Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    Leadership Training: The organization teaches historical significant and contemporary tap dance to the Youth Tap Ensemble i.e. YTE (15-25 dancers ages 6 to 18). This group rehearses approx. 110 hours per year each. 40% of these dancers received scholarships. Students learn basic thru advanced skills, improvisation, musicality and joy. Our students expand their artistic talents and improve their leadership skills. Students usually perform multiple times per year at a wide variety of venues. We go beyond creating dancers, and develop people who understand the value of arts and arts education. Our performances count towards community service for many of our students as they develop their leadership skills by participating in the planning and execution of performances. We are also a training ground for dancers interested in developing their teaching skills. In March, we quickly pivoted all classes to an online learning format due to the onset of the pandemic and requirements of the public health emergency. We successfully maintained our student partipation and in fact reached new students through our online option. Offering classes online also allowed us to expand access to guest instructors from across the country enriching the YTD learning experience. For three months during the summer we experimented with having some outdoor classes and by the fall and winter transitioned to hybrid classes of live and online learners. It was a monumental tasks for our leadership to develop and rapidly implement a multi-platform solution to keep our dedicated students engaged and moving forward.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $0

  • Program 2 [2020]

    Educational Involvement: Keane Sense of Rhythm does outreach programming with Title One Elementary and Middle Schools in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. We supplement arts education for under-served youth whose art programming has been cut and who have real and perceived barriers to attending a dance class. Our program supplements and strengthens community partnerships and ensures equal access to the arts for children in our community considered high-risk youth. This year because of the pandemic and shutdown of our public schools, we taught a limited number of active participants as the venues to reach our student audience were shutdown. We won a grant to partner with the CDC Freedom Schools summer program, but because we could only work virtually and a lack of student access to technology we were unable to conduct this programming in 2020. The grant funds were put on hold and set aside for other future projects as the pandemic made it possible to resume. We attempted programming in November with the Freedom Schools Express program for 5-10 year olds. Students were bussed in from home, given a snack, and given 2 enrichment classes along with reading. Unfortunately, the program lasted almost 2 weeks before being shut down due to a second surge of COVID infections in the community. However, we were successful in creating adult community ed classes for Saint Paul residents that went virutal and survived despite the pandemic. While online programming was not a viable solution for many of our outreach student, we are proud of what we were able to provide during a very difficult time for the community and look forward to resuming our programming in full force in the coming year.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $0

  • Program 3 [2020]

    Community Performances: The goal of our producing arm is to produce at least two events annually. Our 22nd annual National Tap Dance Day was not celebrated due to the pandemic. We produced no events in 2020. The St. Paul Winter Carnival was the last performance on Feb 1, 2020.We were sponsors of the 6th annual Twin Cities Tap Festival. This year there was a virtual show and no in person classes. Despite being a regular participant in the Universal Dance Destiny events, they did not produce any events in 2020.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $0