Every winter, the halls of Townsend Harris turn into an enormous dance studio as students from across the school spend seemingly every waking moment choreographing and rehearsing the dances that will take over the stage when the annual Festival of Nations premieres towards the end of February.

This year was no different, and students remain passionate about the work they do.

“Being able to share my Polish culture with the rest of school and those in our team makes it worth every minute," said senior and Polish FON leader Anabelle Deveduex. “FON is also a fun time with friends. My friend group usually comes together to get ready and listen to music and make so many cute memories. We spend time eating food and doing each other's hair all while cheering each other on."

As memorable as it is, it's also a lot of work for FON leaders. Hispanic FON leader and senior Emily Cantos said, “Being a FON leader is extremely time-consuming, especially when you’re in other FONs. You spend most, if not all of your days after school teaching for your own FON, [as well as] your other free periods or time at home."

But what happens when the curtains close on the final performance? Students go back to their daily routines, the hallways become bare, and what’s left are memories, yes, but also tons of photos and videos scattered across various school accounts. The Classic hasdecided to collect many aspects of this year's FON in one place. Below you will see photos of various FONs, livestreams from two performances, and a focus on one of the most important aspects of the show: costumes.

Early discussions helped the designer provide color samples, which played a crucial role in finalizing the look of the costumes. Communication took place primarily through WhatsApp, allowing for efficient collaboration despite the distance. “We talked back and forth about different fabric choices and embroidery details,” Aisha explained. “This helped us create outfits that reflected both traditional elements and our own unique style."

While the team had a clear vision, the process came with its challenges. “This year, we had a few malfunctions, probably because of a vendor switch, but in the end, everything came together beautifully,” Aisha said. Despite occasional setbacks, the costumes arrived in time for the performance, adding to the energy and visual appeal of the show.

This was a different experience from other FON groups, many of whom experienced significant anxiety due to a change in US tariff policy announced weeks before FON's premiere date.

According to a Reuters report from early February, "more than a million packages [were] piling up at JFK Airport" at that time following the Trump administration's decision to end tariff exemptions for "low cost packages." The increased need for customs inspections led to heavy delays (and an ultimate pause in the policy). These delays impacted numerous FON groups waiting for costumes to arrive. According to Assistant Principal Ellen Fee, who oversees FON, the delay "really brought a bit of a situation of panicking that costumes didn’t arrive."

She said that groups like Bollywood FON didn't have the same concern, however. "When Bollywood and Bengali order theirs, they order direct from seamstresses and sewers that are making handmade, custom-made costumes," she said. "Those get ordered in early January, sometimes December [and arrive with plenty of time]." She said many other groups rely on vendors like Shein and Temu, companies that were directly impacted by the tariff policy. "[The costumes from those companies] are cheap, and cheaply made, but perfect for FON because they are cheaply made," she said, noting that for many performers the costume is for one use only.  (For more on the tariff costume delays, scroll up to listen to an episode of the Keeping it Classic podcast recorded for this feature)

Beyond getting the actual costumes to arrive in time, a notable change this year was the decision to differentiate the leaders’ outfits from the dancers’ outfits. “In previous years, all the leaders matched with the dancers,” Aisha said. “This year, we wanted to make the leaders stand out more, so we gave them a completely different color.” The color choices for the dancers' outfits were also significant. “The colors we chose this year are similar to what I wore during my freshman year,” she added, highlighting the sentimental value behind the decision.

For performers, the costumes are more than just outfits; they help bring the performance together. Sophomore Sara Ahmed, who has participated in Bollywood FON for two years, said, “I feel excited when I wear my FON costume. The outfits this year are really elegant, and the colors look great on stage." The combination of intricate designs and vibrant fabrics contributes to the visual storytelling that makes Bollywood FON stand out.

Freshman Shondita Shaha said, “Participating in Bollywood FON for the first time was exciting and welcoming. The costumes played a big role in representing and adding to my culture.”

From the initial planning stages in September to the final performance, the process of creating Bollywood FON’s costumes is a long and complex journey. However, the end result is a visually striking performance that celebrates South Asian culture.

Costumes are crucial for all FONs, not just Bollywood alone. Freshman Neliza Nova of Hispanic FON said, "it’s the first thing you see before the dance starts and before the music is there to identify the culture. It’s kind of foreshadowing what is to come so the audience can anticipate what they are going to watch."

"Costumes allow the dancers to express a specific culture in a creative way outside of the dance routine," said freshman Amaya De Lorenzo of Latinx FON. "They enhance the cultural aspects of the performance and create a visually appealing performance. As a person who is not part of the culture of the FON I was in, it was interesting to try out the costumes and being able to dive more into Latinx culture."

Aisha said that, beyond the costumes, the entire experience of being part of Bollywood FON shaped her experience at Townsend Harris. “I’ve been a Bollywood FON leader since my sophomore year, and I know Bollywood FON helped shape what type of person I ended up becoming,” she said.