horses,” David said. “The difference is in style because playing erhu in the Chinese style is really different from traditional Western style. But through that, I got to know a lot of Chinese pieces”

Sophomore Mindy Truong also connects to her roots through music. By playing the piano at her Vietnamese temple, she accompanies the congregation’s singing. Doing so transcends mere performance, forging deeper connections with people from her heritage. 

“I enjoy performing in front of an audience that knows the song very well,” Mindy said. “It makes me happy that I’m able to bring some happiness into their life when they’re able to hear songs they’ve heard from their past being played out loud.”

Before immigrating to the United States, upper school Spanish teacher Isabel Garcia lived in Spain, where she was immersed in the rich culture of Spanish folk songs. Now, she draws from her connection with music and dance that originated in Spanish-speaking countries, such as salsa and tango, to impart an understanding of this culture to her students. 

“Music and dance are an important part of our courses because we don’t only teach language,” Garcia said. “We teach culture, and we teach history, and we teach literature altogether. Students need to put a context to the language since just knowing grammar and vocabulary is not enough. It’s one way to teach the language right.”

Sophomore Victoria Ma embroiders and crafts bookmarks with traditional Chinese designs as part of her non-profit, Culturator. To her, embroidery is not only a cherished connection to her grandmother but also a means to help others reflect on their roots. 

“I learned embroidery with my grandma, who I’m very close with,” Victoria said. “Embroidery reminds me of her and my Chinese roots. Getting to share my embroidered works with other people keeps me motivated to embroider because I see how happy it makes other people, and I love sharing my culture with other people.” 

Dance, with its various styles originating from all parts of the world, can also serve as a cultural bridge between generations. For junior Tiana Salvi, who initially did Indian classical dance but now practices Bollywood, dance allows her to connect with her parents, who immigrated from India, over her performances and the music that accompanies it. 

“It’s one way for me to connect to my culture and to my parents, as well,” Tiana said. “A lot of the time, I say, ‘We’re doing this song,’ and it’s a tribute to an artist who is from their generation, so it’s definitely connected.”

Tiana practices dance from her culture and other forms, like hip-hop. Tiana’s commitment to Bollywood dance remains steadfast because of the sense of community she has cultivated with peers and adults alike who share her Indian heritage.

“For the people who are closer to my age, this is one of the ways for us to connect with our culture,” Tiana said. “I was brought up here with that connection over not just dance, but also the music and how much we enjoy putting our heart and soul into it.”