Archive: Performances and Events

TCB’s beloved holiday classic with a Minnesota twist returns to Ames Center this December! This production retains all the magic and traditions of the classic Nutcracker ballet, but features Minnesota settings with stunning, custom-designed Minnesota-centric backdrops, and offers audience members something truly unique: a connection to home. Deemed one of the 12 essential holiday events by MPR, A Minnesota Nutcracker is delightful entertainment for the whole family! 

This year also includes the launch of Twin Cities Ballet’s new sensory-relaxed performance series, the first of its kind in Minnesota. These performances are designed to be more accessible for persons with sensory sensitivities and families with young children through relaxed theater rules and modified sensory elements. We are thrilled to be able to share the love of ballet with people who may experience difficulties in a regular performance setting. 

In addition, TCB is offering a one-hour Mini-Nutcracker at Lakeville Area Arts Center on November 30. This short and sweet version is a perfect way to introduce young children to the magic of Nutcracker!

Thursday, December 9 at 10:15am – sensory-relaxed show
Friday, December 10 at 7:00pm
Saturday, December 11 at 2:00pm and 7:00pm
Sunday, December 12 at 1:00pm and 4:30pm

Tickets through TicketMaster.

About Twin Cities Ballet: Twin Cities Ballet of Minnesota (TCB) is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit professional ballet company located in the South Metro. Our mission is to make ballet approachable, relatable and fun through innovative, professional and original productions.

 These activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Ricci Milan and the artists of Rhythm Street Movement return to The Cowles Center with Who Brought the Humbug? this holiday season!

Join us for a fun, funky, funny holiday show that the whole family can enjoy. Live music paired with amazing tap dance and a unique mix of comedy, drama, and mystery is sure to make an ­­­evening to remember.

The Classic Nutcracker returns to the stage for it’s 33rd production.

After a year away from the stage, Ballet Minnesota is thrilled to present The Classic Nutcracker this December 18 and 19 at The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University.

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to see Artistic Director Andrew Rist’s original choreography to the beautiful score by Tchaikovsky! This family favorite has something magical in store for everyone who attends this dazzling production. Follow Clara as she receives an enchanting Nutcracker who comes to life right before your eyes! He guides her on a whimsical journey that culminates in meeting the charming and sparkling Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier, who present Clara with delightful dances from their Land of Sweets.

Come celebrate the magical holiday season by coming to Ballet Minnesota’s The Classic Nutcracker.
Tickets on sale now at the O’Shaughnessy Box Office.

Rhythmically Speaking is thrilled to return to indoor live performance this November with Riffin’: A Jazz-Danced Celebration of Human Interaction!

We are glad to be back home at the Amsterdam Bar & Hall, the same space that has hosted all three of our popular CHILL Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack productions. This time around, we’ll be celebrating our shared human status as social animals: creatures that thrive off interacting with or “riffin’ off” not only one another, but also complex rhythms and grooves! RS will use their signature groove, interaction and improvisation-based approach to jazz dance to enliven this concept, along with a combo of excellent local jazz musicians led by guitarist and composer Mike Lauer.

Riffin’: A Jazz-Danced Celebration of Human Interaction
TICKETS through Amsterdam:
Wednesday, November 3, 7:30-9:00pm
Thursday, November 4, 7:30-9:00pm

Proof of vaccination or recent negative test, as well as masking, is required to attend: full Covid protocol details available at the above ticketing sites.

Come to a beloved physical, social space (remember those?) and share in live music, movement and the moment (and a pint and a meal while you are at it)!

See you at the Amsterdam tonight and tomorrow!

Jagged Moves returns to The Southern Theater for their first live performance in over a year.

The full evening, all female sextet explores the central themes of boundaries and reclamation as flutist Julie Johnson performs a live, original score.

Crafted collaboratively between Glaws and the performers, the choreography amplifies the energy and responsiveness to the interruption of personal space by exhibiting a raw and exposed view to the desire, resistance, uncertainty, and power—or lack of power—in proximity.

In-Person, Livestream, and On-Demand

Wednesday, November 3 at 10:30am – Student/Artist/Senior: $10 ticket, Post-show Q&A – In-person and livestream
Thursday, November 4 at 7:30pm – In-person
Friday, November 5 at 7:30pm – In-person
Saturday, November 6 at 2:00pm – Pay as able – In-person
Saturday, November 6 at 7:30pm – Post show reception – In-person and livestream
Sunday, November 7 at 4:00pm – In-person

On-Demand
A pre-recorded video of the performance will be offered on-demand from Satuday, November 6 through Sunday, November 14.

Health and Safety Guidelines: https://jenniferglaws.org/touch-code

On-demand November 5-November 12

Select your own price when purchasing ($0-$50). Please note: ticket revenue from this film screening will be shared with the artists.

In-demand choreographer Andrea Miller’s dances emphasize the contrasts of being human—the grotesque and the sublime, the chaos and the elegance, with movement both primal and poetic. Through an innovative creative collaboration with Northrop, Miller’s company, GALLIM, debuted an evocative new dance film adapted from Miller’s 2016 piece BOAT that explores what it looks like, feels like, and means to be searching for home. Featuring the music of Northrop’s pipe organ played by University Organist Dean Billmeyer and the Twin Cities-based PopUp Choir in the score, the film takes viewers on a journey of people becoming undone, floating adrift, holding each other, building bonds, and allowing hope and dignity to grow anew. This on-demand screening will also include a bonus dance film created by Andrea Miller and Ben Stamper with Ballet Hispánico prior to their collaboration on BOAT.

This event will be captioned, with other accessibility services available upon request.

Threads Dance Project emerges from the ashes of the pandemic to celebrate its tenth anniversary, premiering the film Out of the Ashes and new works by 2020 Tapestries Program choreographers Gabby Abram, Jennifer Pray, and Elayna Waxse.

Out of the Ashes honors those impacted by 9/11 and asks whether we can resurrect a better way of living. This film, along with the works premiered by Tapestries program choreographers, emerges Threads anew.

Covid19: Effective September 1, 2021, all visitors to the Cowles who are attending a performance/event in the theater spaces are required to show either proof of a full course of COVID-19 vaccinations administered at least 14 days prior to the show or a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance/event. Masks are required throughout the Cowles.

Virtual Anti-Racist Dramaturgy session guided by Practice Progress (Kai Hazelwood and Sarah Ashkin). No cost.

This session has been postponed. Please keep your eyes out for the rescheduled event!

WHO is Practice Progress
Sarah Ashkin (she/her) is an educator, choreographer, scholar and trained facilitator committed to dismantling racism. Kai Hazelwood (she/her) is a passionate and experienced choreographer, movement director, performer, educator, producer, and activist. Together, as Practice Progress, they are addressing structural, professional, and interpersonal white supremacy through body learning.

Anti-Racist Dramaturgy – what to expect
Anti-Racist Dramaturgy is offered to creatives of all kinds committed to anti-racist making. This session draws on Kai and Sarah’s dual experience as anti-racist facilitators with Practice Progress and artistic directors of their own respective arts and social justice organizations, Good Trouble Makers, and GROUND SERIES. This event offers makers of all mediums a framework for ongoing anti-racist project design, production, and dramaturgy supported by examples from Kai and Sarah’s extensive practices as arts activists. This session is free to all participants.

Support and Funding
Anti-Racist Dramaturgy is supported by Pillsbury House and “is funded, in part, by Metropolitan Regional Arts Council through an appropriation from the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the State’s general fund.”

Sign up
To be a part of this event, send an email to Sophie or call/text the number below and we will make sure you get the details!

Northrop and Walker Art Center Present
Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company: Afterwardsness
In-person
Carlson Family Stage

Tony Award-winning choreographer, director, and dancer Bill T. Jones continues his longstanding relationship with Northrop and the Walker, presenting his hypnotic new work Afterwardsness. Performed by Jones’ entire company for an audience of 180 situated on the Northrop stage, Afterwardsness addresses the isolation and trauma of the twin pandemics of COVID-19 and on-going violence against Black bodies. The poignancy of the movement is underpinned by a live musical landscape featuring a new vocal composition by Holland Andrews, a violin solo for George Floyd entitled Homage by Pauline Kim Harris, as well as excerpts from Olivier Messaien’s harrowing war-time chamber composition Quartet for the End of Time.

This event will be captioned, with other accessibility services available upon request.

In collaboration with photographic artist Sarah Weiss, Our Home aspires to amplify some voices of the AAPI community through explorations of family traditions and personal experiences of living in the Midwest.

Choreography: Ayumi Shafer in collaboration with the dancers

Core Dancers: Tori Breen, Shannon Hartle, Morgan Morrissey, Patience Stellmach

Friday, November 19
7:00pm
Free to attend!

Learn more: https://www.thecowlescenter.org/tickets/ourhome