Archive

Immigrants: Dancing Our Stories

Immigrants: Dancing Our Stories is a performance that represents some of the stories that have had a large impact on the North American scene, individually and collectively. The show brings forward our culture, our influence, our work. We all came with a dream and a vision for a better life. This project is in the process of collecting videos, interviews, and performances of featured artists who are immigrants to the United States. This is the first in a series of events. Stay tuned for upcoming calls for artists (dancers, visual artists, musicians, singers…) and performances. Come see what it’s about!

Friday, March 1 at 7:30pm
Purchase tickets online.

See you there! – Ginga da Bahia

Red Eye Presents: VASTNESSESS by Valerie Oliveiro

VASTNESSESS is an evening-length dance work by performance maker Valerie Oliveiro. Conceived during unprecedented time, the piece searches for possibility. The dance finds support through, and relishes in, deep patterning—while accepting the sometimes bizarre coexistences of our current experiences. Techniques are passed down for centuries, birds migrate over great distances over thousands of years, dances move through thousands of bodies on the internet, and there are habitual ways to get off.

The choreography explores vastness at many scales—from durations that span beyond a single lifetime, to the feeling of expansion that may arise from the smallest places in the body. In VASTNESSESS, vernaculars may pass by, get picked up, come apart, walk alongside, or arrive at the same time. Form sets, then resets. Simultaneously we witness the beauty, the labor, and the journey of grief. Dance is devotion, dance is loss, and then—dance is stunningly available.

March 1-9

Choreography, lighting, sound design: Valerie Oliveiro
Created with and performed by: Sam Johnson, Judith H Shuǐ Xiān, and Pramila Vasudevan
Guests: Emily Gastineau and Jennifer Monson
Environmental treatment and fabrication: Jess Kiel-Wornson
Liminal space technician: matt regan
Writing vectors: Emily Gastineau (on devotion), Rachel Jendrzejewski (on deep pattern), Marcela Michelle (on queer versatility), and aegor ray (on grief)

Tickets: $25. No one turned away for lack of funds. If cost is a barrier, please email boxoffice@redeyetheater.org for discount ticket options.

Crash Dance Productions: Domino

It’s only a matter of time before they all fall down, one by one.

Growing tension stacks onto high drama as the visceral ensemble blindly selects who among them undertakes the role of The Con. When identities collide, the 13 unique personalities clash as a story of hierarchy, vulnerability, and influence develops in real time. Anyone could be the villain. No one knows who it will be. And every performance will be different.

Saturday, March 2, 7:30pm
Tickets: $35, fees included.

Sunday, March 3, 2:00pm
Tickets: Pay-as-you-are. Market value: $35, fees included.

Puss in Boots

Everyone’s favorite charismatic cat pounces off the page and onto the stage for a balletic re-imagination of Puss in Boots. Adventure with our fearless feline in an attempt to get a paw up in the world.

Puss in Boots is specially created for our youngest audience members – toddlers and preschoolers. With a pre-show craft, 45-minute performance, post-show movement class, and a chance to meet a few kittens from Feline Rescue, it’s the purrrfect event for the entire family.

Warning – tomfoolery guaranteed!

Choreographed by: Anna Betz, part of Ballet Co.Laboratory’s Laboratory II: Emerging Choreographer Program
Performed by: The upper-level students of The School of Ballet Co.Laboratory

March 2–3 and 9–10
Saturdays, March 2 and 9 at 2:00 and 6:00pm
Sundays, March 3 and 10 at 2:00pm

Tickets
Adults: $30
Seniors: $28
Children/Students: $25
Groups of 10+ to the same performance: $25

Spring into Spring Workshop Series with Jawaahir Dance Company

Start this spring off on the right foot! This fun three-week workshop series is taught by Jawaahir Dance Company members—offering a variety of topics and a range of levels!
Sundays, 12:15-2:15pm
March 3, 10, 17
$10 per two-hour workshop – pay at the door.

Sunday, March 3

Back to Basics with Louise
Back to Basics are the foundation in any dance form. After some stretches, balancing, toning, and a review of good posture, we will start our isolations from top to toe. There will be easy movements across the floor without and with our isolations building into our dance. We finish with a flourish of colorful veils.

Intro to Finger Cymbals and Arabic Rhythms with Renee
First, we will learn foundational finger cymbal patterns and, gradually, learn how to dance while playing them! We will listen to a few common Arab rhythms popular in Egyptian dance music, practicing dance steps to each of the rhythms. This workshop is geared toward dancers who are new to finger cymbals and Arab rhythm identification. Bring finger cymbals if you have them – extra finger cymbals will be available.

Sunday, March 10

Ballet for Bellydancers with Tanya
Have you been curious about the benefits of ballet, but find a full-on ballet class intimidating? In this short ballet for bellydancers class we will work on a few ballet basics that will help us in our bellydance. We’ll focus on strengthening and lengthening our muscles through an abbreviated barre work, then explore some footwork, turns, balances, and graceful arm pathways, looking at how these techniques can benefit us as bellydancers. The intention of this class is to add some items to your dance toolbox that will strengthen your foundation no matter your dance style! All levels welcome, however beginners might find it a bit challenging.

Fabulous Floorwork with Erin
Learn to create drama and mystery in your piece with fabulous floorwork. An exciting way to display strength and skill. Erin will teach dancers how to create smooth transitions to get up and down from the floor, floorwork combos, and shape making movements.   Suitable for beginner and intermediate level. Please bring knee pads/thick sweatpants to protect your knees and socks/dance shoes to protect the tops of your feet.

Sunday, March 17

Golden Era Belly Dance Class with Laila
A dance style that dominated Egyptian movies during the Golden Era (1930’s-1960’s). This vintage style is full of expression and elegance. In this class we will work on arms patterns, technique, travel steps and a vibrant combo inspired by the iconic dancer and actress Naima Akef.

Beledi Styling and Combos with Megan C.
Covering topics of beledi style and meaning in Egyptian music and dance culture. Explore beledi progression musical format through improvisation, and beledi styling in movement combos and music. All levels welcome; best suited for intermediate and up.

Integrating Pelvic Floor, Hips, and Abdominals with Sarah Baumert

Integrating Pelvic Floor, Hips, and Abdominals with The Blending of Yoga + FELDENKRAIS® in a 10-week series with Sarah Baumert.

March 4-May 13
Mondays, 6:00-7:15pm CST
Live classes will be taught on zoom.

All lessons are recorded. Registering for the series gives you access to the recorded lessons indefinitely.

Price: $175. Scholarships and pay-as-able options available.

Unwind, Realign, and Rediscover Power in Your Pelvic Floor, Psoas, and Beyond

This 10-week series blends the mindful movement of yoga with the gentle awareness of the Feldenkrais Method. We move beyond isolated exercises, treating your body as a connected system. While the focus starts with your pelvic floor, hips, and core, expect a full-body experience that integrates seamlessly. We will start by learning pelvic floor mapping, an essential tool for accessing pelvic floor healing, strength, and recovery. Each class will use pelvic floor mapping as an entry point for a well-rounded practice.

This practice is enriched with the joy of mindful exploration. Learn new ways to move with ease and grace, while reducing stress and finding deep relaxation through gentle Feldenkrais movements. Deepen your yoga practice with a new awareness of the pelvic floor, reconnect to your body’s wisdom, and build self-compassion. Empower yourself with tools for confident and joyful movement in everyday life – no prior experience necessary, just an open mind and a willingness to explore. These classes will work with the body as a whole functioning system, not a collection of parts. While the access point of our learning will start with the pelvic floor, hips, and abdominal complex, you will still experience a well-rounded practice.

This series will require a mini 8 or 10-inch pilates stability ball which can be found at Target or on Amazon.

Dance Community Town Hall Regarding Goodale Theater Closing

A call to action for all Minnesota dance community members to organize!

Town Hall
Monday, March 4 at 6:30pm
Women’s Club of Minnesota – Ballroom
Calling: Anyone and everyone invested in the future of Minnesota dance, movement, and performance!
Please RSVP here.

Join us as we chart a path forward to ensure the resilience and vitality of our local dance scene. This meeting will be attended by Ben Johnson, Minneapolis Director of Arts and Cultural Affairs, and City officials. The purpose is for the dance community to provide directed options from the recently circulated survey findings to discuss supportive ways the city can in turn support the local dance community upon the news of The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts closure of the Goodale Theater and its Educational Outreach Programs.

If unable to attend in person, you are invited to participate via Zoom. A link will be provided at a later date. Your virtual presence is highly valued.

Thank you to Kevin Winge of The Women’s Club for the generous gift of the space to convene. The Woman’s Club is located near Loring Park. Please enter the building under the green canopy. An accessible entrance is located to the left of the main stairs. There is free parking in the lot adjacent to The Woman’s Club. Additional options for parking include street parking on Oak Grove and 15th Streets, a parking garage at Walker Art Center, and metered parking at St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral. Additionally, carpooling and ride-sharing with Lyft and Uber are encouraged.

TU Dance Center: GYROKINESIS® Workshop for Adults with Wendy Anderson

Please join us at TU Dance Center for a six-week GYROKINESIS® workshop for adults with Wendy Anderson. No experience is necessary.

Class Description
Starting with breathing patterns and progressing into motions that mobilize the spine through arching, curling, bending, spiraling, and waving. Connecting with the breath, the movement starts to feel like a dance. Oxygenating the circulatory system, stimulating the nervous system, and opening the body. Exercises are done on chairs/stools, in standing and lying positions.

Six Weeks, March 6-April 10
Wednesdays, 4:30-5:45pm
$85
Online registration required.

Wendy Anderson has trained as a dancer, fitness professional, Pilates trainer, and presently Gyrotonic Trainer. She is an authorized teacher and teacher trainer (Pre-Trainer) of both Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic. Having the good fortune of working with some of the most renowned Master Trainers, including Juergen Bamberger, Juliu Horvath (creator of Gyrotonic), and Paul Horvath (physiotherapist), Wendy has also trained on all pieces of Gyrotonic equipment! She trains all levels of students from highly accomplished athletes to the very beginner who has started their adventure with Gyrokinesis or Gyrotonics later in life: “Always amazed by the beauty, depth, and sophistication of this movement modality, and how people can benefit from gyro on all levels of their being.”

The Arena – Contemporary Forms with Sarah McCullough

March 6-April 24, 2024
Wednesdays, 8:00-9:30am

Price: $160
Pre-registration required – no drop-ins.
Registration closes: February 25
Register here.

Contemporary Forms
The core themes of this practice will include sensory exploration, movement as meditation, and engaging with the body’s intuition. In each class, we will move through improvisation and phrase work to engage the senses and awaken the body. Movement material will have an expansive, animal-like virtuosity. Over the course of the series, we will extend phrase work, using imagery and prompts from our research to explore individual choice-making. This series is designed for intermediate/advanced movers who are interested in researching their unique movement modalities in a space based in curiosity and joy.

Sarah McCullough (she/her) is a Minneapolis-based movement artist and educator. Originally from Virginia, she attended James Madison University and earned her BA in Dance and Mathematics. Since joining Minneapolis’ dance community in 2018, she has performed the works of Carl Flink, Mathew Janczewski, Alexandra Bodnarchuk, Berit Ahlgren, Helen Hatch, Marisol Herling, and more. Alongside her performance work, Sarah is an educator in contemporary forms. While at JMU, she served as Co-Director of JMU’s Associate Dance Ensemble where she led a weekly company class and mentored 20 first-year dance majors in the early stages of their collegiate dance journey. She has led classes at the Limón Twin Cities Intensive, ARENA DANCES’ Instinct Summer Intensive, The University of Winchester (UK), North Carolina State University, as well as several high school dance programs and studios across Minnesota and Virginia.

Black Label Movement – Movers Make Showcase

In this exciting new initiative from Black Label Movement, seven choreographers have been invited to bring their own take on Black Label’s distinct movement aesthetic through the creation of a short new dance work. Come experience fresh takes on wildly physical, naturally virtuosic, and intellectually and emotionally engaging movement from these talented choreographers in the Twin Cities dance community!

Featuring choreography from Aubrey Clark, Hannah Albers, Rachel Lieberman, Anna Pinault, Javan Mngrezzo, Cheng Xiong, and Kaitlyn Hawkings.

March 8 at 7:30pm
March 9 at 2:00pm
March 9 at 7:30pm

Price: Pay-as-able