Archive

Berit Ahlgren teaches Moving Practice Tuesdays in February

Moving Practice is a weekly class series for professional dancers. Classes prioritize rigor, diversity of contemporary aesthetics, variety of class content, and commitment. Professional level dancers of all styles are welcome.

Tuesdays, 10:00-11:30AM at The Arena

Berit Ahlgren teaches throughout February.

Each session will begin with a guided improvisation rooted in the Gaga movement language to warm up the body and creative mindset. Students will both learn phrase work, as well as deconstruct Ahlgren’s previously made choreography as a means to collaboratively build new movement vocabulary. Depending on weekly attendance, we may build from week 1 to week 4, or start fresh each session. Expect a physical practice with room to honor your own needs and/or limitations week to week.

Originally from St. Paul, Berit Ahlgren gained her foundational dance training from Minnesota Dance Theater and received a BFA in Dance from St. Olaf College, where she also studied biomedical studies. Ahlgren was a founding member of TU Dance under the artistic directorship of Toni Pierce-Sands and Uri Sands, and performed with the company between 2006—2016. Receiving Metropolitan Regional Arts Council’s Next Step Grant in 2011, Ahlgren had the opportunity to study the Gaga Movement Language in Tel Aviv, and moved to Israel to pursue teacher certification between 2011-2012.

Ahlgren earned her MFA in Dance from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts in 2016, and has since been on faculty at the University of Minnesota and Winona State University, performing with independent choreographers between Minneapolis and New York, and choreographing her own growing body of work for both stage and camera under her organization HoneyWorks.

Ahlgren has had the great pleasure to work with Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Netta Yerushalmy, Gregory Dolbashian, Dwight Rhodan, among others. Ahlgren co-choreographed and performs in Ashwini Ramaswamy’s Let the Crows Come” (hailed by the Washington Post as one of the best dance performances of 2021) and co-created the event “Live @ The Shed” with Helen Hatch which has premiered both bolerobolero (“A heroic work, a spectacle for our time,” 2020) and LDV (“an exuberant work [of] whirling gusto,” 2021). In addition to her work as performer and choreographer, Berit teaches classes in the Gaga Movement Language regularly in the Twin Cities, and well as guest teaching nationally and abroad.

Pre-register at https://www.arena-dances.org/the-arena/
Flexible pricing and free parking! $17 drop-in.

Dance Church

Dance Church
Presented as part of The Great Northern.

Get together, get moving, and build some midwinter heat with this all-abilities movement class offering a fun and inclusive approach to dancing. Designed for people of all shapes and sizes, backgrounds and identities, Dance Church is a communal space for people who want to move their bodies.

During a 50ish-minute class, participants will be guided through a series of movement cues accompanied by a curated playlist of multi-genre pop music. The format is open but guided throughout. No previous training is required, but open-mindedness is a prerequisite. Get lost dancing together—it’s the dance party you wish you had last night.

Saturday, February 5
10:00am

*Wear clothes you can sweat in – most people go barefoot or wear socks.
Please note: All events at First Avenue require either proof of a full course of COVID-19 vaccination, or proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken in the prior 72 hours. N95 masks are required and will be provided.

About Dance Church® 
Dance Church® has been bringing the joy and release of dance to people since 2010. Classes are hosted regularly in New York, Seattle and Los Angeles, and have popped up in cities worldwide. Dance Church Go is an online streaming version of our in-person classes. Go was created to dance together from wherever with on-demand and live-streamed classes available anytime. Whether in-person or on the internet, Dance Church is committed to spreading joy through movement while building community physically and virtually around the world.

Raising the Barre for Mental Health – A Dance Teacher Workshop Series

Mental health is as important as physical health for healthy, happy dancers. Minding the Gap presents a workshop curated in five sessions, each presented by an accredited professional.

All sessions online from 12:30–1:30pm.

#1 – February 6, 2022
Common mental health challenges for dancers, signs of distress, and what actions can be taken.
Presenter: Josh Spell MSW, LICSW– consulting mental health professional to Pacific Northwest Ballet.

#2 – February 20, 2022
Tough love in teaching. What is it? How is it done correctly? Unlearning problematic methods from our past and moving on with a mental health approach to dance pedagogy.
Presenter: Jo-Anne La Flèche, MPsy, MA Dance – consulting psychologist to l’École supérieure de ballet du Québec.

#3 – March 6, 2022
Language Matters: Shifting how we speak about food and bodies to prevent eating disorders and improve dancer health.
Presenter: Monika Saigal, MS, RD, CEDRD-S, CDN – nutritionist and eating disorder expert based in New York City.

#4 – March 20, 2022
Productive, proactive communication. How to engage students and dancers on the tough topics and disappointments.
Presenter: Jackson Jirard, M.Ed – Education psychology specialist and dance educator, associate director of Urban Improv at Rehearsal For Life in Massachusetts.

#5 – April 3, 2022
How to support an injured dancer. Best practices to get the dancer back into the studio strong both mentally and physically.
Presenter: Marissa Schaeffer, PT, DPT, CSCS – licensed physical therapist and NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist in New York City.

Twin Cities Ballet is Hiring – Position Open for Male Company Dancer

Twin Cities Ballet has an open position for a male company dancer for the second half of the 2021/2022 season, through May 8, 2022. This is a competitive, salaried position with a 14-week contract. Strong classical ballet and contemporary skills required.

We also are willing to work with a guest artist for each of the performances below, if you are not available for the entire 14-week contract. Please email info@TwinCitiesBallet.org for more information.

Our spring season includes:

Pink Floyd’s THE WALL: A Rock Ballet – TCB will be performing its smash-hit original rock ballet at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on March 12–13, with live music from popular local band Momentary Lapse of Floyd.

Giselle – The season will conclude with the beautiful ballet classic, Giselle, at Ames Center in Burnsville May 6–8. This will be the Twin Cities Ballet company premiere of one of the most popular and enduring ballet favorites.

Please submit the following audition materials by email:
-Your resumé.
-Two photos: First arabesque and a headshot showing at least 3/4 face. Either attach small format photos or provide a link.
-Video link showing classwork or performance clips, clearly demonstrating your classical ballet technique.
-State whether you are currently eligible to work in the United States.

Please send information to info@TwinCitiesBallet.org. We will contact you after we have reviewed your audition materials to schedule an in-person or virtual audition.

ABOUT US
Twin Cities Ballet (TCB) is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit professional dance company that creates original full-length and shorter story ballets, a rare and nearly lost art, as well as more abstract contemporary ballet-based works. An emerging gem in the Twin Cities, TCB has carefully built a financially solid and growing organization that is making its mark both regionally and nationally through its creative and innovative artistic endeavors.

TCB prohibits discrimination against any employee, applicant for employment, or patron because of race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, veteran status or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Our mission is to connect and enrich communities by making ballet approachable, relatable, and fun, through professional and original productions and educational outreach.

Audition for Off-Leash Area’s Production of Minotaur

The dance audition for Off-Leash Area’s 2022 mainstage production, Minotaur, will be held in a workshop format. We are looking for three additional dancers who have previous experience with or show proclivity towards embodying Theatrical Mask work, strong contemporary/modern dance skills, and strong musicality using complex rhythms.

We are looking to create a cast that expresses a range of ages and gender identities.​

Positions are paid a $1000 stipend.

Anticipated rehearsals are twice weekly beginning at the end of February through mid-May, thrice weekly mid-May through July.

Tech and Performance Dates are July 11-17, 2022.
Performance venue is Barbara Barker Center for Dance, Minneapolis.

Minotaur Audition for Dancers
Sunday, February 6
5:00-7:00pm
at TU Dance Center, 2121 University Ave, St. Paul. Directly behind the Subway restaurant.

To sign up for the audition:
Send a resume or brief summary of your dance experience to Off-Leash Area at offleash@offleasharea.org.

Those auditioning are not required, but are highly encouraged to sign up for one or both Theatrical Mask Workshops for Dancers, January 29 and 30. 

Space is limited and N95 masks are required. Full Covid protocol on our website.

For more on the workshops and audition, visit www.offleasharea.org/auditionworkshops

For more on Minotaur,  visit www.offleasharea.org/on-stage-now

Call for Artists with Disabilities: Apply for the Off-Kilter Cabaret

Off-Leash Area contemporary performances is pleased to announce a new call for submissions for our newest program, Off-Kilter Cabaret.

Off-Kilter is designed to highlight and support artists with disabilities, making space for and giving voice to artists with disabilities in the design and leadership of the program. The Off-Kilter Cabaret will be a 75-minute cabaret-style production, which in this inaugural year will be presented for four performances in the Barker Center for Dance on the U of MN West Bank campus on June 9-12, 2022.

Artists are asked to create a 5-10 minute performance work that speaks to the theme of the inaugural Off-Kilter cabaret – “Organ Recital.” This is a paid performance opportunity.

Deadline to apply: February 14, 2022.
The application is currently available on our website at www.offleasharea.org/off-kilter.

Zenon Dance Zone Performance and Technique Groups

Zenon Dance Zone is an intensive study and performance program that offers dancers the opportunity to study with professional dance instructors, create with local choreographers, and join a welcoming dance community.

Technique Group: Provides dancers the opportunity to enhance their creative and technical skills while exploring new dance styles with unlimited classes a week.

Performance Group: Provides dancers the opportunity to enhance their creative and technical skills while exploring new dance styles with unlimited classes a week. Performance Group includes an opportunity to create with local choreographers and perform in the Spring 2022 Showcase May 20-21, 2022 alongside local professional choreographers and dancers.

Welcoming Winter/Spring Zone Choreographers, Dustin Haug, Javan Mngrezzo and Chloe Nagle! Visit Zenon Dance Zone for details on works and rehearsal schedules.

Benefits include unlimited classes for Winter/Spring Sessions. Payment plans and Xchange opportunities available.

Bharatanatyam Classes at the Ragamala Training Center

At the Ragamala Training Center, students receive classical training in the style of Bharatanatyam carefully created by the internationally renowned Padma Bhushan Alarmel Valli, considered to be one of India’s greatest living masters. This style is distinguished by its technical perfection and grace, and Artistic Directors Ranee Ramaswamy and Aparna Ramaswamy are dedicated to preserving and carrying on their guru’s tradition and passing it on to the next generation of dancers.

Ragamala classes provide students with rigorous training while giving them an opportunity to learn about, preserve, and immerse themselves in the arts and culture of India. Ragamala Training Center’s unique program stresses artistic excellence and a professional level of training while fostering cultural awareness.

Ragamala Training Center offers introductory through advanced level classes for ages 7 through adult. 

Introductory Class
Saturdays, 3:15-4:00pm
Online via Zoom
Classes run October 2021-May 2022
You can view the full calendar here: https://www.ragamaladance.org/school-calendar

Registration
Please use this link to submit your registration: https://forms.gle/oXRMupDLPcUnFmqC8

New Student Introductory Tuition
$450 Spring Semester (beginning in January)
We also offer discounts for families enrolling more than one student. For more information, please go to: https://www.ragamaladance.org/training-center

The Ragamala Training Center welcomes students with prior experience in Bharatanatyam to audition for upper level classes. Please contact us at admin@ragamaladance.org before registering for classes beyond the introductory level.

Erin Thompson Teaches Advanced Contemporary Classes In Person

Erin’s advanced level contemporary hybrid class through Zenon Dance School includes floor work, standing warm-ups, and phrase work, all designed to enhance the healthy use of joints and muscle groups as dancers release their weight fully into the support of the ground. Experiential awareness, body mapping, improvisation, and creative work are included as dancers channel their own expressive artistry within the movement. The delightful Dean Magraw will accompany on guitar.

Thursday mornings, 9:30-11:00am

Registration is open through Zenon’s MindBody portal and closes ten minutes before class.
See you, in person or virtually, soon!

Zenon Dance School

Tapestry Folkdance Center Classes In-person and Online

Tapestry Folkdance Center offers weekly and monthly classes and dances for all ages and skill levels at our Minneapolis, MN studios. All programs – from international to ballroom and family to seniors (online only), are ongoing. More information, including the schedule, instructors, and live music, is available on our website. Check out our calendar of activities.

Tapestry Programming:

Sunday
Ballroom Variety Dance – first, third, and fifth Sunday, 6:00-9:30pm
English Country Dance – 7:00-9:00pm

Monday
Advanced International Folk Dance – second Monday, 7:45-10:30pm

Thursday
Israeli Dance, 7:00-9:30pm

Friday
Seniors Dance Joyfully – ONLINE first and third Friday, 9:30-10:30am
USA Social Dance and Ballroom – fourth Friday, 7:00-10:30pm
International Folk Dance, 7:00-10:30pm

Saturday
Contra Dance, 7:30-11:00pm
Family Dance – ONLINE second Saturday, 7:00-7:30pm

Additional dance and class opportunities include Brazilian Zouk, Dance Church, Minnesota Traditional Morris, Phoenix Chinese, Dance Academy, Qigong and Chi, Royal Scottish Country Dance Society, Saturday Modern Collective, Shake Your Bones, Shotokan Karate, TLC Line Dance, USA Dance Projects, Zumba with Chari, and Zumba with Sadie.

Studio rentals are available for private lessons, groups, and rehearsals.

Learn to assist with evening and weekend dance admisssion’s, welcome visitors, or be a part of our community by opening and closing the building. Volunteers make Tapestry Folkdance Center an amazing music and dance organization.