The Cowles Center’s Programs and Education Advisory Committee

As we look to shape programming, it’s important that we have input from our community. The Cowles Center is looking for 3-5 additional advisory committee representatives to provide insights, guidance, and feedback to our programming which includes curated seasons in the Goodale and TEK BOX, community engagement initiatives for artists, and education programs for youth to adult learners.

We will be intentional in garnering the participation of BIPOC individuals, LGBTQIA2+ representatives, and people with disabilities. Ideal candidates may include but are not limited to artistic directors, independent artists, dancers, patrons, educators, and community advocates.

Applications are due Wednesday, September 21. Click here to learn more about the Programs and Education Advisory Committee.

Adult Drop-In Classes at BCL

A light-skinned dancer in a red leotard reaches arms out in first arabesque

No matter if you are a veteran dancer or slipping on your first pair of ballet shoes, Ballet Co.Laboratory is an artistic home for everyone. With 11 different adult drop-in classes offered each week, including conditioning and Pilates, we know we have the right class for you! 

Join us in-person or virtually via Zoom. All dancers must sign-in on Mindbody. Class sign-in will close 10 minutes before class begins. Single class and 10-class cards are available and parking is always free! 

Learn more or sign up for a class here: https://bit.ly/AdultTeenBCL 

Rent Space at BCL

Need space to train, create, and/or rehearse? Ballet Co.Laboratory has five affordable studio spaces for rent. With sprung floors, high ceilings, natural lighting, surround sound speakers, lobby space, changing rooms, wi-fi access, kitchenette, and free parking we can accommodate groups of any size. 

To inquire about your rental, please email info@balletcolaboratory.org or call 651.313.5967.

Studio Rentals at Collide Theatrical in St. Paul

Need space to rehearse, choreograph, teach, or hold an event? Collide Theatrical has two studios available for rental in our beautiful St. Paul location.

Studio 1 has 1700 square feet of sprung floor, full wall-length mirrors, Rosco Adagio Marley dance floor, high ceilings, sky lights, and 3 chandeliers.

Studio 2 has 550 square feet of sprung wood floor.

Both studios have the following amenities:

  • Ballet barres for up to 18 students
  • Free and accessible parking and access to public transportation line
  • Gender-specific bathrooms (non-gender-specific bathroom available in the adjacent building)
  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Bluetooth room speakers
  • Cubbies for holding shoes and clothes
  • 2 long folding tables
  • Access to up to 30 folding chairs
  • HVAC heated and cooled spaces with temperature control
  • Hallway drinking fountains. Access to kitchenette area available upon request.

Single Rental:
Studio 1 – $30/hour
Studio 2 – $20/hour

Long-Term or Multiple-Day Rental:
Studio 1 – $20/hour
Studio 2 – $15/hour

Weekly Rental Rate:
Payment for rental bookings must be made 48 hours prior to your booking to hold your reservation. A signed rental agreement and certificate of insurance must be provided prior to your reservation. Please contact us at 651-395-7903 to schedule a visit.

Advanced Adult Jazz with Collide Theatrical

Join us every Wednesday from 9:00–10:30am for advanced adult jazz with the company.
Teachers on a rotating schedule.
All are welcome!

Our space is located in the Can Can Wonderland building in St. Paul – free parking and on a public transit line.
$15 drop-in rate; $12 for professional dancers – use code PRODANCE at checkout.
Pre-registration required.
To register visit: https://www.collidetheatrical.org/book-online.

Studio Stories Podcast with Caroline Palmer for Season 8, Episode 100

Portrait of Caroline Palmer, a light skinned woman with glasses and short curly hair

Join us in our 100th episode celebration as we circle back to our very first interviewee, Caroline Palmer.

Caroline Palmer has been writing about dance for over 30 years for publications including Paper Magazine, City Pages, Star Tribune, and her own blog “Big Dance Town.” She is currently writing a book about the history of Twin Cities dance called “Making A Scene.”

Studio Stories airs Thursdays at noon!

Listen where ever you get your podcasts or find it here: https://www.arena-dances.org/studio-stories-reminiscing-on-twin-cites-dance-history/

Zenon Dance Zone Performance and Technique Auditions – September 8 to September 10

Zenon Dance School – Fall Zone Auditions

The Zenon Dance Zone Fall Session, running from September 12-December 18, is an intensive adult dance program for all levels, ages, and dance backgrounds who wish to deepen their dance journey and experiences. The program offers two tracks and welcomes new movers through a relaxed audition.

Performance Group – for movers with a strong intermediate/advanced level of dance technique and searching for opportunities to perform with local choreographers. Fall Session will feature choreographers Kendall Kramer and Ruby Josephine Smith with a showcase performance December 16-17, 2022.

Technique Group – for movers who wish to enhance their creative and technical skills while exploring different genres of dance.

Auditions are this week during Zenon’s Open House Week. Join us for one of the audition classes for the Zone Fall Session:

  • Thursday, September 8, 7:00-8:30pm with Dustin Haug during Intermediate Modern
  • Saturday, September 10, 10:00-11:00am with Roxane Wallace during Beginning Modern

Performance and Technique Track tuition covers unlimited Zenon Dance School classes during the session, with a minimum of 3-4 classes per week, and performance group members must perform in at least one showcase piece. Subsidized tuition is available through the Zenon Xchange program.

Administrative Assistant – Part Time with Off-Leash Area

Job Description: Administrative Assistant – part-time, flexible – with Off-Leash Area

Experience:
Minimum of two years general office experience.
Office software experience (with these or similar software and platforms): Experience with FilemakerPro database, Mailchimp email platform, Quickbooks, Weebly/Wix or other second party web platform, Word, and Excel. Familiarity with social networking sites and their use in marketing. Experience with writing for marketing. Experience with grant writing a plus though not necessary.

Working Profile:
Ability to organize and prioritize responsibilities, create and follow a calendar of responsibilities, manage details, communicate clearly and directly, strong creative writing skills, and work professionally in an informal atmosphere with a flexible schedule. Will work with supervision from the Artistic Directors.

Hours and Pay:
The Administrative Assistant will work an average of 5-6 hours per week. Hours are flexible. Minimum pay starting at $18 per hour. The Administrative Assistant will be working mainly in the home office of the Artistic Directors of the company (owners of a friendly dog), with some off-site work possible.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

  • Data Maintenance – update information in FileMakerPro
  • Marketing – create and send monthly e-newsletters and email blasts for productions and events, press releases, working with the Artistic Directors on writing the copy; update and maintain social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, mnartists.org, etc); update website
  • Financial – track donations, enter cash disbursements and receipts in Quickbooks
  • Support the organization with other administrative tasks as needed
  • Attend bi-monthly board meetings and take minutes

A minimum 1-year commitment is required.

COVID
The Artistic Directors are fully vaccinated and require all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as well. We are open to additional COVID-19 precautions.

Application: 
Please send a resume and cover letter to offleash@offleasharea.org by September 9.

Upstream Arts Seeking Teaching Artists

Upstream Arts is looking for experienced Teaching Artists of any artistic discipline to join our Teaching Artist roster: actors, dancers, clowns, painters, musicians, singers, playwrights, directors, physical theatre artists, multi-disciplinary performing artists, mixed media visual artists, writers, poets, composers, and all other unclassified artists.

This is a part-time position. Hours vary depending on organizational needs and artist availability. Applications accepted until September 23.

The mission of Upstream Arts is to use the power of the creative arts to activate and amplify the voice and choice of individuals with disabilities. In our programs, professional artists teach fundamental skills in a variety of art forms through activities that nurture self-expression, conversation skills, and group participation. We integrate individuals with cognitive, developmental, emotional, behavioral, and physical disabilities into multidisciplinary arts programming designed to develop social and communication skills vital to success in school, work, and life.

Upstream Arts’ Teaching Artists teach our multi-disciplinary arts-based curriculum in teams of 2 or 3 in schools, adult day centers, and community groups in the Twin Cities metro area and beyond. All classes are taught in a group facilitated structure with Teaching Artists rotating up front leading activities.

Teaching Artists are provided paid training to learn how to teach our unique curriculum as well as training in teaching strategies for working with mixed-ability groups.

Essential Responsibilities

  • Collaboratively facilitate programs as part of a Teaching Artist Team
  • Attend Teaching Artist Training throughout the year
  • Assist with the development of new curriculum
  • Give and receive timely feedback

Skill Requirements:

  • Artistic background
  • Minimum 1-2 years Teaching Artist experience
  • Excellent group facilitation and communication skills
  • Ability to work and collaborate as part of a team
  • Ability to project an air of calm in hectic environments

Valuable Skills:

  • Experience working with people with disabilities
  • Bilingual in Spanish, Hmong, Somali, or American Sign Language
  • Ability to play a musical instrument
  • Background in education

Work Conditions:
This is an in-person position, with the possibility of some remote or hybrid classes.

Upstream Arts adopted a COVID-19 vaccination policy in January 2022. All employment with Upstream Arts is conditioned on candidates being fully vaccinated. Individuals with medical issues or religious beliefs, or practices, that prevent them from getting the vaccine may request an exemption from our vaccine requirement.

Compensation:
This is an hourly position, $18-$28 per hour, commensurate with experience. Upstream Arts offers accrual of paid time off and eligibility to opt into a retirement plan.

To Apply:
Email a cover letter and resume to jobs@upstreamarts.org by September 23.

Upstream Arts is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, disability, color, creed, religion, ancestry, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, citizenship, age, veteran status, marital status or status with regard to public assistance.  Individuals with disabilities, people of color, women, trans, and gender-queer individuals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Katha Dance Theatre Seeks Diverse Dancers to Join Training Program

The dancers of Katha Dance Theatre stand on stage and gesture with their right arms pointing off to the right

Katha Dance Theatre has been performing and educating in Kathak, the classical Indian dance form, since 1987. Kathak is a beautiful dance form that is grounded in a mixture of balletic lyrical movements and pirouettes as well as complex rhythmic footwork. Because it originated as a form of storytelling, the form also has a strong emotional component and evokes narratives through dancers’ gestures and facial expressions. KDT has been working for over 35 years to make the form accessible and inclusive through offering programs throughout the state of Minnesota (and beyond) and collaborating with multicultural artists on original work.

With that in mind, KDT is seeking dancers of diverse mediums and ethnic backgrounds to join their school on a track to eventually join the professional company. The organization has received grant funding that enables it to offer full scholarships to at least 5 dancers outside of its majority-South Asian community to begin Kathak training.

The training would begin at the start of KDT’s fall class session, September 10 through November 23, 2022. The first class would be on Tuesday, September 13 from 6:30-7:30pm CT. Professional dancers of any kind are welcome, with male dancers being especially encouraged to join. To learn more about the upcoming Session, go to our website and email info@kathadance.org if interested.

Watch an example of KDT’s work here.

Photo by Anjana Nair