Letter to City Officials Regarding the Closing of the Cowles Center

Please sign this letter!

To: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis City Council Members, Staff Members Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Erik Hanson, Miles Mercer and Rebecca Fabunmi.

CC: Ben Johnson, Director, Arts & Cultural Affairs Department, City of Minneapolis

The need for a letter arose from ARENA Dances’ February 2024 Floorwork monthly community conversation event held February 3, in the wake of the public announcement that The Cowles Center will cease operations this Spring. Operations of the Goodale Theater will return to the stewardship of the City of Minneapolis. For more information on the details surrounding this closure, please visit The Cowles Center’s website.

Many community members felt it necessary to express our concerns with the closure as well, to make certain the city of Minneapolis can be educated to understand how invaluable these dance performance spaces and educational opportunities are for MN artists. Both the temporary and potentially long-term loss of this resource have a substantial impact on our dance community, its audiences, and the economic health of downtown.

Additionally, you’re invited to a community town hall on Monday, March 4.

Also, please reach out to your City Council Members and Mayor Frey and share your perspective/wishes/concerns.

Dance Community Survey Regarding the Closing of the Goodale Theater

This short survey is intended to reach as far and wide a swath of the Twin Cities dance community as possible to get a sense of the challenges and needs that exist for folks who consider themselves a part of this community. Please fill it out and pass it along to the folks you know who work in dance.

The need for a survey arose from ARENA Dances’ February 2024 Floorwork monthly community conversation event held February 3, in the wake of the public announcement that The Cowles Center will cease operations this Spring. Operations of the Goodale Theater will return to the stewardship of the City of Minneapolis. For more information on the details surrounding this closure, please visit The Cowles Center’s website.

The intent of this survey is to gather quantitative and qualitative data to 1) help our community become more informed about itself, and 2) be shared with dance advocate and Minneapolis’ new Director of Arts & Cultural Affairs Ben Johnson, Minneapolis City Council members and Mayor Jacob Frey at a town forum event for the dance community.
Sharing the information will inform those with decision-making power what our challenges and needs are at this critical juncture: the closure of a major center for our art form. Their next steps should be grounded by information representing as much of our dance community as possible.

Take the Survey

Letter to Minneapolis City Officials Regarding the Closing of the Cowles Center – Please Sign

Please Sign this Letter

To: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis City Council Members, Staff Members Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Erik Hanson, Miles Mercer and Rebecca Fabunmi.

CC: Ben Johnson, Director, Arts & Cultural Affairs Department, City of Minneapolis

The need for a letter arose from ARENA Dances’ February 2024 Floorwork monthly community conversation event held February 3, in the wake of the public announcement that The Cowles Center will cease operations this Spring. Operations of the Goodale Theater will return to the stewardship of the City of Minneapolis. For more information on the details surrounding this closure, please visit The Cowles Center’s website.

Many community members felt it necessary to express our concerns with the closure as well, to make certain the city of Minneapolis can be educated to understand how invaluable these dance performance spaces and educational opportunities are for MN artists. Both the temporary and potentially long-term loss of this resource have a substantial impact on our dance community, its audiences, and the economic health of downtown.

Also, please reach out to your City Council Members and Mayor Frey and share your perspective/wishes/concerns.

Zenon Dance School – Winter Xchange Program/Work-Study

We are looking for volunteers to be a part of our Xchange Program for the current Winter Session!

Xchange is Zenon’s work-study program that allows students to volunteer in exchange for dance class credit.
The Winter Session will run from January 8-March 17.

Weekday in-person shift = one class credit
Weekend in-person shift = two class credits
All online shifts = one class credit

If you are interested in working with the Xchange Program, please fill out the interest form on our website or email xchange@zenondance.org.

Zenon Dance School – Winter Xchange Program/Work-Study

We are looking for volunteers to be a part of our Xchange Program for the current Winter Session!

Xchange is Zenon’s work-study program that allows students to volunteer in exchange for dance class credit.
The Winter Session will run from January 8-March 17.

Weekday in-person shift = one class credit
Weekend in-person shift = two class credits
All online shifts = one class credit

If you are interested in working with the Xchange Program, please fill out the interest form on our website or email xchange@zenondance.org.

Zenon Dance School – Winter Xchange Program/Work-Study

We are looking for volunteers to be a part of our Xchange Program for the upcoming Winter Session!

Xchange is Zenon’s work-study program that allows students to volunteer in exchange for dance class credit.
The Winter Session will run from January 8-March 17.

Weekday in-person shift = one class credit
Weekend in-person shift = two class credits
All online shifts = one class credit

If you are interested in working with the Xchange Program, please fill out the interest form on our website or email xchange@zenondance.org.

Zenon Dance School – Winter Xchange Program/Work-Study

We are looking for volunteers to be a part of our Xchange Program for the upcoming Winter Session!

Xchange is Zenon’s work-study program that allows students to volunteer in exchange for dance class credit.
The Winter Session will run from January 8-March 17.

Weekday in-person shift = one class credit
Weekend in-person shift = two class credits
All online shifts = one class credit

If you are interested in working with the Xchange Program, please fill out the interest form on our website or email xchange@zenondance.org.

Zenon Dance School – Winter Xchange Program/Work-Study

We are looking for volunteers to be a part of our Xchange Program for the upcoming Winter Session!

Xchange is Zenon’s work-study program that allows students to volunteer in exchange for dance class credit.

The Winter Session will run from January 8-March 17.

Weekday in-person shift = one class credit
Weekend in-person shift = two class credits
All online shifts = one class credit

If you are interested in working with the Xchange Program, please fill out the interest form on our website or email xchange@zenondance.org.

New Communal Studio

Communal Studio is a collective space for rent for the community to take and offer classes/workshops/events. The space is 1200 square feet including a spacious entryway with coat hooks and shoe storage, a 629 square feet studio with dimmable lights, ceiling fans, mirrors on 2 walls and barres on 3 walls, a sound system with aux jack, and a back area with a bathroom, storage room, and 2 sinks.

What would you like to take?
What would you like to offer?

Current classes:
Monday Flow Yoga – 6:00-7:15pm
Wednesday Restorative Yoga – 12:00-1:00pm
Wednesday Women’s All Levels Hip Hop – 6:30pm-7:30pm (in person only)
First Saturday of the Month: Adult Dance Party – 7:00-10pm (in person only

Coming next week:
Barre and Qigong on Tuesday and Thursday nights!

Check out the website for the class scheduling links.

Zenon Dance School – Winter Xchange Program/Work-Study

We are looking for volunteers to be a part of our Xchange Program for the upcoming Winter Session!

Xchange is Zenon’s work-study program that allows students to volunteer in exchange for dance class credit.

The Winter Session will run from January 8-March 17.

Weekday in-person shift = one class credit
Weekend in-person shift = two class credits
All online shifts = one class credit

If you are interested in working with the Xchange Program, please fill out the interest form on our website or email xchange@zenondance.org.