<- back

Square Dancing in AsiaTown

MidTown Cleveland

Cleveland, OH

MidTown Cleveland

Cleveland, OH

Keywords:

During one of the square dancing mental health workshops, held in partnership with ASIA Inc’s ICHC, a jiejie (sister) holds up a sign from that says “Take more time for self care.”

A group of jiejies in AsiaTown are reclaiming space in their own neighborhood, creating community by dancing together.

This 广场舞 public square dancing group formed in October of 2020. Since AsiaTown has no public plaza or park, the square dancers dance in a vacant parking lot, across from a now-closed supermarket. AsiaTown community members lead the team, practicing and learning dances. After dancing throughout the fall and the spring, they have shifted the narrative, referring to the parking lot as the Square Dancing parking lot. This activity has turned into so much more than dancing; it has formed community bonding, passion to support small businesses, healing circles, mental health resources, and civic engagement. During one healing circle, they spoke loudly, “I’m beautiful, and I know it!.”