Archive: Workshops, Intensives, Master Classes, and Open Houses

Balanced Body® Pilates Mat 2
November 3-5, 2023

Friday: 4:00-8:00pm
Saturday: 11:30am-6:00pm
Sunday: 9:30am-4:30pm

Fee: $499 + $60 materials

Mat 2 teaches the remaining intermediate and advanced level Mat exercises for a complete understanding of the Pilates Mat program. Lectures include progressive skill development to achieve the advanced exercises, programming for intermediate and advanced classes and creating successful Mat classes.
Prerequisites: Movement Principles, Mat 1

Instructor: Ann-Marie Chesterfield, DPT

Balanced Body® CoreAlign Instructor Training 1: Foundations
November 17-19, 2023

Friday: 4:00-8:00pm
Saturday: 11:30am-6:00pm
Sunday: 9:30am-4:30pm

Fee: $425 + $60 materials

At Paragon, we offer CoreAlign Teacher Training for fitness professionals, movement educators and rehab clinicians.
This course includes CoreAlign method theory and 60+ foundation exercises to build functional movement skills. Areas of focus are trunk integration, upper body strength and balance, lower body strength, power, gait and dynamic flexibility. Progressions and regressions for all ability levels. Specific modifications and precautions for special populations. Equipment set up, maintenance and safety.

Instructor: Matthew Hodge-Rice

Critical Conversations – Fundamentals of Editing a Video Work Sample
Sunday, November 19
2:30-4:00pm
Cowles Center Flex Space – 1st Floor, Main Lobby

Join us for an informative experience as we guide you through the process of creating a work sample in real time. Whether you’re a budding dancer or a seasoned pro, this workshop is designed to help you enhance your skills and leave with basic fundamental tools, tips and tricks to apply to your own video projects.

Through this workshop, you’ll gain a practical understanding of the video editing process, from the software selection to the finishing touches. These fundamental steps will equip you with the essential skills to create engaging video projects, whether for personal enjoyment or professional endeavors.

Cowles Center’s Critical Conversations 2023 Series
Join The Cowles Center in conversations that bring artists together to explore topics relevant to emerging choreographers. While conversations may provide some tips and tools, we are also gathering just to be in conversation with the community and support one another as we all navigate our artistic journeys. All are welcome, come to bring your voice or listen to others!

I am launching an after-school flamenco program!

This is a free program for high school students. It began September 27 but new students can join anytime. Spread the word!
Register at www.sachikolachayi.com/afterschool

After-School Flamenco Program
Wednesdays, through November 15, 2023
3:45-5:00pm
At Zorongo Flamenco Studio.
Entrance is in the alleyway off of 37th Ave. See the map for more details.

Class Content
Dance and rhythm instruction by dancer Sachiko “La Chayí.” Including talks about the culture and history of flamenco and Spain. Snacks will be provided.

What to Bring
Indoor sports shoes.

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

Join us for a special workshop with Alexis Zanety this fall at Zenon!

In collaboration with the MN International Dance Festival and Dance Projects by ME, Alexis Zanety hosts a unique Circular Movement Drawing Technique workshop at Zenon Dance School this October. Alexis created the Circular Drawing Movement technique, which is a combination of Cuban Modern Dance, Neoclassic, and Afro-Cuban Dance techniques, characterized by fluid continuous organic movements. Click here to learn more about the technique and Alexis’ work.

Circular Drawing Movement with Alexis Zanety
Friday, October 13, 10:00-11:30am
In person. Register here.
Drop-in: $15

Alexis Zanety is a contemporary teacher and choreographer and former first soloist for Cuba’s National Dance Company (CNDC). In 2002, he reallocated to Mexico by invitation from the Teatro Degollado to enrich the dance community with his artistry while performing and choreographing at the most important international festivals and operas in the country. In 2016, he reallocated to Houston, Texas, and began sharing his expertise and passion at the local and national level at places such as Cornish College of the Arts, University of Washington, University of Houston, University of Oklahoma, and Afro Latin Fest. He was also invited to the 2018 and 2019 International Association of Blacks in Dance Congress as a guest teacher. In November 2019, he was recognized by the Congress of Texas for his many accomplishments in the Houston cultural landscape. Sylvester Turner, Mayor of the City of Houston, proclaimed November 9, 2019, as “Alexis Zanety Day” to honor Alexis’ passion for the arts and overall contributions to the arts scene.

Click here to learn more about the 2023 MN International Dance Festival, October 17-21!

Dance is the art of being.

Ayako offers this workshop as a daily practice of being – as a human, mover, performer, artist, dancer, and choreographer. Through this practice, Ayako will share the way to find our centered, grounded, and balanced selves through exercises based in imagery (and physical reality).

Through improvisational and simple compositional exercises, participants will raise a keen awareness of the expansiveness as well as the depth of being. Participants will explore ways to open up the body-mind as an empty conduit to welcome new wind flow through themselves and feel fullness. Ayako will share how to expand and develop the tangible and intangible tensegrity (tension x integrity) through our bodies and minds to sense new relationships within and around us. Participants will be asked to create their own short dance.

Minneapolis-based Mary Willmeng has been a dance colleague of Ayako since 2007. Together, Mary and Ayako are excited to be able to realize an in-person workshop and share the Art of Being worldview with Minneapolis!

This JSB Dance Intensive is intended for adult dancers with some dance training beyond fundamentals. The over-arching goal of this Intensive is for participants to deepen their understanding of ballet and related movement modalities; engage in a creative physical pursuit in a friendly environment; and commit to wellness and regenerate their energy.

Train with movement experts who value personal growth and agency. Our instructors love sharing the joy of dance with participants of all ages and abilities!

October 17-21, 2023
Tuesday-Thursday, 5:30-9:00pm
Friday, 8:30am-1:00pm
Saturday, 9:00am-2:30pm

Multiple Enrollment Options:

• Entire Intensive, Tuesday through Saturday
• Partial Evening, Tuesday through Thursday
• Partial Daytime, Friday and Saturday

Embark on a profound 8-week journey of self-discovery and creative expression with Tamiko French’s innovative dance fusion class. In this transformative course, you’ll delve deep into the realm of movement, sound, memories, and words to illuminate the vibrant landscape within you.

October 10-November 21 (8 weeks)
Tuesdays, 9:30-11:00am
Informal showing on last day from 11:30am-12:30pm.

Pre-registration required
$45 per 8-week workshop
Financial assistance available upon request

For more information and to register, click here.

Thanks to community support we are happy to announce the Minnesota International Dance Festival (MNIDF) workshops are now free to all attendees!

The MNIDF brings together international dance instructors, choreographers, community members, and emerging Twin Cities artists for a week of community exchange through workshops and performances. This year’s featured country is Mexico. The festival will include three week-long workshops, a choreographer panel conversation, and three performances.

Workshops October 17-20, 2023:
Class A: 10:00-11:30am – Alexis Zanety, Circular Drawing Movement
Class B: 11:30am-1:00pm – Dora de la Torre, Mexican Folkloric Dance
Class C: 1:30-3:00pm – José A. Luis, Dance Composition

Informal Showcase Performance at the Southern Theater on October 21 at 1:30pm.

Concerto Dance is hosts an Intermediate/Advanced Jazz master class Friday, October 20 at the Cowles Center for Dance to kick off weekend one of the Fall Forward Festival!

Join us as we examine jazz dance from a historical perspective with a concentration on classical jazz dance technique, musicality, and moving as a community. Class will conclude with a combination from our signature work Ode to Opus Jazz, being presented in Weekend One of the Fall Forward Festival, October 21-22.

Friday, October 20
9:00-11:00am

Cowles Center, Target Education Studio
Cost: $20, cash or Venmo: @Concerto-Dance

More information.
Drop-ins welcome! No pre-registration required.
Participants will be asked to sign a liability waiver upon arrival.