Keane Sense of Rhythm Inc

Leadership Training: The organization teaches historically significant and contemporary tap dance to the Youth Tap Ensemble aka YTE (10-20 dancers ages 8 to 18). Beginning this year, we hired a new director for our Youth Tap Ensemble, thus replacing the founders of the program and growing our legacy. The format changed from a school-year program and a separate summer program to one fall-intensive program that culminates in a performance with live music, and three less intense training programs to serve students the rest of the year.Fifteen (15) % of these dancers received scholarships. Students learn from basic to advanced skills, improvisation, musicality and, of course, rhythm.Our students expand their artistic talents and improve their leadership skills by having a voice in creativity and and logistically deciding priorities.Students perform multiple times per year at various venues such as the St. Paul Winter Carnival. We go beyond creating dancers and develop people who understand the value of arts and arts education.We are also a training ground for dancers interested in developing their teaching skills.Our Tap Classes at St. Paul Freedom Schools' summer program invite alumni to assist while learning how to build successful, high-quality enrichment experiences for elementary and middle school students.

Educational Involvement: Keane Sense of Rhythm currently does outreach programming with three Elementary Schools in St. Paul, Mn. We specifically work with the Freedom School students year-round in grade K-5th grade. By bringing a high-quality enrichment program, we supplement arts education for underserved youth with real and perceived barriers to attending a dance class of any kiind.We serve an average of 100 participants annually and quarterly showcases serve peers and families as audience members, totalling over 1,000 people. Keane's outreach program included adult tap classes in Richfield and St. Paul community education, as well as St. Paul Jewish Community Center.Most classes run for 6 sessions at a time, 3 or 4 times a year. These 'Tappy hour" classes are low cost and shoes may be borrowed rather than bought. We served approximately 135 adults through community education programs.We offer a wide variety of classes, including 55+ classes for aging adults: the total adults served reached over 200.We hosted master classes with guest artists serving over 60 participants.