The sounds of bamboo hitting the basketball court echoed around Chase Center, on tempo with a symphony of instruments. Kicking off the Golden State Warriors game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Filipino American Student Union (FASU) and the Saint Francis band collaborated on a performance for Filipino Heritage Night on March 27.
The idea of FASU’s Bay Area Tinikling at the game was brought to life when FASU co-moderator Ms. Rosalyn Moorhouse received an email from the ticketing representative asking if Tinikling wanted to come to the game. Later, the group was joined by the band, since the two groups had previously collaborated at a Boys’ Varsity Basketball home game.
When band director Ms. Sandy Queally-Sammut showed FASU co-moderator Mr. Narcisco Bernardo this year’s new music for the band, he was inspired to collaborate. “He was like, this would go crazy with Tinikling,” Ms. Queally-Sammut said. “And we were like, this would go crazy with Tinikling.”
On the students’ side, performing outside of school was a rare experience, motivating them to give their best effort for this performance. “This was one of our biggest performances ever,” Tinikling dancer Gabby Maramba (’29) said.
One challenge both groups faced was the time constraint, as both Tinikling and band spent a month preparing for one dance number and had only a week to learn a second number before the actual performance. “I remember during the first week of practice and the first half of our second week, a lot of us started to feel kind of stressed, because some of us didn’t have all the choreography down,” Eric Moya (’29) said. “There were ups and downs. For example, we couldn’t get the tempo down or we didn’t know our cues of when to start our dance. But eventually, we figured it out.”
While there were a few setbacks and high stress scenarios, the collaboration formed a new way of performing between the two groups. “It was really interesting to have a visual aspect of band,” freshman band member Ethan Smart said. “A lot of times you just hear band, and to see another group play with you and in time with you and have that visual aspect was really amazing.”
FASU and band were able to connect during the shared time together, including the bus ride to the Chase Center and Tinikling’s pre-game tradition of Isang Bagsak, a tradition of participants circling around each other and starting a slow, building clap until they yell out “Isang Bagsak” or “If one falls, we all fall; if one rises, we all rise” in Tagalog. “So we got to do that with them, which was pretty nice,” Luke Ruzon (’26) from band said. “And then their seniors started giving speeches because it was their last event.”
Performing for the Warriors game was special for both Tinikling and band, since it was finally a chance to show the public what they were capable of. “I was like, we actually made it. I was like, ‘Guys, we did it!’” trombone player Megha Goshike (’28) said. “I was just mainly in shock that we were standing on the court. That was just a surreal experience. The stadium is so big and everything, and you’re just, you’re there.”
Although band gets to perform at multiple competitions and many school events, the chance to play at a NBA basketball game was certainly a new one. “I’m just really glad that we got the chance to be heard. That I had an impact playing there. It meant so much to me that I could actually do something and not just be one of the people in the stands watching,” Smart said.
In particular, the Tinikling group and their moderators felt honored to be given this opportunity to perform a traditional dance and were glad that the band came together with them to bring Filipino culture to a big stage. “It was astounding. I kept myself from just crying all night, just because it was so beautiful that, not only Tinikling, but [the] collaboration with band represented Saint Francis so well,” Ms. Moorhouse said.
In the end, the students were reminded of the stakes behind the performance. Being in front of so many people really showed them the impact they could have on others. “The whole world could see us. I knew it was gonna be a greater deal that would impact how the Bay Area Tiniks would be remembered,” Maramba said.
Since it was Filipino Heritage Night, getting to participate meant representing our diverse culture. “It showcases not only our Saint Francis community but also our Filipino heritage,” Matteo Jimenez (’27) from FASU said. “It was good to represent what our values and culture [are].”
