Archive: Performances and Events

James Sewell Ballet performs as special guests with the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus.

Step into a world of inclusivity, artistry, and self-expression with This is Me, a captivating concert experience brought to you by the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus (TCGMC) with special guests. Set against the majestic backdrop of St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, this event promises to be a celebration of diversity, acceptance, and the transformative power of music.

James Sewell Ballet is thrilled to be performing as special guests in Every BODY, a groundbreaking commission led by TCGMC featuring over 200 singers on stage and professional dancers, exploring the complexities of body image, identity, and self-acceptance.  From the graceful movements of a dancer to the soaring melodies of a choir in harmony, Every BODY celebrates the inherent worth and dignity of every individual. It challenges societal norms and embraces the idea that our bodies are not something to be ashamed of, but rather, gifts to be cherished and celebrated.

Friday, June 21, 7:30pm
Saturday, June 22, 7:30pm

Purchase tickets.

For more information about this inspiring collaboration, click here.

DanceCo returns to the stage this summer with a series of free, interactive, family-friendly performances. Wolf Tales is a mashup of the familiar fairy tales Peter and the Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Three Little Pigs. The story is told by the Wolf, who is not big or bad, just misunderstood — and wants to set the record straight!

The show starts with an exciting, kid-focused workshop where audience members can learn and practice interactive parts of the show. Then, the DanceCo Artists take the stage for a 45-minute performance with opportunities for the audience to join the dancers on stage! Get ready to be a part of the magic. 

Saturday, June 22, 10:00am and 11:30am
Minnehaha Falls Park Pavilion
4825 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417

Saturday, June 29, 10:00am and 11:30am
Capri Theater Paradise Hall
2027 W Broadway Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55411

Saturday, July 6, 10:00am and 11:30am
Father Hennepin Bluffs Park Bandshell
420 Main St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414

Saturday, July 13, 10:00am and 11:30am
Lyndale Gardens Amphitheater
6400 Lyndale Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423

All shows are free!

DanceCo is a professional performance company creating original, interactive dance narratives for young people ages 3-103! Directed by Matthew and Brittany Keefe and Karla Nweje. Performed by Emily Compaan, Cassie Edlund, Matthew Keefe, Jennifer Mack, Karla Nweje, Emily Pitts, Leeah Schuhwerck, Zachary Tuazon, and Maria Vitelli. 

To learn about DanceCo and our professional artists, go to www.DanceCoMN.com. 

Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre presents REUNIÓN-Decameron, an extraordinary celebration of artistic resilience with internationally acclaimed flamenco artists.

Friday, June 28 and Saturday, June 29 at The O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine University.

The cast includes dancers/choreographers Fanny Ara, Emilio Ochando, Isaac Tovar, and Susana di Palma. Renowned guitarist and composer, José Luis de la Paz, and guest flamenco singer and percussionist, Francisco “Yiyi” Orozco, will add a vibrant energy to the show. The Zorongo Ensemble will also premiere a new piece choreographed by Fanny Ara, “Les Dames en Bleu.”

Tickets are $37 for general admission and $20 for students. Available through The O’Shaughnessy ticket office; 651-690-6700, or in-person.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

The Summer Sound Garden returns to Silverwood Park for the first time since its premiere on the island in Silver Lake in 2018. Dancers Sarah Baumert, Suzette Gilreath, Erika Hansen, Megan Mayer, and Leslie O’Neill perform their roving site-specific scores along the shorelines, boardwalks, and amidst the majestic trees of this enchanted place. Designed and directed by composer JG Everest, the event will also feature site-specific poetry by Chavonn Shen, Teresa Ortiz, and many more, along with site-specific photography and visual art.

The Summer Sound Garden is a free, family-friendly, self-guided durational event that features a site-specific sound installation of 60+ small, wireless speakers, each playing a different part of the whole piece of music and distributed throughout the entire island, with live accompaniment by roving musicians and dancers, site-specific poetry, and a summer song by Blue Lady and the Free Range Orchestra & Choir. Each small speaker is housed in various handmade vessels – wooden birdhouses, felt sculptures – creating a dynamic, immersive experience that is described as “a concert you can move through.”

Saturday, June 29, 12:00-4:30pm
Rain date: Sunday, June 30
Event is free, but registration highly recommended in order to share weather and program updates.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Special Performance
Tuesday, July 16 at 6:00pm
Amanda Sachs and Elena Hollenhorst present Searching for Giants, a contemporary dance duet.

This free performance is part of the Northern Lakes Arts Association’s Arts in the Park at Whiteside Park in Ely, MN. This work premiered at MN Orchestra’s International Day of Music and they have since performed it at Dances at the Lake Festival and the Tek Box in Minneapolis.

Workshop
Wednesday, July 17, 6:00-8:00pm
Amanda and Elena will be teaching a dance workshop which will inform participants about the creative process, and incorporate improvisation as well as phrase work. Participants of all ability levels ages 12+ are welcome.

Amanda Sachs and Elena Hollenhorst are fiscal year 2024 recipients of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant form the Minnesota Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Ray Terrill Dance Group presents the 22nd annual Dances at the Lake Festival—two free concerts at the Rose Garden at Lake Harriet, open to the public.

Friday and Saturday, July 19 and 20, 7:00pm

The festival features a variety of dance forms performed by both professional adult and youth companies. The “stage” for the shows is the large grassy area between the two fountains near the Rose Garden at Lyndale Park Gardens. Audience members are invited to bring a lawn chair or blanket and some snacks, drinks or a picnic to enjoy the unique opportunity of seeing dance performed at the Rose Garden.

This year’s festival showcases professional artists and youth dance groups originating from Minnesota:

Alys Ayumi Ogura and Anna Andaházy Salazar, Saint Paul, MN — Alys Ayumi Ogura, Artistic director
Ashley Ballet Arts Academy, Ballet Arts Youth Ensembles, Golden Valley, MN. — Ashley Burkland, Artistic Director
Christopher Watson Dance Company, Minneapolis, MN — Christopher Watson, Artistic Director
Jawaahir Dance Company, Minneapolis, MN — Vanessa of Cairo, Artistic Director
KASM Dance Collective, Twin Cities, MN — Sarah Hauss, Artistic Director
Keane Sense of Rhythm Youth Tap Ensemble, Saint Paul, MN — Cathy Wind, Artistic Director
Kinetic Evolutions with Walter Chancellor Jr., Minneapolis, MN — Sarah LaRose-Holland, Artistic Director
Minnesota Ballet Collective, Lakeville, MN — Isabella Rubietta, Artistic Director
Nritya Kalakshetra Academy of Performing Arts, Woodbury, MN — Sivanuja (Anu) Balaji, Artistic Director
Ray Terrill Dance Group, Saint Paul, MN — Ray Terrill, Artistic Director
Sansai Yonsei Kai, Japanese Dance Company, Saint Paul MN — Linda Hashimoto, Artistic Director
Youth Dance Ensemble, Burnsville, MN — Dixie Rairamo, Artistic Director

Come enjoy good drinks, good tunes and good company while supporting Rhythmically Speaking! Join us for our third annual Rhythmically Speaking Happy Hour Dance Party Fundraiser.

Thursday, July 25, 5:00-7:00pm

If you love to go out dancing but find it difficult to rally the required energy at 10:00pm, come! If you love Summit and wanna enjoy their beverages, come! If you think Rhythmically Speaking does some really cool work and you wanna support, come! You can dance your booty off, enjoy a brew and support our work! We’ll be providing music curated by all of our dancers as a part of our Dressing Room Playlist!

Add-ons:

• You can request your favorite dance tunes for $5.00,
• for $20.00 we’ll shut down what’s playing and play your request immediately!
• Buy a $10.00 raffle ticket for a chance to win sweet prizes, including Rhythmically Speaking swag and tickets to our upcoming show The Cohort 2024, Summit Brewing Company swag, Saint Paul Saints tickets, and more.

RSVP to the Facebook event.

At Rhythmically Speaking, we believe in the power of moving and grooving together to connect us (so tell your friends to come too!), and we look forward to sharing the joy and building support of our work with you at this event!

Do you identify as a “dancer”? Whether you do, or whether you are just “dance-curious” we’ve got the space for you to explore and play

Fridays, 5:00-6:00pm
E Bde Mka Ska Blvd and 36th St.

Easy access to parking, sun and shade, grass and pavement, make this an ideal location for al fresco dancing.  There is a porta-pottie, and it’s pretty easy to go for a post-dance dip in the lake. You are invited to bring your own music via phones and ear buds, and partake in the liberating, life giving practice of dancing in public. We also have speakers and can pull up your favorite tunes. Need more info?  Contact Nan Marie Zosel at chance2dancemn@gmail.com.

Our danc-ifesto:
Why? Why not?
Dance is a way to
Feel Feelings and Face Fears
Find Strength and Softness
Practice Liberation
Connect
With the Beloved Community
Breathe and Bear Witness
To the Beauty and Complexity
Of this World

If you missed The Awe Factor, have no fear. Watch it from the comfort of your own home now through June 15, 2024.

The Awe Factor, choreographed by Artistic Director, Brenna Mosser, interweaves single-use plastic waste with the science of awe. In this fantastical and surreal world, 10 dancers examine how we access awe, what we do when we are confronted by it, and how we can harness this emotion to better our collective lives.

Portions of choreography presented in The Awe Factor were commissioned by Threads Dance Project for their Tapestries 7.0 program and by Alternative Motion Project for their Tenth Season Performance.

One year after its official launch, Amez Dance is proud to present its debut production choreographed by Nieya Amezquita with an original music score composed by internetjunkhound:

De Mi Corazón is a love letter to the black family, specifically black fatherhood, created to explore the complexities and nuanced dynamics in the African American community. Because only through reflection and empathy can we begin to truly appreciate the intricacies of our familial connections and heal from the traumas of the past.

In addition to the performance of De Mi Corazón, Amez Dance will feature a new work from guest choreographer, Javan Mngrezzo. Connect during a post show Q&A after the June 15 performance.

Friday, June 14 at 7:30pm
Saturday, June 15 at 7:30pm – pay-what-you-can