One of the most defining opportunities of Yonkers High School is the International Gala, an
event which showcases and celebrates the diversity of Yonkers High School. There are 7 groups this year, each with their own captains. There are, however, two captains who overlook the entire gala: Korean Gala Captain Joey Zhang and Mexican Gala Captain Cesar Barrera. Jaiel Medina was able to interview Cesar, and here’s what he had to say about gala:
Jaiel Medina (JM):
How long have you been doing Gala?
Cesar Barrera (CB):
I started Gala when I was in ninth grade. The captain from my ninth grade gala recommended us doing it because we were both in the same dance club in school. Sadly we never got to perform in ninth grade due to COVID and last year was our first gala. This year I’m the captain for Mexican gala, so I’m really excited for this opportunity.
JM:
What responsibility do you have to take overseeing the Gala?
CB:
The responsibilities I have to overtake is that we have to make sure that everyone is enjoying their time, having fun, learning, and experiencing the culture around the school and how diverse our school is.
JM:
How do you feel about Gala this year?
CB:
I’m pretty excited for Gala this year. I feel like this year we have more room as last year we have many restrictions, like the time limit in our dance and this year, we have a longer time limit and we’re allowed to do a lot more compared to last year. So I’m really excited for Gala this year and think this Gala will be the best year.
JM:
What would you tell people who are considering to join Gala next year?
CB:
I would tell them, “There’s no harm in trying out. If you end up getting in, enjoy your moment. If you don’t, then that’s alright. You can always join other Galas, too, if you really want to join Gala. No matter what, you get to experience different cultures and dances throughout the Gala.
JM:
What advice do you want to give to the captains of the Gala groups?
CB:
The advice I would give to captains is to let the people have fun. It could be serious at times, but just remember it’s all about having fun and to learn, to take this moment in as an opportunity in high school that you can always cherish.
JM:
What is one thing you enjoy about Gala and one thing you don’t?
CB:
One thing I enjoy about Gala is just meeting new people and watching other groups practice and learning how they’re using time. One thing I don't like about Gala is probably trying to come up with the songs and the choreography. That’s going to be the most stressful part, but I’m used to it since I’m a dancer myself and it’s really stressful, especially during crunch time when Gala is about a month away or a couple of weeks away, then that’s where everything gets stressful.
JM: Are there any additional things or thoughts you’d like to share?
CB:
Gala is the BEST club and I love Jonathan Lueng!
Credits:
Interviewer - Jaiel Medina
Interviewee - Cesar Barrera
Transcriber - Vivian Li
Editors - Vivian Li, Adrian Vazquez, Sofía Fernández and Michael Marchionna
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