Archive

James Sewell Ballet: This is Me

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.

Summer Friday Morning Jazz Workshop Series

Need a little more rooted jazz dance in your life? Join long-time Zenon instructors Erinn Liebhard and Karla Grotting for a special summer workshop series featuring co-taught classes from Erinn and Karla and master classes from the 2024 guest artists of Erinn’s company Rhythmically Speaking. Classes are select summer Friday mornings from 9:30-11:00am.

June 21: Erinn and Karla
July 12: Maurice Watson (RS Guest Artist)
July 26: Eboné Amos (RS Guest Artist)
August 9: Jake Nehrbass (RS Guest Artist)
August 23: Erinn and Karla

We hope you’ll #GetYourAssToClass and join us to experience #JoyThroughJazz!

Summer Sound Garden at Silverwood Park

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.

is this magic?

Created and performed by Kayla Schiltgen.

Saturday, June 29
4:00pm and 7:00pm

Performances are approximately 45 minutes and followed by an artist talkback.
Tickets: $18, before fees

“is this magic?” is a new experimental dance solo blending live performance and screendance to examine anti self-curation as a radical act of personal acceptance. Unfolding through a movement score prioritizing intuition, desire, resourcefulness, and play, each iteration of “is this magic?” is a unique manifestation, offering nuance and fresh meaning.

This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Arrowhead Regional Arts Council, thanks to appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature’s general and arts and cultural heritage funds.

TU Dance Center: Pre-Professional Summer Programs

The TU Dance Pre-Professional program is an intensive course of study integrating Modern, Ballet, African Dance, and creative workshops for students ages 11-24. Click the respective level group to download the daily schedule: 2024 Intermediate Program Daily Schedule and 2024 Advanced Intensive Daily Schedule.

Youth Intermediate Level: July 8-20
This level is aimed at students typically aged 11 and older with some dance experience who wish to experience focused dance training. During this 2-week program, students will be introduced to different forms of dance with a balance between building strong technique and exploring their artistry.
Registration Deadline: July 3, 2024

Teen Intermediate Level: July 8-20
This level is designed for students typically aged 14 and older with two or more years of formal training. During this 2-week program, students will explore their artistry through technique classes and workshop/choreography that will help to build their knowledge of dance.
Registration Deadline: July 3, 2024

Advanced Level: July 29-August 10
This 2-week summer intensive program is designed for advanced pre-professional students typically aged 17-24 who are interested in pursuing careers as professional dancers. It is recommended that students have four or more years of formal training and a solid grounding in Ballet and Modern dance techniques. Students will participate in daily workshop classes with TU Dance Center teaching artists and guest artists. Students can enroll for 1 week or 2 weeks. Each week will culminate with a work-in-progress sharing in the studio.
Registration Deadline: July 24, 2024. Single-week registration is available.

For program details, level placement, and to register, you can either click here, email education@tudance.org, or call 651-724-9708. Level placement can be done by attending in person (by appointment only, class fee applies), submitting a video link (modern and ballet phrases), or during the first day of classes of the intensive. Scholarships available!

View the TU Dance Summer Programs information more efficiently on a mobile device by clicking here.

Yosakoi Workshop

Please join the Japan America Society of Minnesota for the Bon Odori Workshop at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.

Sunday, July 14
2:30-3:30pm

Bon Odori is a traditional dance performed during Obon Festivals throughout Japan. Before JASM’s Obon Festival at Como Park, dancers will be teaching the Bon Odori. Please join us if you’d like to learn the Bon Odori. Click here to watch a video from last year’s workshop!

Once again, we are happy to be joined by Maria Traxler, a current member of the Kizuna International Yosakoi Team. She danced in the 2019 Kochi Yosakoi Festival as a Kizuna member, as well as in the 2015 Kochi Yosakoi Festival as a member of the Shimanto Town team Shimamuta.

This is a family-friendly event, all are welcome. No prior experience is necessary to participate. Please wear clothes that are easy to move in.

This event will be a fun way to get some exercise and learn about a regional dance of Japan. Please sign up today! We are looking forward to seeing you there.

Threads Advanced-Professional Summer Dance Intensive

Performers and Creators, join us for a powerful week of dance exploration from July 22-26.

Threads is proud to announce the return of our Summer Intensive. We are offering a new structure that allows us to better support artists whose focus is performance, creation, or both.

Performer’s Track – 10:00am-2:30pm

Classes include Contemporary/Modern, Ballet, Hip Hop, African Umfundalai, Jazz, and more.

Creator’s Track – 1:00-5:00pm
Classes include Repertoire, Composition, and Improvisation, as well as studies on topics such as grant writing and funding, producing a show, and more.

Both Performer’s and Creator’s Tracks – 10:00am-5:00pm
Offers a rigorous, full-day exploration of techniques and the chance to enhance yourself as a performer and choreographer.

Repertoire learned in the intensive may be part of the company audition on Saturday, July 27.

Come for part of the day or the full day! Learn more and register by July 6.

Open Company Audition for Threads Dance Project

Threads Dance Project Open Audition
Saturday, July 27
Registration and self-warm-up: 9:30-10:00am
Audition: 10:00am-12:30pm

Threads Dance Project is seeking a diverse group of male-identifying and female-identifying dancers ages 21+ who are versatile, quick learners, and fluent in a variety of dance forms for the fall 2024 season. Rehearsals begin August 12 with performances into November 2024.

Availability and Schedule

  • You must be available for the following dates and times:
  • August-November: Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 9:00am-12:30pm
  • Tech week: November 5, 6, and 7, 4:00-9:00pm
  • Performances: November 8, 9, and 10
  • Other performances are possible later in November

Dancers are encouraged to register here by Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
Please direct questions regarding the audition to Karen Christ Aalgaard by emailing kchrist@threadsdance.org or calling 612-354-3978.

Concerto Dance Summer Intensive

Join Concerto Dance for our fourth annual summer intensive!
July 29-August 2
9:30am-2:00pm

Classes include ballet barre, jazz barre, strength and conditioning, yoga, non-traditional partnering, and advanced jazz and modern taught by Artistic Director Jolene Konkel, along with Concerto company members. In addition to daily technique class, dancers will learn company repertoire including our newest jazz work On Our Way. Intensive concludes with optional company auditions on Friday, August 2, 3:00-5:30.

Full Intensive: $275
A la carte: $50/day

See daily schedule online by visiting our website.
Open to all advanced, pre-professional, and professional dancers ages 16 and up.

Register by July 1!