News

David “Dancin’ Dave” Marcotte could be considered a household name in the Twin Cities Hip Hop community. Dancin’ Dave became nationally known as one of the original Red Bull Beatriders after participating in weeklong workshops with Masters of Hip-Hop Dance, an event that was sponsored by Red Bull. He competes and judges competitions both locally and nationally and has even been brought to Europe several times in the last few years as a dance instructor, competition judge, and featured performer. David continues to teach and perform bringing with him wherever he goes a deep comprehensive knowledge of both his crafts as well as the various elements of Hip Hop culture.

As an artist, performer, poet, educator, spoken word artist, dancer, and director, Antoine Duke is indeed a man of many hats. As a 19-year-old performer and teaching artist he has received grants, founded companies, and has competed nationally as a spoken word artist. Antoine is currently working for Pillsbury House Theater. Antoine chooses social justice education through theater, and art because he believes that art cannot only teach creative, and powerful practices, but also because it can educate us on how to become better human beings. He says that “Art allows you to listen to the world around you and take in other perspectives.” 

Saymoukda “Mooks” Vongsay is a Lao American poet and playwright whose passion is arts advocacy. Her work has been published by Altra Magazine, The Journal of Southeast Asian American Education and Advancement, Saint Paul Almanac, Lao American Magazine, and Bakka Literary Journal, to name a few. Vongsay pens the series Pushing the Pen, published weekly in the Asian American Press, interviewing literary artists from across the nation. She has taught and performed spoken word poetry from the Midwest to the East and West coasts, as well as in Italy and Japan.

Patricia Van Ert is a poet, writer, storyteller, mentor, social activist and mother. She is an enrolled member of the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation and a member of the TGI-Frybread Native American writing group at the Loft. Currently working on a monologue around congestive heart failure and a series of children’s stories, Van Ert is creative director/teacher of Words Out Loud—a spoken word poetry group and class at the Rondo Library from 2006–2010.

Hasani Harris enjoys writing. Along with writing, he is a spoken word artist. He was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota for all twenty years of his life. Hasani always wanted to be a comedian but realized early his jokes were not that funny so now he writes semi-funny poetry instead. Hasani has not won many awards or publications for his writing, but he is young and believes this will come with time. The Golden Thyme Coffee Café and the Saint Paul Almanac are pleased to announce the “Soul Sounds Open Mic,” hosted by Tish Jones! The “Soul Sounds Open Mic” series is held every Thursday, with a special pre-performance writing workshop on the first Thursday of each month.