The U.S. Regional Arts Organization awarded two grants to Delawareans to preserve folklife in communities of color.
The organization split up $3.34 million in funds to 96 grantees.
Terry Sammons specializes in Lenape beadwork and fish skin tanning. He received $15 thousand from the Walking Together grant to get more supplies and teach others to create similar art.
Treinta Y Tres Delaware Rueda was one of 56 organizations in the nation to receive a $50 thousand grant.
One of the nonprofit’s founders Susan Payne said Rueda de Casino is a Cuban style of dance like square dancing to Latin music.
“A caller will call out a move, and then every couple performs that move, and we change partners and do different intricate dances together to Latin music,” Payne explained. “It's a lot of fun… We just wanted to share it with other people so other people could have that same joy.”
Payne added her mission is to keep growing their community and expose people to different cultures. The $50 thousand grant will fund instructor training, which will allow the org to expand further into the tri-state area.
People come from all over the county and even overseas to attend Rueda events, Payne said.
“It's very much a cultural exchange, but it also allows us to build and get our name on the map. So a lot of what we're doing is trying to invest back in the culture, the Cuban culture, and support the Cuban artists in this folkloric dance style and also be able to grow it so that there's more awareness of it.”
Payne said the organization provides an opportunity for adults to meet new friends and find community through dance.
“Children, they can easily go out on a playground and just kind of make 100 zillion friends,” Payne said. “But for people of a certain age, you go out and you want to do something with some movement, and when you're dancing with other people, there's an instant connection where you feel open and vulnerable to making connections with other people.”
The group has events almost every week listed on its website.
