I also learned how to work as a team, to learn the dance and make it all flow smoothly. Samnang's family experience is not uncommon in Lowell, home to the second largest Cambodian-American community in the United States. Started in 1986 by a handful of resettled dancers and teachers, the Angkor Dance Troupe teaches and performs a repertoire of Cambodian folk and classical dances drawn from one of Cambodia's most prestigious cultural institutions. The Troupe helps young people make constructive choices in their lives by immersing them in the rich cultural heritage from which they come. The organization has more than 40 youth apprentices who rigorously rehearse and participate in Troupe events.
Most apprentices stay with the Troupe for at least four or five years.
Angkor Youth Dance teaches Cambodian traditional dance while incorporating study skills training, violence prevention and drug resistance education, case management and referrals by professional social workers, and free meals. By teaching dance, we are saving lives. These students show a level of discipline and respect for elders that I don't usually see in Cambodian kids in Lowell. It gives me a feeling of hope that I haven't felt in a long time.