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MotionArt First Friday Improv Gathering

Several dancers in black clothing dance and make shapes in a studio

Friday, April 7, 2023
6:30–8:00pm

Center for Performing Arts, Studio 105w – next to 38th Street entrance.
Monthly event – every first Friday of the month.

This event is open to people of all ages and abilities. Enjoy being present in the moment, responding to other dancers, finding new ways of moving, and discovering form as it emerges during this fun evening of creative movement. We’ll begin with an informal warm-up, then improvise together based on movement ideas offered by participants.

Come to move, to dance, to observe, or some of each!

Suggested donation $5-$15. No one turned away for lack of funds.

Keane Sense of Rhythm Tap Classes

Image of Studio K, with wood grain patterned floor and mirrors on one side

If you’ve ever thought “I’ve always wanted to do that” or “I miss dancing,” you’ve come to the right place. Whether you have two left feet or blazing fast feet, we have a class for you! At Keane Sense of Rhythm, students and professionals alike can share, grow, and explore rhythm and movement while having fun.

Our offerings include:

  • Tappy Hour 1, 2, 3, and 4
  • Dance Fit
  • On Broadway – Kids’ musical theater and tap
  • Rhythm Makers – Kids’ tap for ages 8-12
  • Youth Tap Ensemble – Intermediate and advanced training for kids interested in exploring the historical and professional world of tap dancing

Studio K Space Rental

Image of Studio K, with wood grain patterned floor and mirrors on one side

Studio K, operated by Keane Sense of Rhythm, is a brand new dance space built for percussive dance. Studio K features two studios with a lobby in the Creative Enterprise Zone in the Midway area of St. Paul.

Studio 1: 30’ x 34’ – 1020 square feet
Studio 2: 14’ x 20’ – 280 square feet

Studio Features
Sprung maple dance floor, built for percussive dance
Wall of mirrors
Bose sound system
Skyline windows that provide ample natural light

Other Amenities
Piano and two congas
Gender-neutral bathrooms on the main floor and gender-specific bathrooms on the second floor

Accessibility
The space is ADA accessible.
Free parking in the lots behind the building.
Metro Transit Green Line Light Rail Raymond Ave stop: .3 mile walk east on University Ave, approximately 7 minutes.
Metro Transit Bus Lines 63, 67 and 87 – University Ave and Vandalia St.

Rental Fees – Rehearsals
Individual artists: $12/$18 per hour
Nonprofit organizations: $18/$22 per hour

Please contact us to inquire about fees for other uses (e.g., classes, workshops, photo shoots, dance parties, etc.).

To learn more, or place a rental request, contact: Cathy@tapcompany.org or gabriella@tapcompany.org.

Dance Studio Available for Hourly Rental in South Minneapolis

A dance studio with wood floor, wall or mirrors, and built-in ballet barres

The Sabathani Community Center in South Minneapolis has a dance studio available for hourly rental.

The space includes mirrors, ballet barres, hardwood floor, and free parking. Dimensions: 39′ x 23′ x 9′

Hourly rental rates:
Rehearsals and photo shoots: $15
Classes and auditions: $20

Available for rent Monday through Friday between 7:00am and 9:00pm, and Saturdays between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Closed Sundays.

To reserve, contact ReNée Pettis at info@sabathani.org or 612-821-2308.

The Arena – Space for Rent

An image of the ARENA studio, with black Marley flooring and yellow walls

Located in the heart of the Lyn-Lake community, The Arena is available for your rehearsal, class, and event needs!
Hourly rates range from $15-$25, with discounts/special offerings available to BIPOC and LGBTQIA2+ communities.

Our space offers:

  • 1,305 square feet (30×40) of sprung Marley dance flooring
  • Full wall-length mirrors with curtains for covering if preferred
  • Changing room
  • Free parking on side streets (Aldrich, Bryant, Colfax, 31st, etc.)
  • Access to multiple bus lines, including the 21, 4, 23, 612, and 18

To request space, please email Mathew: arenadances@gmail.com.

The Arena – Drop-in Moving Practice with Sean Scantlebury

Moving Practice is a weekly class series for professional dancers. Classes prioritize rigor, diversity of contemporary aesthetics, variety of class content, and commitment.

Sean Scantlebury teaches Moving Practice in April!
Tuesdays, 10:00-11:30am

Professional-level dancers of all styles are welcome.
Registration and payment beforehand encouraged: pre-register.
Suggested price $17 per class. Pay-as-able option on all classes – we would rather you join us than not be able to attend due to financial limitations.

Class is a dynamic contemporary technique with a fusion of different styles combining both classical and progressive approaches while creating movement that encourages individual artistic expression.

Sean Scantlebury is a performer and teacher equally adept in modern, ballet and contemporary. A native of Barbados, Sean is a naturalized American citizen. He moved to New York City at age eight and was invited to study at the New York City Public School for Dance. He became a member of Eliot Feld’s Ballet Tech and performed in the company’s Joyce Theater seasons for ten years. During his first season with Battery Dance in 2003, he took part in a residency in Kraków, Poland, performing for the European Conference on Tolerance. Since then he has performed, taught and led Dancing to Connect workshops in more than 25 countries throughout Africa, Asia, Middle East and Europe. He was also a guest artist for Quorum Ballet (Portugal), Sutra Dance Theatre (Malaysia), Chevalier Ballet (NYC) plus many more. As a Battery Dance teaching artist, he has led classes at Washington Irving High School, Brooklyn’s P.S. 257, the South Bronx’s I.S. 162 and Millennium High School in Lower Manhattan. In 2017, Sean was named by Dance.com as one of 15 black dancers who are changing the world, second only to ABT’s Misty Copeland.

Studio Stories: CANDY BOX Edition with Berit Ahlgren

Studio Stories podcast airs this Thursday, April 6 at noon with a CANDY BOX Dance Festival special conversation with featured artist, Berit Ahlgren of Honeyworks for Season 10, Episode 127.

These special CANDY BOX editions of Studio Stories delve a little more into the dance works the artists will be sharing. Berit premieres Cedarbacke, a dance project in 3 phases which considers the history of Minneapolis’s Southern Theater and its diverse neighboring community. As a trilogy work, this first segment considers the Southern Theater in the 1920-30’s as a central location for immigrants and first generation Americans to gather, sharing in entertainment and cultural exchange. Nine dance artists collaborate and share with violinist Sara Pajunen in a playful homage to the Southern Theater and a recognition of the waves of cultures the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood has been home to.

Everyone can hear more of Berit’s history within the dance community at our ARENAs archives in Episode 56 on our website or wherever you get your podcast. 

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or here!

DanceCo Seeks Dancers for Summer Performing Season

DanceCo is returning to the stage after a three-year hibernation and is seeking kid-loving dancers for a fun, outdoor summer performance season! We produce original, interactive dance productions for young audiences and their families.

The choreography will range from jazz and ballet to body percussion and musical theater styles. Dancers must be expressive performers well versed in comic timing and comfortable engaging with young children. Choreography by Matthew Keefe and Karla Nweje. This summer’s relaunch, Dance Around Minnesota, features existing repertoire and new work built around our lovely state, its features, stories, and notable destinations. 

Rehearsals and performances are paid at a competitive rate. The initial rehearsal period will be scheduled on Sunday afternoons/evenings, with additional dates added as available and needed. 

All performances at 10:00am and 11:30am:
June 24 — Springboard for the Arts, 262 University Ave W. St. Paul
July 1 — Minnehaha Falls Pavilion, Minneapolis
July 8 — Raspberry Island, St. Paul
July 15 — Downtown Commons, Minneapolis

Audition
Sunday, April 2
2:00-4:00pm
At the Young Dance studios.
Studios open at 1:30pm for personal warmup.
Please bring your calendar.

For more information and any questions, please email info@DanceCoMN.com.

Collide Theatrical Apprentice Program

2023/2024 Apprentice Program running September 2023–May 2024.

Collide Theatrical’s Apprentice Program provides the skills needed to pursue formal positions within the Collide company and in the world of theater dance.

Selected Apprentice dancers will take daily technique class with the company, have an opportunity to perform in a Collide show, and participate in an apprentice showcase at the end of the year.

The daily technical classes include a variety of styles, rooted in ballet and jazz, but also including tap, acting for dance, and hip hop. Apprentice dancers will also have an opportunity to participate in quarterly master classes with Broadway touring dance captains and industry professionals.

This is a tuition-based program. Scholarships are available for underrepresented artists.

Enrollment is competitive and audition based. Video submissions accepted.

In-person auditions:
Sunday, April 16
3:00-5:00pm
Sign up here.

For more information, please contact Grace at admin@collidetheatrical.org.

Movement as Language Performance Opportunity

As part of Dance Projects by ME’s 2023 Movement as Language program, five community members will join teaching staff and professional artists to collaborate on a new production at the Southern Theater June 16-17, 2023.

To be considered as a collaborating artist, register for and attend one of the three free Movement as Language workshops this April:

Workshop 1: April 14-15
CM’s Fitness and Dance
6706 Penn Ave S, Richfield, MN 55423
Day 1: Friday, April 14, 6:00-8:00pm
Day 2: Saturday, April 15, 12:30-3:30pm
Free street parking is available.
Register

Workshop 2: April 22-23
The Shawngrām Institute for Performance and Social Justice
1197 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55104
Day 1: Saturday, April 22, 3:30-5:30pm
Day 2: Sunday, April 23, 10:30am-1:30pm
Limited free parking is available.
Register

Workshop 3: April 28-29
Zorongo Flamenco
3715 Minnehaha Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Day 1: Friday, April 28, 6:00-8:00pm
Day 2: Saturday, April 29, 3:00-6:00pm
Street parking is available on 37th Ave and surrounding streets.
Register

All workshop participants who are interested are invited to apply to join this creative process! These artist positions are paid. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, ESL, and community members with disabilities are encouraged to participate. No dance experience required.