On March 2nd, talent show auditions were held at Dual Language HS in Delancey, Essex St. This particular school is mainly made up of Asian students, who desire to keep intact with their mother countries.
There were some broken pieces of wooden boards, some traces of cabbages in the corners. Otherwise, things were just about normal: traditional Chinese instrument players here, some k-pop and lion dancers warming up there, and the odor of anxiety reeking through the nose of all the attendees.
Delia Guzman, a previous participant, plans on breaking five wooden boards with her head. She is currently in the Taekwondo club, where she learns how to break wooden boards with every part of her body. “The talent show is a great way to connect with Asian culture, even if you are not Asian”, said Guzman.
Every year the talent show audition revolves around Asian culture. The students accepted into the talent show are committed to being flawless in their performance.
“I chipped my front tooth when I was at practice; there is a lot of pain we experience but at the end of the day, it’s worth it to see the representation of our heritage,” said Tommy Wu. Tommy, a third year lion dancer, views lion dancing as a celebration of Chinese ancestors. Tommy says, “Each year we really go all out and buy new vintage Chinese costumes and drums.
Typically schools try to be as diverse as possible, however Dual Language HS strays from normal expectations. The sole focus on Asian culture allows every student to learn about the majority of the school population.