Community Arts

Project Details by Fiscal Year
2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,800
Fund Source
Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund
Recipient
Los Alegres Bailadores
Recipient Type
Non-Profit Business/Entity
Status
Completed
Start Date
August 2016
End Date
August 2016
Activity Type
Grants/Contracts
Counties Affected
Dakota
Dakota
Project Overview
Community Arts
Project Details
Funding for a two-week intensive Mexican Folkloric Dance Workshop primarily led by Maestro Zadoc Fuentes Marin. Workshops will be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and the Wellstone Center on St Paul's West Side in August 2016.
Competitive Grant Making Body
Board Members and Qualifications
Julie Andersen: Eagan Art House Executive Director; Jill Anfang: Roseville Parks and Recreation Program Director; Bethany Brunsell: Music teacher and performer; Shelly Chamberlain: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits Operations Director; Marisol Chiclana-Ayla: Artist, Board Chair El Arco Iris; Anthony Galloway: Actor, storyteller, West Metro Education Program; Jamil Jude: Theatre artist; Tricia Khutoretsky: Public Functionary Curator and Co-Director; Peter Leggett: Walker West Music Academy Executive Director; Dayna Martinez: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts; Coleen McLaughlin: Arts Midwest Director of External Relations; Tom Moffatt: Silverwood Park Supervisor; Kathy Mouacheupao: Twin Cities Local Initiatives Support Corporation Cultural Corridor Coordinator; Adam Napoli-Rangel: Artist; Heather Rutledge: ArtReach Saint Croix Executive Director; Andrea Sjogren: Hopkins Public Schools Youth Programs Coordinator; Dameun Strange: Composer and performer; Melissa Wright: Twin Cities Public Television.
Advisory Group Members and Qualifications
Barb Rose: Organizational development, community service, Community Education; Ashley Hanson: Artistic, administration, organizational development; David Stevens: Artistic, education; Shauna Dee: Administration, community service, fundraising; Jeff Erbland: Artistic, audience development, administration; Nastalie Bogira: Artistic, administration, community service; Alejandra Iannone: Artistic, youth programming, education; Joyce Strand: Youth programming; Teresa Perez: Artistic, computer systems, administration.
Conflict of Interest Disclosed
No
Legal Citation / Subdivision
Laws of Minnesota 2015 Special Session, chapter 2, article 4, section 2, subdivision 3
Appropriation Language

ACHF Arts Access

2016 Fiscal Year Funding Amount
$4,800
Other Funds Leveraged
$7,500
Direct expenses
$12,300
Administration costs
$0
Number of full time equivalents funded
0.00
Proposed Measurable Outcome(s)

At least 55 dance students participate in workshop where they will increase their dance ability, learn new dances endurance and perform at a "show and tell" opportunity at the end of the session for an audience of 250 people. Instructors will develop new lesson plans, learn repertoire, new ideas for teaching choreography, stage presence and increased knowledge of the history of dances that can be used in teaching regular classes over the next two years. We will evaluate our outcomes by audience/participant

Measurable Outcome(s)

Artistic Goals: The project was very successful. Zadoc Fuentes Marin, of Instituto MIZOC of Mexico City, led a robust 8 day week intensive workshop which included choreography for over 30 dances for the various groups, innovative teaching techniques and historical context for all. A full day was dedicated to having each participant create head pieces connected to one of the dances each participant learned. His enthusiasm and energy was 100 percent contagious and the participants were engaged and determined from the first class to the last. The instruction took place in the dance studio at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church as well as a local school gymnasium for the additional open space to make headpieces and to practice the larger group dances. In addition to the daily workshop classes, the visiting artist will work with lead Los Alegres Bailadores dance instructors to develop extended lesson plans for future classes of folkloric material not yet known widely by instructors currently in Minnesota. Challenges: We could have used a second day for making headpieces. These projects required more space and time than one day would all allow. Transportation to and from morning and early afternoon classes were a challenge for families. Ride sharing was required. Strengths: Networking and camaraderie was plentiful during this project. Having the large practice space donated was wonderful. Community Participants: St Paul’s West Side has a large population of first, second and third generation Mexican Americans who have a strong desire to keep their Mexican Culture alive. A majority of the Workshop participates live, have lived or have family on the West Side and Los Alegres Bailadores is based on St Paul’s West Side so locating the Summer Workshop in the same location that Los Alegres Bailadores offers regular classes throughout the year ensures that a large number of regular Los Alegres Bailadores students can participate. The project also attracted individuals from other areas: Oakdale, Minneapolis, Eagan, Cottage Grove, Rosemount and Hugo to name a few. Out of the 75 participants, 15 had never taken a folkloric dance workshop before. The majority of the workshop’s participants are of Mexican descent, but not all. We had several participants purely interested in the cultural sharing that was provided by this unique workshop. We exceeded our anticipated participation numbers by 36% for a total of 75 participants. 15 of these participants had never taken a folkloric dance workshop before. Over 30 new dances were taught during this workshop and the dancers will be invited back to share these dances with at a performance in November and other various festivals and celebrations in the Twin Cities.

Description of Funds
Source of Additional Funds

Other, local or private

Recipient Board Members
David Holm, Synthia Walfoort, Alicia Villegas, Wendy Everett, Linda Nunez, Lesly Gamez, Nikki Glaser, Rebecca Moran Cusick
Project Manager
First Name
Rebecca
Last Name
Moran Cusick
Organization Name
Los Alegres Bailadores
Street Address
5935 Bryant Ln
City
Inver Grove Heights
State
MN
Zip Code
55076
Phone
(651) 246-2399
Email
losalegres1977@gmail.com
Administered By
Administered by
Location

Griggs Midway Building, Suite 304,
540 Fairview Avenue North,
St. Paul, MN 55104

Phone
(651) 539-2650 or toll-free (800) 866-2787
Email the Agency
Location

PO Box 14106
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55114 

Phone
Project Manager: Kathy Mouacheupao
651-645-0402
Email the Agency