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The TU Dance Center Children and Teen Program introduces the joy of creative movement and beginning dance technique. Classes, divided by age, provide a comprehensive base on which to expand by developing body awareness, coordination, balance, flexibility, strength, and musicality. Click here to download the 2023 Children and Teen Summer Program Daily Schedule.

Introduction to Dance: July 11-20
2-week program for ages 9-12 welcomes beginners and introduces various techniques and concepts of dance to offer young movers the chance to experience a variety of ways to approach movement.

Bridge Level: July 10-22
2-week program for students ages 10-14 preparing for a deeper engagement in dance that includes introductory dance technique classes with a focus on the creative process.

Teen Level: July 10-22
This 2-week program is entry-level for students typically aged 14-19 that will focus on the techniques of modern, ballet, hip hop, and African dance. Students will learn basic fundamentals of dance technique along with exploring their individual artistic expression.

Mover-Maker-Writer-Curator Artist Extraordinaire Cara Hagan will be in town to work with Rhythmically Speaking July 10-15, and there are two public chances to experience her work!

Open Class: All Levels Jazz
Friday, July 14 from 10-11:15am
At Zenon

Open Showing
Saturday, July 15 at 4:30pm
At Cowles Center Studio 5B
Come see what Cara will have created for us for our upcoming show The Cohort 2023: Stage August 17-19!

More on Cara: Cara Hagan’s work exists at the intersections of movement, digital space, words, contemplative practice, and community. Hagan’s work has been presented at numerous events including recent appearances at Performatica in Cholula, Mexico, the Conference on Geopoetics in Edinburgh, Scotland, Roehampton University in London, The Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center in New York City, The Visual Art Exchange in Raleigh, NC and right here in Minnesota at the DanceBARN Festival! Hagan is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the MFA in Contemporary Theatre Performance at The New School in New York City. carahagan.net/ @carahagan_art

We hope you can join us for class, the showing or both!

In this class, we’ll explore how creating a foundation of communication through the principles of a consent-based rehearsal space paves the way for more fruitful creative play and exploration. We’ll discuss concepts like community agreements, practices for establishing boundaries, and tools for ongoing communication. We’ll also get these ideas in our bodies and collaborate on moments of devised storytelling. Come ready to share, learn, and play; leave with some introductory tools for creating with a consent-centered lens!

Friday, July 14
6:00-8:00pm
$40; $35 with code “learn” at checkout.

Collaboration Playground will be led by Alessandra Bongiardina. Alessandra is an actor, intimacy director, and writer originally from Colorado, based in Minneapolis. As an actor and intimacy director her work has been seen at the Guthrie Theater, Minnesota Opera, Park Square Theater, Wayward Theater, Exposed Brick Theater, St Olaf University, and the University of Minnesota, amongst others. She brings a deep love of collaboration to everything she does, and her background as an actor has focused on both heightened texts and physical storytelling. She continues to work and train as a fight professional, often assisting or directing fights in addition to intimacy directing on productions. Alessandra believes in facilitating spaces where clear communication and boundaries allows artists to go deeper into the work and step outside their comfort zones. As an artist she feels lit up by the crunchy places where we so often grow, helping others cultivate their own embodied consent practices, and staging joyful queer intimacy. On her own time, you’ll often find her embroidering, hammocking, or fawning over whatever her current book/TV obsession is. She has trained extensively with IDC (Intimacy Directors and Coordinators) and holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Minnesota/ Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training program. alessandrabongiardina.com. Past Sparkle Theatricals Productions: The League (2022).