Our Founder

Frank Acardi
Kahok Dancers founder

Frank Acardi, as part of a Boy Scout activity to enhance awards and other ceremonies of the
local scouting program founded the Kahok Dancers in 1948. They became a separate group
in 1955 and developed a program connected with the Cahokia Mounds in 1956, which has
continued to the present time. Having served as director and lifeblood of the group for over
50 years, Frank Acardi passed away in November of 1998. It is the former dancers,
products of Frank's mentoring, that comprise the current leadership of the group. The
dancers are an incorporated not-for-profit organization based in Collinsville, Illinois, which
is supported in its entirety by donations received from dance programs.

Through dance and story, The Kahok Dancers wish to enhance public awareness of this
country's First People, The Native American Indians. A special emphasis is devoted to the
Cahokia Mounds Historic Site and the prehistoric culture of the Mound builders. Their program
has been purposely designed to avoid, as far as possible, conflict with the culture of the
Native American Indians. The dances and the clothing used are not represented as authentic.
The word Indian does not appear in their name. The word Kahok is not Indian. The dances and
stories are used, and clothing is worn to enhance the telling of the story of a great people.
They are the people who lived and disappeared from Cahokia Mounds in the prehistoric past.