Performing arts groups from all four campuses took part in the annual Harker Day performances themed “Game On” in the Patil Theater on Saturday.
Kinetic Krew kicked off the performances with a high-energy hip-hop routine that set the tone for the show. Their music choice, bass-heavy trap remix of the “Super Mario Bros’” theme song, mixed nostalgia and modernism.
Dance teacher Rachelle Haun designed Kinetic Krew’s costumes and props, transforming dancers into characters like Mario, Luigi, Toad and Princess Peach. Haun constructed numerous custom props herself, like a brick wall and Bowser statue.
“This is the first time we’ve ever seriously used props in a routine, and it was really successful,” senior Kinetic Krew member Demitri Ajlouny said. “Harker Day requires a lot more focus — we pay more attention to the details than for our regular performances. My favorite part is performing and hearing how excited people get for every dance.”
Between the larger acts, the fourth-grade Picnic Players performed brief, comedic skits that connected the various performances under the gaming theme. Their opening scene depicted children teasing their mother for her old-fashioned video game choices.
Following an appearance from transitional kindergartners dressed in Pac-Man costumes and the middle school’s hip-hop group High Voltage, who danced to a mashup of the Pac-Man theme song and 50 Cent’s “Disco Inferno,” Harker’s choral ensembles took the stage, captivating the audience with their melodic harmonies and dynamic arrangements.
Frosh Festival Chorus member Lucy Wang, who sang “Baba Yetu” from the video game “Civilization IV,” mentioned the sense of community and accomplishment she received from the performance.
“My favorite part of the performance is at one point when all the people in the choir sing together,” Lucy said. “It’s this really nice, full sound, and we’re all singing loud, and you can really hear how everyone’s voices are coming together. There’s something very special about when it happens, when it’s all just right. We’ve been working on this since before school started, so it’s just really fulfilling.”
Lower school technical director Danny Dunn organizes the show each year, coming up with the theme and integrating all the groups into a cohesive script. Beyond the choral and dance performances onstage, the Harker Day performance also serves an additional purpose — to honor Harker’s departments and faculty. Each year, Dunn collaborates with administrators to select which department will be recognized as part of the show’s theme.
“There is always some unsung hero of the community that deserves a little moment in the limelight,” Dunn said. “I chose counseling this year because there’s a debate on video games — whether they are healthy or unhealthy. Counseling seemed the most logical option because they gave a long list of reasons for both sides.”
Downbeat closed the show by performing “Jump Up, Super Star!” from Super Mario Odyssey, completing their look with cardboard Mario coin props. For Priya Mysore, mother of senior Downbeat member Ishan Mysore, the creativity and collaboration displayed throughout the production especially stood out.
“The amount of effort that goes into putting on a show like this, where everyone’s coming together, the whole school, the entire Conservatory, is amazing,” Mysore said. “Harker Day performances bring the community together. Music unites everyone, so that’s why we come.”