A Celebration of Culture: Students Experience Native Pride Productions at The Ordway
On November 13, nearly 100 students from Andersen, Anwatin, Olson, and Northeast middle schools went on a field trip to The Ordway with Project Success to experience a live performance from Native Pride Productions. The planning for this multi-school, all-day field trip started at the beginning of the school year in September, when the Project Success Programs team met with principals from these four middle schools and learned of the Native American Affinity Groups at each of the schools, each of which had a cohort of students. The excitement for this field trip was centered around students from different schools coming together to experience this celebration as a community.
For over 30 years, Project Success has created programming that integrates different school communities for the purpose of building relationships across the district. And since Project Success works with every student in the Minneapolis School District, we were able to work with our partner schools to identify this cohort of students and bring them all together on this field trip; a shining example of how our strong relationships with our school administrators can lead to beautiful experiences where students get to see their cultures represented on stage.
With the expert coordination from our Project Success Theater team, all of the nearly 100 students arrived at the Ordway, where they saw performers adorned in an explosion of color created by ribbons, feathers, beads, and furs—the dancers brought stories to life through movement. Each performance honored their elders while illuminating the enduring legacy of cultural arts. Their artistry embodied both education and inspiration, in what they described as “the dance of life,” fusing modern and traditional Native American dance styles to celebrate Native culture, identity, and legacy.
A standout moment for both the performers and the audience was when the Artistic Director asked the crowd who had attended a powwow before, and nearly every student from the Project Success group raised their hand. The artists were visibly moved, recognizing the students’ deep cultural connection and the significance of seeing their heritage reflected on a professional stage.
“I’m so happy that our people are being recognized and celebrated” – PS Student
When asked if they enjoyed the performance, nearly every student gave two enthusiastic thumbs up. Their joy, pride, and engagement with the content captured exactly why experiences like this matter. By connecting students with Arts experiences, specifically those which deal with matters of identity and community, Project Success continues to encourage students Dream Big, Ignite Possibilities, and Grow Exponentially. These cross-cultural experiences are foundational for continuing to broaden acceptance and awareness of our diversity and celebrate our similarities.
