About

PAAA’s collaborative model is guided by a 10-member voluntary Advisory Committee and focuses on four core goals:

Founded through a long-standing collaborative that began in 2003 and incorporated as a Minnesota nonprofit in 2013, PAAA is dedicated to preserving Pan Asian performing arts, advancing cultural education, and building community capacity through the arts. Led entirely by BIPOC artists and cultural groups, PAAA engages AAPI immigrants and refugees by showcasing their lived experiences through multidisciplinary performances that foster cultural exchange, dialogue, and social integration. Education and inspiration are held as equally important as final staged performances, ensuring that artistic excellence is paired with meaningful learning and community impact.

Since 2003, PAAA has served diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, reaching more than 20,000 audience members, supporting 300+ young dancers annually, and offering 200+ classes and workshops. Artistic disciplines supported by PAAA include Asian Indian, Chinese, Hmong, Khmer, Thai, and Vietnamese music and dance, alongside contemporary forms such as hip hop, K-pop, rap, and fusion performance. Through this intentional blending of tradition and modern expression, PAAA reflects the realities of bicultural and multiracial identities while honoring cultural roots.

Since its early years, PAAA has produced original works reflecting Asian American perspectives, including The Story of Temple Street (2004 Fringe Festival), portraying an immigrant family’s struggle and youth navigating between cultures; Shanghai Extravaganza (2005), reflecting elders’ memories of homelands; Dragon Odyssey (2006); and Medusa’s Riddle: Fresh off the Boat (2007), which received a full-house standing ovation. These works established PAAA as a leading voice in culturally grounded storytelling through performance.

Beginning in 2009, PAAA expanded globally by hosting annual cultural exchange tours, supporting youth of color to showcase American hip hop and contemporary culture internationally. PAAA delegations have represented the United States in China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, including performances at the Shandong International Youngsters’ Culture Festival (2009–2010), Gangneung International Junior Art Festival in Korea (2014–2018), and Yilan Children Folklore Festival in Taiwan. These tours empower BIPOC youth as cultural ambassadors while fostering global understanding and leadership.

Since 2017, PAAA has broadened its collaborations across diverse cultural communities and curated the “Generation Z Project,” showcasing youth talent across traditional and modern forms. Community members—including novice performers—are invited alongside professionals, reinforcing PAAA’s belief that cultural participation builds confidence, belonging, and collective pride.

PAAA also produces large-scale community events, including the Pan Asian Arts Festival and Pan Asian Dance Festival, and has hosted annual Lunar New Year showcases at the Mall of America since 2010. These celebrations are complemented by weekly dance classes and more than 20 community performances each year. In recent years, PAAA has deepened its exploration of African American culture, social justice narratives, and intercultural harmony, integrating hip hop, rap, and contemporary music into performances that speak to shared human experiences.

Through thought-provoking arts education, performances, youth exchanges, and advocacy, PAAA challenges assumptions, offers healing and inspiration, and creates space for connection across cultures. By centering AAPI voices while welcoming all BIPOC performers, Pan Asian Arts Alliance continues to build equitable, inclusive pathways for cultural expression, leadership, and community transformation.