Operating Support
ACHF Arts Access
To continue to present Ragamala’s signature work—nationally recognized for its contemporary approach to Bharatanatyam—at major Twin Cities venues and in small, remote communities in Greater Minnesota that would not otherwise have access to Indian arts and culture. Outcome: diverse new audiences throughout the state of Minnesota will have the opportunity to experience Ragamala’s unique artistic work and encounter the arts and culture of India. Minnesota’s Indian community will have the opportunity to see its own artistic traditions presented as a vital part of our state’s vibrant cultural environment. This will support Minnesota State Arts Board objectives: the arts thrive in Minnesota and people of all ages, ethnicities, and abilities participate in the arts. Ragamala evaluates the quality of our programs based on feedback from participants and community partners. We evaluate our ability to reach new audiences and integrate the arts into the community in new ways by examining attendance, demographics of attendees, and whether or not we have engaged new partners. New partners in 2012-13 included the Northfield Senior Wellness Center, Division Street Dance School, four Minnesota elementary schools and local amateur percussionist Balaji Chandran. Feedback included, I really loved it when [students] immediately reacted with their hands when the demonstration explained how words are formed by the hands in the dance, (South Elementary, St Peter, Minnesota) Professional, exciting to watch, and related well to children. The students and staff loved the performance! (Cowern Elementary, North St Paul) The instructors were AMAZING. They were so knowledgeable, such professionals, so well-prepared. (Cowles Center Distance Learning Program). 2: To continue to expand our outreach programs, which bring our work directly to Minnesota communities through free performances, workshops, and residencies at K-12 schools, universities, libraries, museums, parks, senior citizens’ homes, and workplaces. Outcome: audiences underserved due to geographic, socioeconomic, or perceptual barriers will have first-hand arts experiences and be exposed to the arts and culture of India. Youth and adults will learn about the arts and culture of India and build skills necessary to communicate across boundaries of ethnicity, nationality, and religion. This will support Minnesota State Arts Board objectives: the arts are interwoven into every facet of community life and people of all ages, ethnicities, and abilities participate in the arts. As noted above, we evaluate outreach programs based on feedback, attendance, demographics of attendees, and whether or not we have engaged new artistic and organizational partners. Our partnership with the Bloomington Center for the Arts was new this year, and feedback included OH MY WORD!!! Words cannot express how BEAUTIFUL EVERYTHING was! (audience member) Our staff had nothing but great things to say about the performance. (Ridgeview Elementary) The dancers were amazing - such grace and definition. The question and answer time at the end was delightful and we learned a great deal. Our seniors enjoyed it very much, and we are very grateful for helping us cover the busing cost. (Sabes Jewish Community Center staff) According to audience surveys, attendees at our 2013 world premiere of 1,001 Buddhas: Journey of the Gods at Minneapolis' Cowles Center came from eighteen Minnesota counties. Approximately 14% identified as Indian, 6% African American, 3% Native American, 3% Middle Eastern, 66% White, and 9% selected Other.
The arts are interwoven into every facet of community life: Ragamala is nationally recognized as a model for creative community outreach. In addition to extensive activities in K-12 schools, we look beyond this traditional model in order to weave our presence into the fabric of Minnesota communities in innovative ways. We partner with museums, libraries, senior centers, cultural festivals, hospitals, public agencies, places of worship and workplaces, custom-designing activities to suit the needs of each constituency. Highlights of the 2012-13 season include dance workshops for the Northfield Senior Wellness Center and Division Street Dance School in Northfield, an informal concert/jam session by our world renowned artists with community-based South Asian percussionists, and a performance by advanced students of the Ragamala School at the City of Minneapolis' Secret City/Hidden Places festival, as well as thirteen educational performances in K-12 schools in the Greater Twin Cities and St Peter. 2: People of all ages, ethnicities, and abilities participate: Ragamala actively works to bring our programs directly to audiences that are underserved due to geographic, socioeconomic, cultural, physical, and perceived barriers. 2012-13 examples include: 234 people took advantage of highly subsidized tickets to Sacred Earth at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, providing a high-quality, affordable and geographically accessible experience to suburban audiences in a difficult economy. 375 youth and seniors (from four 4 local schools and Sabes Jewish Community Center) attended a free matinee and took advantage of free busing. Educational performances in Minnesota schools reached an additional 2,734. The Ragamala School (where 90% of students are young Indian girls) provides a high standard of training to the next generation of Bharatanatyam dancers in Minnesota, while instilling confidence, self-esteem, and the value of hard work, and providing role models of strong, successful Indian women. All venues were ADA accessible.
Other
local or private