The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

The student news site of The Harker School.

Harker Aquila

Dancers in the Way Down We Go routine strike a pose during a dress rehearsal for this years dance production, Blast from the Past. 130 students performed in the shows on Jan. 28 and Jan. 29 in the Rothschild Performing Arts Centers Patil Theater.

‘Blast from the Past’: Dance production 2022 reimagines music from past shows

by Sally Zhu and Michelle Liu February 7, 2022

A hush of excitement falls over the audience as the lights dim in Patil Theater. The curtains draw back. Regal trumpet sounds blare from the soundtrack, announcing the dancers spotlighted in formation...

Four Downbeat members sing towards the audience during their Santana Row Spirit of the Row performance. Downbeat, an upper school performance ensemble of 13 students, qualified for Varsity Vocals quarterfinals in November.

Downbeat returns with cheery holiday season and qualifies to Varsity Vocals quarterfinals

by Katelyn Zhao, Assistant Sports Editor February 3, 2022

Lights dim in the Rothschild Performing Arts Center theater and as the opening line of "Twelve Days of Christmas" rings out in the air, students, either dressed in shimmering gold a-line dresses or velvet...

Music Monday is a new installation featuring a different category of songs on a weekly basis.

Music Monday: Take dance breaks with Aquila

by Arely Sun, Aquila Co-Managing Editor December 13, 2021

Music Monday features a different category of songs on a weekly basis. Each Monday, Harker Aquila will release seven songs, one song for each day of the week.  Finals week means lots of studying —...

Sleep deprivation causes an unwanted domino effect on one’s health and safety, leading to a higher risk of obesity, depression and drowsiness during driving and difficulty concentrating in class for high school students. Giving students the opportunity to curtail chronic sleep loss with a later school start time would improve overall student wellness, including physical and mental health, academic performance and quality of life.

Time for wellness: Upper school should consider later start time

by Ella Yee, Reporter December 1, 2021

I reluctantly force my eyes open as the dreaded “Constellation” ringtone that is set for every weekday morning reaches my ears. The familiar strong chimes with quicker, twinkling notes in the background...

Dancers in the Harker Dance Company stand on props in the first few measures of the 2021 dance production. After the senior members of Harker Dance Company opened the number, the rest of Harker Dance Company and Kinetic Crew joined for their segments.

Leaping “Outside the Box”

by Emily Tan, Winged Post Features Editor May 20, 2021

From breaking free of Zoom squares that have confined dancers all year to thinking creatively in terms of choreography, students and faculty involved in this year’s upper school dance show have had breakthroughs...

Kinetic Krew dances outside during a section of their virtual White Flag performance. The video was shown during the school meeting on Dec. 3.

No retreat, no surrender

by Alysa Suleiman, A&E Editor December 11, 2020

In wartime, a white flag represents an ultimate, definite concession. It calls the surrender, requests the truce and cements the defeat. But now, the pandemic has waged a war against normalcy, threatening...

Students work on a watercolor project in Pilar Aguero-Esparzas Study of Visual Arts class. She made and mailed packages of art supplies to each student to help them continue their art at home.

Going virtual: How teachers have adapted hands-on activities online

by Brian Chen, Reporter April 26, 2020

Virtual dance auditions. Online orchestra practice. Mailing art supplies and lab notebooks. Conducting experiments at home.  With the campus closed and a shelter-in-place order throughout California,...

Junior Zoe Kister jumps into a crowd of dancers. Zoe is one of eight student choreographers.

“Remixed and Reimagined”: Students and faculty prepare for the annual dance production

by Esha Gohil and Sabrina Zhu January 31, 2020

The stage lights up in a purple hue, silhouetting a group of dancers in the background. They pose as the music begins, before gracefully leaping towards the audience during Thursday’s dress rehearsal. The...

Nathaniel “Nash”
Melisso (12) strums
the ukulele as he
performs his original
song “Insight” during the fall Quadchella on Nov. 7. This Quadchella contained a total of four teacher acts and six student acts, along with face painting, popcorn, and tattoos on the side.

Fall Quadchella invites students, faculty to watch performances through informal talent show

by Sriya Batchu, Reporter November 16, 2019

Harker’s biannual Quadchella talent show invited students and faculty to watch an array of performances in the quad during long lunch on Nov. 7. This Quadchella contained a total of four teacher acts...

Boys can dance: Insensitive comments show that toxic stereotypes live on -- but shouldn’t

Boys can dance: Insensitive comments show that toxic stereotypes live on — but shouldn’t

by Arely Sun, Co-Lifestyle Editor September 17, 2019

Imagine a ballet dancer. Did you summon an image of a lithe woman with a bun, clad in a tutu and pointe shoes? Or did you instead conjure a sinewed, muscular man elegantly leaping several feet in the air? Now...

Upper school dance teacher Karl Kuehn looks on as students audition for the annual dance production. Auditions took place on Sept. 14.

Dance show auditions launch preparation for annual production

by Catherine Feng, Asst. Copy Editor September 16, 2019

Auditions for the annual dance production took place on Saturday, Sept. 14. Students of all ability levels from all four grades were encouraged to audition, even if they had never danced before. This year,...

The 2019-20 Student Directed Showcase (SDS) directors talk to audience members about their visions for the upcoming year. SDS is an opportunity for students to try directing other students.

Conservatory Kickoff marks official start of performing arts season

by Irene Yuan, Asst. Photo Editor August 28, 2019

Upper school students and parents attended the annual Conservatory Kickoff meeting hosted by the performing arts department in the Patil Theater today.  “This is our one time a year for parents and...

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