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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

Ruby Josephine Smith teaches throughout January.

These contemporary classes focus on finding individual flow in the body and exploring different, contrasting qualities of movement through improvisation and phrasework. Fluidity, breath, and expression tend to be at the core of my work and practice, so we will use these themes to get back in touch with the beautifully internal experience of moving and dancing that then can be radiated out to audiences and observers. This will be done through exercises connecting breath and movement and finding flow from the spine and core, guided improvisations using images and sensations, and a combination taught at the end that aims to bring all the themes of class together, leaving room for the dancer to play within the set movement.

Ruby Josephine Smith is a contemporary dance artist and choreographer, born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her curiosity and passion launched her into a life of travel, continuing her self-driven training at studios, workshops and intensives around Europe. She finally landed in Tangier, Morocco, where she was based for the past 7 years until recently relocating back to the Twin Cities. In Tangier she taught regular classes at Le Conservatoire D’Art et de Musique and Positive School, as well as taught workshops and masterclasses around the country. As an experienced choreographer, her expressive, fluid and narrative work has been showcased in festivals around Morocco and Southern Europe, and commissioned by institutions such as the US Embassy of Morocco’s Cultural Department and the French Institute of Morocco. She has had the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from internationally renowned dance artists, including Pau Aran Gimeno of Tanztheater Wuppertal and Brazilian choreographer Natalia Fernandes. She currently teaches, creates and performs in Minneapolis, giving regular classes at Zenon Dance School and Circus Juventas. Ruby believes strongly in the power of dance to tell stories, explore personal expression, and form human connections.

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

Join us for Amy Jones’ Pilates mat class from 9:15-10:00am before Moving Practice. Take both for just $25!

Join Dana Kassel and Colin Edwards from The Cowles’ McKnight Fellowship Programs for a free, one-hour Zoom webinar on how to make a compelling video work sample. The Zoom link will be emailed to participants the week of the workshop.

The focus will be on offering tips for creating a compelling video work sample for applicants for the McKnight Dancer and Choreographer Fellowships, with some additional information on creating work samples for other grants and uses. We will be joined by a McKnight Fellow who will offer insights from an applicant’s point of view. We’ll allow plenty of time for specific questions from participants.

The McKnight Fellowships for Dancers and Choreographers has been a part of The Cowles Center’s offerings since 2015. Each year we award six $25,000 unrestricted grants to dance artists (three dancers and three choreographers) and provide additional support for career and artistic development.

Free to attend. Pre-register: https://www.thecowlescenter.org/tickets/worksampleworkshop

In tandem with casting for our 2022 mainstage production, Minotaur, Off-Leash Area is offering two Theatrical Mask Performance Workshops for Dancers. Professional dancers are invited to attend free of charge. Previous mask experience is not required.

Saturday, January 29: 5:00-7:00pm
Sunday, January 30: 5:00-7:00pm

at TU Dance Center, 2121 University Ave, St. Paul, directly behind the Subway restaurant.

Mask performance is an excellent bridge vocabulary between theatrical characterization and dance performance. For the performer, it can be liberating, empowering, and transformative, unleashing untapped reservoirs of energy, and imagination.

​Participants in the Theatrical Mask Workshop for Dancers will undertake group physical warm-ups geared towards training in mask performance. Participants will don one or more masks in different styles, and present brief improvisations to the group.

Limited space to allow distancing. N95 masks required. For full details and Covid protocols, visit www.offleasharea.org/auditionworkshops.

To sign up for one of both of the workshops, or for questions, contact Off-Leash Area at offleash@offleasharea.org.

A designated audition for Minotaur will occur on February 6. Theatrical Mask performance will be an integral vocabulary in the production, so those interested in auditioning are highly encouraged to attend a workshop and will receive priority for the limited spots.