The Thai Community Arts and Cultural Center was founded in 1992, for the purpose of preserving and promoting Thai arts and culture in the United States.  The organization is based in Los Angeles, whose population of Thai and Thai-descended people is the largest one of outside…
For the past decade, MESTO (Multi-Ethnic Star Orchestra) has engaged the Arabic community in Southern California by providing high-quality concerts, live events, and educational programs.  MESTO combines the melodies and rhythms of the Middle East within a Western symphonic setting, creating a unique blnd of these musical traditions.  MESTO accomplishes…
Theatre of Yugen is an experimental ensemble dedicated to the pursuit of the intanglible essence of yugen (yu: deep, quiet, otherworldly; gen: subtle, profound, dark).  With a foundation in Japanese noh drama and kyogen comedy, Theatre of Yugen creates works of world theater by crafting original…
Filipino American arts, culture, and advocacy
The Modesto Cambodian Buddhist Society is a beacon for the Khmer community, preserving the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Cambodian people and supporting sustainable progress for growth and prosperity. With its support, the Cambodian classical dance troupe grew from six beginners to 40 trained dancers.
Cantonese Opera Association-Silicon Valley, a nonprofit organization established in 2001, is a presenter and educator of the most well-known and popular type of Chinese Opera.  There are over 300 different opera styles in China, relative to the region from which they originate.  Cantonese opera music is a blend of classical…
Orgilsaikhan Chimeddorj, Ulziisaikhan Lkhagadorjv, and Otgonbaya Chunsraikhachin — members of the Mongolian traditional music ensemble Nutgiin Alyaguu — graduated from the Music Conservatory of Mongolia, the country’s most prestigious music school.  Ulziisaikhan Lkhagvadorjv is a particularly well-known and respected performer; he is proficient in five Mongolian instruments and the rare…
Based in Mountain View, Jun Daiko practices and teaches the art of kumidaiko, or Japanese group drumming. In 2014, Jun Daiko received a grant from ACTA’s Living Cultures Grants Program to support a mentorship with master artist Kyosuke Suzuki.  He will instruct…
Carnatic music is an ancient tradition of South Indian classical music that dates back for centuries.  It is a complex system of music that requires both artistic and technical improvisation.  The genre is comprised of raga, the melodic formulae, and tala, the rhythmic cycle.  The violin is an integral part…
Hawaiian hula is an indigenous dance form accompanied by oli (chant) and mele (song).   The oli and the hula dramatize and accentuate the mele, which carries valuable information: history, genealogy, religion, geography, geology, etc. There are many styles of hula which have been divided into two main categories. Kahiko…