1, 2, 3!

ALL: "BARE FEET!"

[CHEERING AND DRUMMING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: I'M A DANCER AND I'M A TRAVELER.

AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I'M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

"BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ROAD SCHOLAR, OFFERING EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR ADULTS SINCE 1975.

ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

...THESE GENEROUS SUPPORTERS.

ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEW YORK IS HOME TO THE SECOND LARGEST ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER, OR AAPI, COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES.

BUT WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO IDENTIFY AS AAPI?

ON THIS "BARE FEET" IN NYC ADVENTURE, I MEET WITH SOME OF THE GROUPS THAT MAKE UP THIS COMMUNITY, AND I GET A TASTE FOR THE VAST DIVERSITY THAT FALLS UNDER ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.

MY FIRST STOP BRINGS ME TO FLUSHING MEADOWS CORONA PARK IN QUEENS.

I MEET WITH NA PUA MAI KA LANI NUIOKA, A HAWAIIAN GROUP THAT PERPETUATES THE TEACHINGS OF HULA, THE CULTURE OF HAWAII, AND THE SPIRIT OF ALOHA.

[PEOPLE SINGING IN HAWAIIAN] HULA IS ACTUALLY STORYTELLING WITH YOUR BODY.

AND THE IDEA IS THAT WITHOUT OLELO, WITHOUT WORDS, THERE ACTUALLY IS NO HULA.

AS LONG AS THERE ARE WORDS, POTENTIALLY THERE COULD BE HULA TO IT.

UH, THE MELODY THAT WE'RE LEARNING TODAY IS CALLED E HO'I MAI I KA PIKO HULA.

AND HO'I MAI MEANS TO RETURN.

A KA PIKO IS YOUR BELLYBUTTON.

RIGHT.

AND THEN HULA, OF COURSE, IS HULA.

AND IT ALSO JUST MEANS DANCE, TOO.

SO IT MEANS RETURN TO THE BELLYBUTTON OF HULA.

LIKE THE ORIGIN OF HULA.

EXACTLY.

YOU GOT IT.

RIGHT.

YEAH.

YEAH, COME BACK TO THE CENTER OF HULA.

♪ E HO'I MAI I KA PIKO HULA ♪ ♪ MA'ANEI HAWAI'I ♪ ♪ ALOHA ♪ ♪ HAWAI'I ALOHA ♪ ♪ E ♪ ♪ E A'O MAI ♪ ♪ E A'O ♪ MALLOZZI: ALOHA MEANS HELLO?

WE USE IT AS A GREETING AND AS A SALUTATION, TOO, YEAH.

WELL, ALOHA IS OFTEN TRANSLATED AS LOVE, BUT WE LIKE TO SAY LOVE IS ACTUALLY ONE LAYER OF THAT DEFINITION.

TO USE ENGLISH, IT COULD ALSO BE TRANSLATED AS, LIKE, SYMPATHY OR EVEN PITY.

AS HULA DANCERS, IT'S PART OF OUR KULEANA TO REALLY EXPLORE WHAT ALOHA MEANS, YOU KNOW.

AND WHERE YOU SEE IT AND WHERE YOU APPLY ALOHA IN YOUR DAY TO DAY, EVEN WHEN YOU'RE NOT DANCING.

♪ E HO'I MAI I KA PIKO HULA ♪ ♪ MA'ANEI HAWAI'I ♪ ♪ ALOHA ♪ ♪ HAWAI'I ALOHA ♪ ♪ E ♪ MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE LANGUAGE, THE OLELO, AND THE DANCE, THE HULA, ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THE IPU HEKE, A DOUBLE GOURD MADE FROM TWO DIFFERENT SIZED HOLLOWED GOURDS ATTACHED AT THE NECK.

♪ E A'O MAI I KA MO'AUKALA... ♪ MAN: WHAT WE HAVE IS AN IPU HEKE, AND IT'S USED TO, YEAH, HELP THE HULA.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF HULA IS THE LANGUAGE, AND ALL THAT OTHER STUFF IS THERE TO ACCENTUATE THE STORY THAT'S BEING TOLD.

♪ MAI I KA PIKO HULA... ♪ I LOVE STORYTELLING TRADITIONS TO BEGIN WITH.

I AM--I'M ACTUALLY KOREAN, SO I LOVE KOREAN STORYTELLING TRADITIONS, TOO.

SO THAT WAS KIND OF MY CONNECTION TO HULA.

I LOVE THAT IT WAS A STORY AND NOT JUST A DANCE.

YES, WE DANCE, BUT OUR FOCUS IS REALLY ABOUT ENGAGING WITH HULA IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY.

THAT MEANS LANGUAGE.

THAT MEANS LEARNING THE HISTORY.

AND THAT'S THE THING.

ME AND CHRIS ARE NOT FROM HAWAII.

WE'RE NOT HAWAIIAN.

BUT WE WERE WELCOME, AND THAT IS OUR KULEANA, OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE WE REPRESENT HULA IN HAWAIIAN CULTURE AS BEST AS WE CAN.

♪ I KE AO E ♪ CHRIS: ♪ EIA LA EIA LA EIA ♪ MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NOW IT'S MY TURN TO LEARN THIS BEAUTIFUL DANCE.

THE BEAT STARTS, YOUR FOOT COMES BACK, YOUR HANDS COME TO THE SIDE, AND YOU GET INTO YOUR SINK ALL AT THE SAME TIME.

OK. AND YOUR FACE GOES, TOO.

SO WE'RE GONNA GET INTO, LIKE, A HULA STANCE.

SO WE GET LIKE A MINI SQUAT.

AND WE BASICALLY STAY THERE THE WHOLE TIME, OK?

♪ E HO'I MAI I KA PIKO HULA ♪ AND THEN.

[IPU HEKE STARTS] ♪ E HO'I MAI ♪ TAP AND ONE, TWO.

GOOD.

ONE, TWO.

ONE, TWO.

GOOD.

NICE.

ARE YOU SURE YOU HAVEN'T DONE THIS BEFORE?

I HAVEN'T.

[LAUGHS] I'VE NEVER DONE HULA.

CHRIS: WE WANT TO GIVE VOICE TO OUR KUMU'S LEGACY.

"KUMU" MEANS YOUR TEACHER.

YOUR TEACHER.

IT LITERALLY MEANS SOURCE, BUT IT'S USED AS TEACHER.

UNFORTUNATELY, A COUPLE YEARS AGO, OUR KUMU PASSED AWAY.

SO MANY PEOPLE THAT KNEW OUR KUMU, THE MESSAGE WE KEPT RECEIVING WAS LIKE, WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU HAVE TO KEEP GOING.

RIGHT, WHATEVER IT IS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING.

♪ E HO'I MAI ♪ ♪ E HO'I MAI ♪ ♪ I KA PIKO HULA ♪ ♪ MA'ANEI HAWAI'I ♪ ♪ ALOHA ♪ ♪ ALOHA ♪ HAWAII IS ALL ABOUT ALOHA.

AND EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN US, AND WE SPREAD THAT LOVE.

WHAT DOES "ALOHA" MEAN TO YOU?

ALOHA TO ME IS JUST THIS DEEP SENSE OF CARING, RESPECT, RESPONSIBILITY.

THIS GROUP HAS BEEN HERE FOR ME THROUGH REALLY DIFFICULT TIMES.

I LOST MY PAPA LAST YEAR.

I'M SORRY.

AND... TO BE ABLE TO DANCE HULA AND FEEL LIKE I'M ALWAYS CONNECTED TO HIM IS TRULY ALOHA TO ME.

CHRIS: ♪ MAI I KA HULA ♪ ♪ E A'O MAI I KE ALOHA... ♪ MY MOTHER IS A KANAKA MAOLI, A NATIVE HAWAIIAN.

HULA FOR ME, IT MEANS-- IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO REAFFIRM MY COMMITMENT AND MY DEDICATION TO MY OHANA, MY FAMILY.

SO IT CONNECTS ME TO MY FAMILY, BUT NOT JUST MY LIVING FAMILY, MY FAMILY THAT'S ALREADY PASSED ON.

CHRIS: ♪ A MAU LOA LA ♪ ALL: ♪ I KE AO E ♪ ♪ EIA LA EIA LA EIA ♪ ♪ E HO I MAI I KA PIKO HULA ♪ ♪ E ♪ [APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEXT STOP, I HEAD TO INDUSTRY CITY IN SUNSET PARK, BROOKLYN, HOME TO JAPAN VILLAGE.

I MEET WITH ERINA YOSHIDA, COO OF THIS JAPANESE MECCA, TO GET A TASTE OF JAPAN'S DELICACIES IN THIS MASSIVE SPACE.

JAPAN VILLAGE IS A DESTINATION FOR ALL THINGS JAPANESE.

WE HAVE A FOOD HALL, A JAPANESE MARKET, A FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT CALLED WAKUWAKU.

WE REALLY WANTED A PLACE WHERE ALL FAMILIES, COUPLES THAT LIVE NEARBY OR PEOPLE THAT REALLY ARE VISITING TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THE JAPANESE CULTURE AND THE FOOD AND DRINK CULTURE.

MALLOZZI: ERINA GIVES ME A TASTING TOUR THROUGH THE MANY RESTAURANTS AND STALLS IN THE FOOD HALL OF JAPAN VILLAGE, STARTING AT OBENTOYASAN.

YOSHIDA: WE WILL HAVE ONIGIRI, WHICH IS A RICE BALL.

SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A GRAB AND GO SNACK.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: ERINA HAS ME TRY THE PICKLED PLUM ONIGIRI.

MMM!

IT'S SALTIER THAN I EXPECTED.

YES, IT IS SALTY.

AND BRINIER.

BRINIER, FOR SURE.

YEAH.

YEP.

OOH, THAT'S NICE, THOUGH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEXT, UDON NOODLES WITH SHRIMP TEMPURA AT GOHEI.

YOSHIDA: WE HAD THE ORDER SPLIT INTO TWO.

SO USUALLY THE BROTH IS UP TO THE RIM.

WE'RE PACING OURSELVES FOR ALL THE FOOD THAT'S COMING.

[LAUGHS] MMM.

DO YOU EAT THE SHRIMP HEAD?

HOW DO YOU EAT IT?

WHAT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO EAT IT?

I LITERALLY EAT IT FROM THE EYES.

FROM THE EYES.

OK, I'M GONNA DO IT.

YEAH.

ALL RIGHT.

HE'S LOOKING AT ME.

THAT'S A...[LAUGHS] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEXT, MORIYA FOR SOME CHICKEN KATSUDON, WHICH IS A CHICKEN CUTLET WITH EGG, SIMMERED IN BROTH.

MMM.

MMM MMM MMM.

THEY SIMMERED THE EGG AS WELL AS DOSHI, SO IT'S VERY JUICY AND NOT DRY AT ALL.

MM-HMM.

IT IS SO JUICY.

AND FLUFFY AND, LIKE, ALMOST CREAMY TASTING.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: OUR FINAL STOP IS WAKUWAKU, JAPAN VILLAGE'S FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT.

WE SPECIALIZE IN IZAKAYA CUISINES, A LOT OF KIND OF SHARING PLATES KIND OF STYLE.

WE REALLY WANT TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO EXPLORE THE DIFFERENT DISHES THAT WE MAKE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: IZAKAYA TRANSLATES TO STAY DRINK PLACE IN JAPANESE, AND THE CUISINE IS THOUGHT OF AS JAPANESE PUB FOOD, INCLUDING YAKITORI.

JAPAN VILLAGE IS A FAMILY-OWNED BUSINESS STARTED BY ERINA'S FATHER, TONY YOSHIDA.

HE HAS BEEN AN ENTREPRENEUR AND RESTAURATEUR IN NEW YORK SINCE 1969.

YOSHIDA: HIS FIRST PLACE WAS AN ICE CREAM SHOP.

HE REALLY WANTED TO CATER TO ALL THE MUSICIANS THAT LIVED IN THE EAST VILLAGE AND THAT WHOLE KIND OF COMMUNITY THAT LIVED THERE.

AFTER THE ICE CREAM SHOP, HE ACTUALLY WANTED TO SERVE A FULL HEARTY MEAL WITH BROWN RICE AND SALAD WITH CARROT GINGER DRESSING AND THE PATTY FOR, LIKE, $3.00.

AND THAT BECAME DOJO.

I WENT TO NYU.

WE COULD ONLY AFFORD GOING TO DOJO, AND WE ALWAYS GOT THAT SOY BURGER WITH THE RICE AND THE CARROT.

I MEAN, IF MY ROOMMATES ARE WATCHING THIS RIGHT NOW, WE WOULD GO THERE ALL THE TIME.

SO HOW DID HE LEARN HOW TO, LIKE, DO YAKITORI, HOW TO DO THE ICE CREAM, HOW TO DO ALL THESE BUSINESSES?

SELF-TAUGHT HIMSELF.

SO HE CAME UP WITH ALL THE MENUS AT THE BEGINNING.

BACK IN JAPAN, HE ACTUALLY WAS IN THE CORPORATE WORLD.

HE REALLY JUST ALWAYS HAD A DESIRE TO COME TO THE U.S. AND HAVE THAT AMERICAN DREAM.

HE HAD A 24-HOUR DINER, ACTUALLY, CALLED AROUND THE CLOCK.

OH, YEAH.

WE USED TO GO THERE ALL THE TIME, TOO.

THAT WAS HIS?

YEAH.

OH, MY GOSH.

YEAH.

ALL OF MY EARLY TWENTIES WAS AT YOUR FAMILY'S BUSINESSES.

OH, REALLY?

YEAH.

THAT IS SO COOL.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEXT, I HEAD TO THE UPPER WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN TO RIVERSIDE DRIVE AND WEST 105th STREET TO VISIT THE NEW YORK BUDDHIST CHURCH, HOME TO SOH DAIKO, THE FIRST JAPANESE-AMERICAN TAIKO DRUMMING GROUP ON THE EAST COAST.

MAN: SOH DAIKO WAS FORMED IN 1979.

MANY OF THE YOUNGER MEMBERS WERE ENGAGED IN OTHER KINDS OF ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING THE GROWING ASIAN-AMERICAN MOVEMENT.

THERE WAS A GROWING UNDERSTANDING OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURE AND AMERICAN SOCIETY.

BUDDHIST TEMPLES BECAME REPOSITORIES OF JAPANESE CULTURE.

WE'VE BEEN REALLY FORTUNATE TO BE HOSTED BY THE NEW YORK BUDDHIST CHURCH FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THIS CHURCH IS HOME TO THE FAMOUS SHINRAN STATUE, WHICH SURVIVED THE BOMBING IN HIROSHIMA AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II.

WOMAN: THE CHURCH ITSELF WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1938 BY REVEREND HOZEN SEKI.

HIS AIM WAS TO PROMOTE JAPANESE CULTURE, RELIGION, AND HEART.

WOMAN 2: TYPICALLY THE SHIME DAIKO ARE THE SMALLER DRUMS 'CAUSE IT HAS THE HIGHEST PITCH SOUND.

THE CHUUDAIKO ARE TYPICALLY THE MEDIUM PITCH DRUMS.

AND THEN ALSO THE O-DAIKO, WHICH IS THE BIG DRUM, BRINGS IN THE BASS.

WHEN YOU PUT IT TOGETHER-- IT'S LIKE AN ORCHESTRA.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH.

AND THEN THE BELLS.

I LOVED HOW YOU-- AND DANCING.

EVERY CULTURE HAS DRUMS.

BUT THESE DRUMS ARE MADE FROM A HOLLOWED OAK TREE TRUNK.

IT'S ONE PIECE OF WOOD?

IT'S ONE PIECE OF WOOD.

OH, MY GOSH.

YES.

THESE DRUMS THEMSELVES ARE REAL WORKS OF ART.

YOU WANT TO PUT YOUR LEFT FOOT FORWARD AND YOUR RIGHT FOOT BACK.

OK. NICE AND WIDE.

YEAH, NICE AND WIDE.

SHE REALLY GOES BACK.

ALL RIGHT, YEAH, 'CAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT OF TIME, SO THE NICE THING ABOUT TAIKO IS YOU CAN FILL THAT TIME WITH MOVEMENT.

HMM.

TYPICALLY WE COUNT OFF, LIKE A ONE, TWO, READY AND.

BUT WE SAY ICHI, NI, SO-RE.

AGAIN.

ICHI, NI, SO-RE.

MY FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH TAIKO, I WAS LIKE, "I'M GONNA BE IN THIS FOR LIFE."

BECAUSE I ALWAYS LOVED MUSIC, BUT THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS MORE CULTURAL.

AND AT THAT TIME, I THINK I WAS TRYING TO FIND MY IDENTITY AS A JAPANESE AMERICAN.

BECAUSE YOU'RE HITTING TWICE WITH THE RIGHT, YOUR LEFT ARM'S REALLY NOT DOING THAT MUCH.

SO IN THIS CASE, WHAT WE DO IS WE ADD AN ARM SWIRL IN THERE WHILE I'M HITTING WITH THE RIGHT, AND THEN I COME IN FOR THE LEFT HIT.

VERY NICE.

AND THE LAST LINE THAT WE DO IS ICHI, NI, SO-RE.

SU!

OK. YOU'LL TRY IT.

ICH, NI, SO-RE.

SU!

IN BETWEEN THOSE LINES, WE HIT THE RIM, OR THE [SPEAKS JAPANESE], OF THE DRUM.

[SPEAKING JAPANESE] OK. OK?

[LAUGHS] IT'S THAT.

IT'S THAT.

ALAN: THERE WAS THIS PHENOMENON THAT WOULD HAPPEN.

THESE LADIES WOULD CRY WHEN WE WOULD PLAY FOR OLDER JAPANESE AMERICANS.

WHAT WE WERE DOING IS BRINGING BACK SOMETHING FROM THEIR CULTURE WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THEM.

BECAUSE OF THE WAR, JAPANESE CULTURE HAD BEEN SUPPRESSED AND JAPANESE AMERICANS HAD IN ESSENCE BEEN FORCED INTO A POSITION TO DENY BEING JAPANESE.

JENNIFER: FOR US TO BE ABLE TO SHARE OUR HERITAGE IN THIS PARTICULAR WAY WAS REALLY, REALLY MEANINGFUL.

WHEN I SAW TAIKO, IT CHANGED MY LIFE.

IT BECAME A WAY FOR ME TO ENGAGE BOTH IN MUSIC AND FIND A DEEPENING OF MY OWN HERITAGE.

[SHOUTING IN JAPANESE] AND THEN WE JUMP INTO THE POSITION.

YEAH!

IS THAT OK?

YES.

IT'S AMAZING.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

IT'S AMAZING.

WE'RE DOING IT.

AHH!

[ALL SHOUTING IN JAPANESE] MALLOZZI: HITTING THE STICKS PHYSICALLY TO THE DRUM WAS THIS ENERGY BEING BASICALLY THRUST THROUGHOUT MY BODY.

IT WAS REALLY... QUITE UNIQUE.

I'VE NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THAT BEFORE OR DONE ANYTHING QUITE THAT, LIKE, EXPLOSIVE BEFORE.

THAT'S THE FIRST WORD THAT COMES TO MIND.

JENNIFER: IT'S AN ENERGY THAT YOU GET FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES HERE.

IT'S AN ENERGY THAT YOU SHARE.

AND IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT ISN'T SO MUCH THE SKILL.

IT'S THE SPIRIT THAT YOU BRING TO IT.

AHH!

YEAH!

[ALL SHOUTING] MALLOZZI: I HAD SO MUCH FUN.

I HAD SO MUCH FUN.

THAT'S THE IDEA.

YEAH, YEAH.

[ALL SHOUTING IN JAPANESE] YEAH!

YOU GUYS!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEXT STOP, I HEAD TO LITTLE MANILA IN WOODSIDE, QUEENS TO MEET WITH MY FRIEND KARESIA BATAN.

KARESIA IS FILIPINA-AMERICAN AND FOUNDER OF THE QUEENSBORO DANCE FESTIVAL.

AND SHE'S TAKING ME TO SOME OF HER FAVORITE SPOTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

OUR FIRST STOP IS TO AMAZING GRACE ON THE CORNER OF 69th STREET AND ROOSEVELT AVENUE.

BATAN: WELCOME TO AMAZING GRACE.

IT'S A RESTAURANT AND BAKERY, AS YOU CAN SEE.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS COMING IN HERE IS JUST, LIKE, THE SMELLS AND THE AMBIANCE.

IT JUST--IT ALWAYS JUST BRINGS ME HOME TO BE HERE AND BE ABLE TO EAT SOME HOME-COOKED FOOD.

WE'RE GONNA START WITH CALAMANSI JUICE.

CALAMANSI IS A REALLY SMALL, TINY LIME.

IT PROBABLY TAKES ABOUT 30 TINY CALAMANSIS... OH, MY GOSH.

TO SQUEEZE AND MAKE ONE OF THESE.

OH, WOW.

MM-HMM.

THAT'S DELICIOUS.

YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: KARESIA'S QUEENSBORO DANCE FESTIVAL COMPRISES OF PERFORMANCES THROUGHOUT THE BOROUGH, AS WELL AS WORKSHOPS.

BATAN: 1, 2, 3.

ALL: 1, 2, 3.

MALLOZZI: YOU CHOSE QUEENS TO START YOUR BUSINESS.

TELL US WHY QUEENS.

THIS COMMUNITY IS AMAZING.

THEY REALLY HELP EACH OTHER OUT.

THEY SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

I JUST REALIZED AS A DANCER, I KEPT LEAVING THE BOROUGH TO FIND MY DANCE COMMUNITY, TO MEET DANCERS.

IT WAS WHERE I KEPT LEAVING TO GO REHEARSALS AND AUDITIONS AND CLASSES AND SHOWS.

SO I STARTED THE FESTIVAL 8 YEARS AGO NOW TO BASICALLY GET A LAY OF THE LAND AND SEE WHO ELSE WAS HERE WITH ME.

AND IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE A LOT OF US.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: DIANE DILION, WHOSE FAMILY OWNS AMAZING GRACE, IMMIGRATED HERE TO QUEENS WHEN SHE WAS JUST 9 YEARS OLD.

SO, DIANE, THERE IS A BEAUTIFUL MURAL OUTSIDE.

DILION: I HELPED PAINT IT.

IT WAS VERY FUN, LIKE, HELPING OUT IN IT, BUT IT ALSO, LIKE, HELPED ME, LIKE, FEEL CONNECTED TO MY COMMUNITY A LITTLE BIT, ESPECIALLY, LIKE, WITH THE WORD "MABUHAU," WHICH MEANS, LIKE, WELCOME.

SO IT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS LIKE OUR STREET LITTLE MANILA.

AND NOW SEEING, LIKE, A BIG SIGN THAT SAYS WELCOME, I HOPE THAT, LIKE, OTHER NEW FAMILIES FEEL THE SAME WELCOME THAT I FELT WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THIS COUNTRY.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AND WE DEFINITELY FEEL WELCOME HERE AS MORE FOOD ARRIVES.

BATAN: THIS IS PANCIT PALABOK.

IT'S VERY NOSTALGIC OF A CELEBRATION, BECAUSE THEY OFTEN SERVE IT AT BIRTHDAY PARTIES TO SYMBOLIZE A LONG LIFE, BECAUSE NOODLES ARE VERY LONG.

OH, YEAH.

YEAH.

I SMELL PEANUT COMING FROM SOMEWHERE.

UH, YES, KARE-KARE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE A CURRY MADE WITH PEANUT-- PEANUT BUTTER AND OXTAIL AND BEEF.

WOW.

YEAH.

AND THEN THIS GUY?

THIS IS THE FRIED VEGETABLES.

THERE'S SOME PORK IN IT.

WOW.

I'M SOLD ON FILIPINO FOOD.

BATAN: OH, YEAH.

DONE.

DONE WITH THAT.

IT'S A PARTY ON A PLATE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NEXT, KARESIA TAKES ME TO PHIL-AM MART JUST ONE BLOCK DOWN ON 70th STREET.

BATAN: THIS IS PHIL-AM MART.

MALLOZZI: YES.

HAS ALL MY FAVORITE THINGS THAT REMIND ME OF MY MOM'S PANTRY FROM HOME.

SO THIS IS BASICALLY YOUR SHOP WHEN YOU NEED TO GET ANYTHING FILIPINO.

YEP, AND WE NEED TO STOCK UP THE PANTRY OR GET GROCERIES SO WE CAN COOK FILIPINO FOOD AT HOME.

OH, HERE'S THE, LIKE-- SNACKS.

YEAH, SNACKS.

LIKE-- MOST IMPORTANT PART IS SNACKS.

IT'S HARD TO FIND THESE SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS AND ALSO THESE TYPES OF BRANDS THAT ARE NATIVE TO THE PHILIPPINES THAT WE GREW UP WITH.

YEAH.

CORN AND CHEESE ICE CREAM.

YEAH.

THAT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY GOOD.

I BET IT IS.

I BET IT'S DELICIOUS.

BUT WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

CORN--CORN AND CHEESE ICE CREAM.

MALLOZZI: IF YOU WANT TO BE TRANSPORTED, YOU CAN COME HERE, AND YOU'RE IN THE PHILIPPINES.

BATAN: OH, YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: OUR LAST STOP IS TO RENEE'S KITCHENETTE AND GRILL, SITUATED BETWEEN AMAZING GRACE AND PHIL-AM MART.

WE MEET WITH OWNER RENEE, WHO OPENED THE RESTAURANT OVER 30 YEARS AGO WITH HER HUSBAND.

SHE AND HER SON EARL ARE GIVING US A TASTE OF THESE ICONIC DISHES FROM PAMPANGA.

WHEN SHE FIRST OPENED UP, SHE WAS, LIKE, MAYBE ONE OF TWO OF 3 RESTAURANTS HERE, AND THEN NOW IT'S ALL FILLED WITH ALL DIFFERENT FILIPINO STORES, YOU KNOW, AND RESTAURANTS AND GROCERIES.

MALLOZZI: AND YOU WERE THE PIONEER, REALLY, IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD, RENEE.

THEY ALL FOLLOWED.

YEAH.

THEY ALL FOLLOWED.

WE CAME FIRST.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: WE UNEXPECTEDLY START WITH A LITTLE DESSERT FIRST, THE FAMOUS HALO-HALO.

ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO MIX IT?

YEAH.

SO HALO-HALO ACTUALLY MEANS MIX-MIX, SO, YEAH, MIX AWAY.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: HALO-HALO IS MADE OF CRUSHED ICE, EVAPORATED MILK, AND CANDIED FRUITS AND BEANS.

FUN.

COLD.

MM-HMM.

THAT'S REAL COLD.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THEN THE MAIN COURSE, RENEE'S FAMOUS BARBECUE... OH, MY GOSH, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AND THE SISIG.

IT'S REALLY ABOUT THE SOUND.

[SIZZLING] IT IS ABSOLUTELY SIZZLING ON HERE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: RENEE'S IS ALSO KNOWN FOR THEIR HOMEMADE SAUSAGE, ALL DONE IN-HOUSE.

THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE BLOCK TO EAT THE BEST FOOD.

IT'S SO GOOD.

[DRUMMING AND CHANTING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: MY LAST STOP BRINGS ME TO CENTRAL PARK TO MEET WITH AMALIA SURYANI AND HER DANCE GROUP SAUNG BUDAYA, ONE OF THE FEW INDONESIAN PERFORMANCE GROUPS HERE IN NEW YORK CITY.

[WHOOPING] SURYANI: WHEN I MOVE HERE, THERE WERE, LIKE, INDONESIAN AMERICAN BORN WHO DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT INDONESIA.

THEY DON'T SPEAK INDONESIAN.

THEY DON'T LIKE THE INDONESIAN FOOD.

SO I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT, I KNOW DANCE, SO WHY DON'T I TEACH THEM THAT?

THEY FEEL, LIKE, CONNECTED AFTER THAT, AND THEN I TRAVEL WITH THEM, I PERFORM.

WE PROMOTING THE INDONESIAN CULTURE TO WIDER PUBLIC, RIGHT?

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AMALIA SHOWS ME 3 DIFFERENT STYLES OF DANCE TODAY, ALL FROM WEST SUMATRA.

THE NAIAK PADI IS A BEAUTIFULLY ELEGANT DANCE.

AND THEN I GET DRESSED FOR THE RANDAI.

I LOVE IT.

OH, MY GOSH, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.

MAKE SURE YOUR KNEE IS OPEN.

AND THEN MAKE SURE YOUR PANT IS ACTUALLY TIGHT.

IT'S TIGHT.

OK.

SO YOU MAKE IT TIGHT WITH YOUR KNEE.

YEAH.

THERE WE GO.

YEAH.

YEAH.

I'M GETTING A LITTLE WHIPLASH IN MY NECK.

IS THAT NORMAL?

YEAH.

YEAH.

THERE YOU GO.

WHOA.

QUAD WORK.

7, 8.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

SO YOUR HEAD IS DIAGONAL, RIGHT?

BUT YOUR EYES IS TO THE FRONT.

NEVER LEFT THE FRONT.

IN INDONESIA WE CALL THAT LIRIK.

LIRIK.

YEAH.

WHEN YOU LOOK FROM YOUR-- THE CORNER OF YOUR EYES.

OOH.

START.

NO ONE'S GONNA MESS WITH YOU, AMALIA.

HA HA HA!

SERIOUSLY.

YOU NEED IT IN NEW YORK, RIGHT?

YEAH, RIGHT!

SURYANI: THIS IS MARTIAL ART.

THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OTHER DANCE FORM IN OTHER PART OF THE REGION IN INDONESIA.

THAT'S WHY, LIKE, A LOT OF MOVEMENT IS REALLY, YOU KNOW, POWERFUL.

8!

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

YEAH!

YEAH.

WITH THE MUSIC.

YES.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: AMALIA THEN SHOWS ME THE PIRING DANCE.

[TRADITIONAL MUSIC PLAYING] [ALL VOCALIZING] WHEN YOU GO DOWN, YOU HAVE TO, LIKE, FASTER.

OH, GOSH.

BUT WHEN YOU DO ALL THE WAY.

OH, ALL THE WAY UP.

IT'S ACTUALLY-- YOU LOCK IT AND THEN SCOOP IT FAST.

YEAH.

UP AND... UP.

YEAH.

VERY GOOD.

NOT BAD.

RIGHT.

SO FROM HERE AND FLIP.

YEAH.

IT'S SCARY, AMALIA.

YOU DID IT BEFORE.

I KNOW I DID.

YOU DID IT BEFORE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S VERY SCARY.

I'M GONNA WATCH YOU.

1, 2, 3.

AAH!

[LAUGHS] ♪ FEELING SAFE, IT'S REALLY SAFE ♪ ♪ IT'S GONNA BE OK ♪ 5, 6, 7, 8.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.

1, 2, 3--WHOO!

SURYANI: AND I'M SO PROUD WITH MY GROUP THAT NOW THEY'RE NOT ONLY DANCING, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT, LIKE, GOING BACK TO INDONESIA TO, LIKE, GIVING BACK.

IT'S MEANT A LOT.

SOMETIMES MAKE ME, LIKE, REALLY, YOU KNOW, LIKE, REALLY HONORED.

YEAH!

[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE] YEAH!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS HERE IN NEW YORK CITY BROUGHT ME ON A JOURNEY THROUGH CONNECTION, A CONNECTION TO SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES, BUT ALSO A CONNECTION TO THE SENSE OF HOME AND BELONGING AND GROUNDEDNESS AND POWER AND ENERGY AND, OF COURSE, JOY.

THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE SO BEAUTIFUL AND DIVERSE ABOUT THE AAPI COMMUNITIES.

THAT TERM DOES NOT REPRESENT A MONOLITH OF PEOPLE, AND IT IS SOMETHING TO BE CELEBRATED.

AND I'LL SEE YOU ON MY NEXT "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE, WHEREVER IT MAY TAKE ME!

[ALL CHEERING] YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEET.COM, WHERE YOU'LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

IT'S SO COLD... ON MY TEETH.

IT'S REALLY COLD.

IT'S HOT.

I LIKE THE CRUNCHY ON TOP, TOO.

IT'S VERY HOT.

AND SO GOOD.

IT'S SO HOT.

THIS IS A LOT OF FOOD.

IN ONE DAY.

THIS IS A LOT OF FOOD IN ONE DAY.

"BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: ROAD SCHOLAR, OFFERING EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL ADVENTURES FOR ADULTS SINCE 1975.

ANNOUNCER: ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

...THESE GENEROUS SUPPORTERS.

ANNOUNCER: AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

[BABY BABBLING]