Dancing in the ancestral homeplace was more likely to have been activity integrated into sacred and secular systems, an accepted, expected, understood part of everyday routine, festivity, and religious custom. Here, the community base for ethnic dance groups is quite often church. In gathering to socialize, a revitalization of cultural knowledge occurs. People exchange information, speak a common language, practice songs and dances, and partake in familiar foods and customs of the shared heritage. In the multicultural community they build a framework for the adaptations of older cultural expressions.
Language is maintained, but changed.
New songs are learned from elders or those who have recently visited the country of origin, but they are sung in new contexts. Traditional clothing styles are copied, but adapted to available materials in the new home community. And old forms of dances are learned and re-enter the repertoire. Typically, love songs are part of the repertoire, as well as historical events and humorous songs. Groups perform on instruments either brought from the homeland or built or restored in an ever-enlarging network of folk instrument makers in this country.