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Bonnie Mathis Shares her History on Studio Stories Podcast this Week

Join ARENA DANCES for our weekly Studio Stories Podcast, where each week we reminisce on Twin Cities dance history with a new special guest. This week, we sat down with Bonnie Mathis to learn about her journey. 

Bonnie Mathis was a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and a soloist with the Harkness Ballet and also performed with many modern companies, namely the Lar Lubovitch Company, the Paul Taylor Company, the Paul Sanasardo Company, the Norman Walker Company, and the Nederlands Dans Theatre. She was part of the dance community of Minneapolis from 1980 to 2005, initially teaching ballet for the Minnesota Dance Theater, the University of Minnesota, the Northwest Ballet, and in 1989 co-creating Ballet Arts Minnesota.

In addition to teaching and coaching dancers, she also created ballets for the Juilliard Dance Ensemble, Boston Ballet II, the Boston Lyric Opera, the Boston Conservatory, as well as many self-produced concerts in Minneapolis supported by grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Studio Stories will air each Thursday at noon with new guests joining the host to reminisce and share their memories and history with our dance scene. 

Visit http://www.arena-dances.org to listen, or check it out wherever you get your podcasts!

Open Office Hour Consultations with Cowles Center Staff

Are you a dancer interested in learning more about professional development, advice on how to tailor a resume, tips on successful interviewing, or tools for networking in the local or national dance community?

Artists in the community are encouraged to sign up for 30-minute consultations every second Wednesday of the month through The Cowles Center’s Open Office Hours Program.

BCL – Graphic Design Internship

Ballet Co.Laboratory’s Graphic Design Internship is designed for individuals interested in executing and refining their design skills. The ideal candidate for this position would have knowledge of designing for both print/electronic platforms, have experience in photography/videography, be able to hit deadlines, and have creative solutions on how to visually market for our productions, school, outreach events, fundraising campaigns, and more. 

Summer Internship
10 weeks: June – August 2020
24 hours per week

Main Activities

  • Assist in the creation of the 2021/22 performance season print brochure and online elements
  • Assist in advancing marketing materials to attract new students to our 2021/22 school year
  • Assist in the development of BCL’s 2020/21 Report to the Community (Annual Report)
  • Work to capture photo/video footage of dancers in motion in efforts to create a short season video

Requirements
To ensure an optimal experience for the intern, the following is required:

  • Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud (Acrobat, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator).
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Powerpoint).
  • Experience in working with website CMS systems.
  • Ability to identify, evaluate, investigate, and offer alternative solutions to problems.
  • Strong organizational skills.
  • Good interpersonal communications skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Willingness to learn.

Internship Location
All interns fulfill their hours the Ballet Co.Laboratory’s studios located at 276 E Lafayette Frontage Road in St. Paul. The internship is unpaid, although all interns receive free classes at BCL throughout their internship. 

How to Apply
Email a cover letter, resume, and examples of work to: Rachel Koep, Managing Director – rkoep@balletcolaboratory.org

Deadline to apply is: Monday, June 7, 2021

Studio Rentals at The Cowles Center

The Cowles Center has several studio spaces available for rent as well as a conference room. All studios have sprung floors and mirrors. Rental spaces are generally intended for dance rehearsals, classes, workshops, auditions, readings, and small meetings.

Rentals are available during building hours.

Alternative Motion Project Presents On the Verge with Guest Dameun Strange

Join Alternative Motion Project for a delicious beverage as we return to live performance with the premiere of On The Verge. A cast of 9 movers enter a turbulent world to experience the multiverse of limits, possibilities, and connections of the body, space, and identity. Choreographed by Kristin Howe and Joanna Lees with original composition and performance by award-winning Sound Artist, Dameun Strange.

Safety precautions for COVID-19 will be observed.
To follow local guidelines and ordinances, mask wearing will be mandatory.

June 19: 3:00pm and 7:00pm
June 20: 3:00pm and 7:00pm

On the Verge
Live outdoor performance at The Shed – part of The Lab Brewery in St. Paul.

Tickets: $17-$20* On sale soon.
Seating is limited. Reservations strongly encouraged.
*No one turned away for lack of funds. Email AMP for any financial requests or general questions.

Visit the website!

INSTINCT Choreography Intensive

Join ARENA DANCES’ professional dancers and local pre-professionals this summer for one week of transformative movement exploration. Hone your technique with daily modern classes and then craft your artistry in choreography development with Artistic Director Mathew Janczewksi. Unique opportunity to dance in Northrop Auditorium’s Hubbard Broadcasting Rehearsal Studio

Work directly with Mathew, as he embarks on a new choreographic process with the intensive students – a unique opportunity! With career development being an emphasis of this intensive, Mathew will also be available for scheduled 1:1 conversations with dancers to offer feedback specific to the dancer or share insights on the field. 

The week will culminate in an informal showing for friends, family and the community. Additionally, participants will be considered for apprenticeship positions with ARENA DANCES’ for the ‘21-22 Season. 

Flexible payment options available

June 14-19
10:00AM-3:00PM with a short lunch break

More information and registration can be found at http://www.arena-dances.org/instinct-dance-intensive/.

 

BCL – School Administration Internship

Ballet Co.Laboratory’s School Administration Internship is designed for individuals interested in learning the ins and outs of running a pre-professional ballet school. The ideal candidate for this position would have exceptional organization, written, computer, and interpersonal skills. Experience with the software MindBody is a plus. 

Summer Internship
10 weeks: June–August 2020
24 hours per week

Main Activities

  • Assist in activities to recruit new students of all ages to The School of Ballet Co.Laborator
  • Work importing and cleaning up data in MindBody software
  • Help coordinate and execute summer open house events
  • Lead student registration and check-in activities
  • Reset and clean studios in-between classes

Requirements
To ensure an optimal experience for the intern, the following is required:

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Powerpoint).
  • Experience in MindBody is a plus.
  • Ability to identify, evaluate, investigate, and offer alternative solutions to problems.
  • Strong organizational skills.
  • Good interpersonal communications skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
  • Willingness to learn.

Internship Location
All interns fulfill their hours the Ballet Co.Laboratory’s studios located at 276 E Lafayette Frontage Road in St. Paul. The internship is unpaid, although all interns receive free classes at BCL throughout their internship.

How to Apply
Email a cover letter and resume to: Zoé Emilie Henrot, zhenrot@balletcolaboratory.org

Deadline to apply is: Monday, June 7, 2021

Twin Cities Ballet Open Company Positions

Twin Cities Ballet has an open position for a male company dancer, Soloist and Principal level. Competitive salaried position, 34-week season. Strong classical ballet and contemporary technique required. 

Submit the following audition materials by email:

  • Your resumé.
  • Two photos: 1) first arabesque; and 2) 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 set up an audition.

Mulier Dierum – Off-Leash Area Goes Live at Caponi Art Park

Tickets are now available for the final production of Mulier Dierum, which will be presented live under the stars at the center of a beautiful oak grove woodland on the gorgeous outdoor stage at Caponi Art Park in Eagan, MN on June 25 and 26 at 9:00pm.

The final production will feature all the voices of  See Change Treble Choir mixed into a gorgeous sound score, a small live vocal ensemble, and eight dancers, all bathed in multi-layered projected imagery and staged on a multi-platform set emphasizing a safe and physically distanced audience. You won’t want to miss it!

Mulier Dierum (Chronicles of Woman) is an epic project that mirrors the strength of cumulative generations of women. Mulier Dierum faces our fears and fulfills desires with ferocity and vulnerability, sharing generational wisdom and wildness of women and femme power. The voices of forty choral singers and the bodies of eight dancers affirm together: Women build, honor, persevere, and flourish.

Directed and choreographed by Off-Leash Area Co-Artistic Director Jennifer Ilse, Mulier Dierum is being created in collaboration with See Change Treble Choir under the direction of Allyss Haecker, singing an original score by Linda Kachelmeier, with performances by dancers Gemma Isaacson, Christine McGinnis, Parisha Rajbhandari, Julie Warder, Heather Klopchin, Rachel Lieberman, Jennifer Mack, Esther Ouray, and Jennifer Ilse; with Off-Leash Area Co-Artistic Director Paul Herwig‘s immersive live animation projection design and sound design, edited and mixed by Reid Kruger.

 

July Summer Intensive with Ballet Royale

Four Progressive Divisions (I, II, Advanced Division II and UPPER) for ages eight through professionals. Variable length, ballet-only, and online-only options are available. Audition required for Division II (age nine) and up.

An exciting three-week, full day rigorous ballet-based dance program featuring Artistic Directors Denise and Rick Vogt with special guest teachers, including Gary Joyce, formerly with Bavarian State Ballet in Munich, Kiel Ballet, and Nevada Dance Theatre; and Muriel Joyce, formerly with Bavarian State Ballet in Munich and Los Angeles Classical Ballet. 

Ballet Royale offers small class sizes, so each student will receive the finest personalized professional instruction allowing them to reach his or her full potential. Students attending the full in-studio program will be highlighted in an end of program Summer Showcase performance.

Classes include Ballet Technique, Pointe, Preparation for Pointe, Modern, Jazz, Character, Variations, Men’s class, Progressing Ballet Technique, Hip Hop, Acting, Choreographic methods, History of Ballet, Stretching, Injury Prevention plus enrichment classes.