Most Bermudians remember exactly where they were when the Bermuda flag appeared during the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny.
As dancers moved across the field carrying flags from across the Americas, the sight of Bermuda’s flag woven into the choreography sparked an immediate reaction across the island. Phones lit up. Families shouted from living rooms. Group chats exploded. Social media quickly filled with videos, screenshots, and emotional reactions from Bermudians who could hardly believe they were seeing their country represented on one of the world’s largest entertainment stages.
But behind that moment was a far more personal story.
Few people realised that the dancer carrying the Bermuda flag, Julianna Holland, had chosen it because of a Bermudian friend she met while studying dance in Los Angeles.
That friend was Naysaa Tucker (pronounced Na-Say-Ah).
For Naysaa, dance started long before Los Angeles studios and choreography sessions. Her journey began with what she laughingly describes as “incorrect ballet attire” and an unexpected trip to town orchestrated by her mother. Her sister, Tine Tucker, said Naysaa was originally placed in dance to help her “become less shy” and to encourage her to express herself more freely.
“My introduction to dance was through incorrect ballet attire and a random drive to town,” Naysaa recalled.
“My mom was definitely the instigator in dropping me off at the studio, no words necessary.”
Family support quietly shaped what came next. Eventually, that support carried her from Bermuda to Los Angeles, where she now dances and choreographs under instructors immersed in the professional dance industry.
Naysaa, 21, met Julianna in October 2024 after Julianna transferred from another Los Angeles campus. Their friendship grew through rehearsals, long studio days, and weekly evening classes, where students often struggled to find energy after exhausting days.
Over time, Bermuda became a regular part of their conversations. Naysaa spoke openly about the island, its culture, its people, and everyday life back home. Julianna was consistently curious, not in the distant way outsiders can sometimes approach Bermuda, but with the genuine interest of someone wanting to understand a friend more deeply.
“In a way, I figured I intrigued her with information on the lively island that she didn’t know existed in the Atlantic,” Naysaa said.
What she never imagined was that those conversations would eventually lead Julianna to select the Bermuda flag for one of the most watched performances in the world.
When the Super Bowl aired months later, Naysaa learned that Julianna had intentionally chosen to carry the Bermuda flag during the choreography.
“The extent to which led to her choice of flag was a sincere surprise,” she said.
For many Bermudians, the halftime show carried meaning beyond entertainment. Through music, choreography, and the visual representation of flags from across Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond, the performance communicated cultural pride, unity and belonging. At a time when international headlines and political discourse often feel dominated by division and hostility, the performance presented something different. It celebrated connection across borders, languages, and identities.
“I believe the wider message of this experience is just overall cultural pride and a manifesto of unity,” Naysaa reflected.
As Bermudians, we often pride ourselves on being friendly and acting as natural ambassadors for our country when we travel or live overseas for work or school.
Naysaa’s experience is a reminder that sharing stories about Bermuda, our culture and the lives we live here can leave a lasting impression in ways we may never fully realise. And sometimes those small, genuine connections can carry a piece of Bermuda further than we ever imagined.
