Community Arts

The following artistic goals were provided in the original dance class proposal: It is the long-term goal of the Dance Instruction program at Hmong Cultural Center to ensure that knowledge of traditional Hmong and other Asian Dances are passed along to children and youth. Three levels of teaching are providing in the Dance Instruction program. These levels are Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced. Beginning students must learn the Hmong dance “Yuav Tsum Sib Hlub,” translated as “You Must Love Each Other.” Beginning students mainly focus on this first dance before they are able to advance to the intermediate group and other dances. The Intermediate students are introduced to new songs and dances. In addition to Hmong dance routines, they learn certain Laotian, Thai and Indian styles. The Advanced students move at a faster pace. They learn a new dance every two months. Before students can be in the Advanced group, they must have already been trained in a range of Hmong, Laotian, Thai and Indian dances. They must also have had a year of dancing experience at the Hmong Cultural Center. The Dance class program was successfully carried out over the grant period. A total of 26 dance students aged 7-17 were served in the 3 class levels with dance instruction over the past year. Dance class members showcased skills learned in class by performing at several events in 2016 including Asian American Day at the Mall of America in May 2016, the Little Mekong Night Market in August 2016, and at Hmong New Year events across the Twin Cities area in November and December 2016. As stated in the original proposal: "Most of the youth and young adults served by the Dance Instruction Program come from the Frogtown, Eastside and North End neighborhoods of Saint Paul. Some of the participants also reside in other parts of the Twin Cities area. Participants are primarily aged 7-17. Hmong Cultural Center estimates about 50% of its arts program participants may be classified as “low-income” and “at-risk”, the organization estimates about 1/3 of participants come from middle class backgrounds. The Hmong poverty rate in Minnesota according to 2014 American Community Survey data was about 16.5% compared to 7.5% among all Minnesota families. Over the past decade, foreclosure crisis and economic recession in Minnesota hit the Hmong community hard. At the same time, several foundations in Minnesota have moved away from funding arts-focused afterschool programs over the past several years. The Hmong community of the Twin Cities is very much in need of accessible arts enrichment programs for children and youth. As projected, over the grant period, the Dance program served primarily Hmong female students aged 7-17 residing in Saint Paul neighborhoods with free instruction in traditional Hmong and Asian dances. The availability of the dance program at Hmong Cultural Center enhanced the diversity of arts programming available to minority populations in the East Metro area. Over the grant period, students performed at such events as the Asian Pacific American Day at the Mall of America in May 2016 and the Hmong New Year in November and December 2016. A total of 26 Hmong female students aged 7-17 were served in the Dance classes on Sunday afternoons from Noon-5 PM at Hmong Cultural Center over the grant period. 8 students were served in the beginner class, 7 students in the intermediate class and 11 students in the advanced class. Enrolled students performed at community events over the 2016 grant period.