Rebuilding Apsara Dance Academy
Donation protected
Hello My name is Korry Voeun, I am a 23 year old Cambodian American residing in Lawrence, Massachusetts. I've always had a love for Cambodian Classical and Folk Dance and the rich culture my Mother, Father, and our Ancenstors homeland has to offer.
When I was around the age of 8, I started to learn Cambodian dance from my aunt who was teaching local youth around our area for Cambodian New Year festivities. Our group was formally know as (Kolab Saw Dance Troupe), meaning White Rose Dance Troupe. We did not have any formal training, we just learned from a vhs cassette from the 80's of the royal ballet of Cambodia.
My Mother also a lover of the arts had helped her oraganize and manage/fund the group for about 4 years. As time progress I had taken over and decided that its time to that we take formal training. In 2007 with grants from the sisters of charity where my mother had worked as an outreach worker, we had the oppurtunity to take lesson from The Angkor Dance Troupe with Master Phousita Huy from the Royal University of Fine Arts. Where we had the blessing and guidance towards the right direction of perserving the cambodianheritage. The group performed for many local events such as, The Bread and Roses Festival, Cambodian New Year in Revere, Lowell South East Asian Water Festival, and many local charity events raising money for orphanages in Cambodia.
As time has gone by, the troupe and life goes on and the Dance Troupe now known as The Apsara Dance Academy had disbanded in 2013. Now fast forwarding to 2016, We have all came back together wanting to give back to community in any shape or form with the knowledge that we have learned.
I am here reaching out to you because due to things we can not control our dance costumes have been destryoed by a flood in my basement. I was able to save and repair some crowns, and dance mask but all our costume had been damadged and got molded from the flood. The funds that we are able to raise will be used to purchase new costumes for the group. We are just a small group of 15 indivivduals made of todays children, youth, young adults, and parents trying to perserve one of the many art forms of Cambodia. We would greatly apperciate if you could help in any shape or form. We are hoping to raise the funds by the end of November. So we can have the costume brought back with a family member of a dance group thats heading to Cambodia mid december. We know know this can be a short notice but again any donation big or small can help us acheive this goal.
When I was around the age of 8, I started to learn Cambodian dance from my aunt who was teaching local youth around our area for Cambodian New Year festivities. Our group was formally know as (Kolab Saw Dance Troupe), meaning White Rose Dance Troupe. We did not have any formal training, we just learned from a vhs cassette from the 80's of the royal ballet of Cambodia.
My Mother also a lover of the arts had helped her oraganize and manage/fund the group for about 4 years. As time progress I had taken over and decided that its time to that we take formal training. In 2007 with grants from the sisters of charity where my mother had worked as an outreach worker, we had the oppurtunity to take lesson from The Angkor Dance Troupe with Master Phousita Huy from the Royal University of Fine Arts. Where we had the blessing and guidance towards the right direction of perserving the cambodianheritage. The group performed for many local events such as, The Bread and Roses Festival, Cambodian New Year in Revere, Lowell South East Asian Water Festival, and many local charity events raising money for orphanages in Cambodia. As time has gone by, the troupe and life goes on and the Dance Troupe now known as The Apsara Dance Academy had disbanded in 2013. Now fast forwarding to 2016, We have all came back together wanting to give back to community in any shape or form with the knowledge that we have learned.I am here reaching out to you because due to things we can not control our dance costumes have been destryoed by a flood in my basement. I was able to save and repair some crowns, and dance mask but all our costume had been damadged and got molded from the flood. The funds that we are able to raise will be used to purchase new costumes for the group. We are just a small group of 15 indivivduals made of todays children, youth, young adults, and parents trying to perserve one of the many art forms of Cambodia. We would greatly apperciate if you could help in any shape or form. We are hoping to raise the funds by the end of November. So we can have the costume brought back with a family member of a dance group thats heading to Cambodia mid december. We know know this can be a short notice but again any donation big or small can help us acheive this goal.
Organizer
Korry Vantha Voeun
Organizer
Lawrence, MA
