Rising Stars: Meet Haley Vang of Kansas City, Kansas

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Vang

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up I never found the perfect hobby for me, until I discovered dance. My journey with dance first started in 2016. I was in my room learning Kpop dances and trying to find friends to dance with. My dance journey then took a turn once I discovered Hmong dance. Seeing how dancers are able to do pursue a hobby they love while continuing traditions really inspired me to do the same. As I was able to find my passion for Hmong dance, I wanted to help others gain an opportunity to explore experiences as well. Because Kansas has such a small population of Hmong residents, I created the Hmong dance group named Kansas Sunlights where people can learn about forming bonds and Hmong culture.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Promoting Kansas Sunlights had definitely been the hardest. Which is why we appreciate all of our supporters so much!

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Kansas Sunlights is a Hmong dance group that specializes in Hmong, Thai, and Khmer dances. We were first created for a presentation, showcasing Asian culture with Sumner Academy’s Asian Student Union. Our mission is to present the arts of Asia and we strive for opportunities to promote our culture towards other communities with our dances.

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
We had the amazing opportunity to perform with Lao artist Soal. Soal allowed Kansas Sunlights to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. This opportunity helped us gain more exposure in team building and communication skills! Since then, we have performed for other ethnic programs like the Taste of AAPI and the Shawnee Mission North High School AAPI Heritage Program.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kansas.sunlights?igsh=MWhpODJ2aXFqNjJmYg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552749575276&mibextid=LQQJ4d