Cassandra School Online Classes

Join our online learning community of all ages, sizes, and levels of experience to participate in the creative expression and health and fitness benefits of Middle Eastern dance. The beauty of this dance form is that it makes you feel wonderful in your own unique body!

Go to cassandraschool.com to choose your classes and learn from home.

Each class is held through Zoom, is 75 minutes in US Central Time, and $15 each.

Purchase four or more classes and receive a $2 discount per class – that’s $13 each! Be sure to choose, register, and PAY for your class ahead of time as class registrations close at 8:00pm CT the night before class. We take payments through our PayPal or using your credit card as a guest through our PayPal.

Friday Morning Jazz: Karla This Week and Hybrid for Summer

Karla Grotting is back at it teaching Friday Morning Jazz through Zenon Dance School this Friday, May 21!

Erinn Liebhard will teach May 28, and then class will be off for a week for Zenon’s session break.

Karla’s class will get you grounded, easing into your body, building some heat, and coordinating your groove! Join her for this Zoom-based class on Friday morning from 10:00-11:15am. Class skews intermediate-advanced and welcomes all comers, including drop-ins and first-time attendees! Register at least ten minutes in advance of class at zenondance.org. If you need help navigating how to join or to see if there are discounts available, connect with erika@zenondance.org.

We’re also excited to share that come Zenon’s summer session, we will move to a HYBRID class format, meaning there will be space for a limited number of in-person students with the instructor (masked and socially-distanced) in the studio, AND a high-quality ZOOM option for those dancing from home. We hope it will be the best of both worlds! Our first class in this format is Friday, June 11.
Come groove with us!

Watch Karen’s 10th Anniversary Picks: #3

Every month from March through December 2021, Threads Dance Project will release some of Artistic Director Karen L. Charles’ top dances available pay-as-able from $1, $10, $100, or even $1,000 to view Karen’s selected works!

May’s works include Memories (2011), Mother God (2018), and Emancipation? – Part 2 (2014).

Here is what Karen says about these works:

“I am always inspired by music and Sweet Honey in the Rock has been my muse on several occasions. In Memories, this was one of the first times I used their music. I created this piece to honor the loss of my father and all of the ancestors who had sustained me to be able to do what I love every day. This 2014 version actually features Grammy-nominated group Sweet Honey in the Rock with whom we were fortunate enough to perform the piece, with them singing live.

“I created Mother God in praise and honor to our Mother, Creator God.

Emancipation? – Part 2 is one of my favorites because much of what I am trying to say is portrayed so subtly. The dancers are separated by race, dancing the question “How much progress have we made towards eradicating the vestiges of slavery that exist in society?” The selection of denim as the fabric for the costumes and so many other things  hopefully leave the viewer questioning America and what it means to be American.”

–Karen L. Charles, Artistic Director.

Each release will be 20-30 minutes in length. Once registered, you will receive a private link and password that will allow you to view these works from May 17-May 30, 2021.

Don’t miss out on these works that started it all!

Zenon: Spring Classes Online and In Person

Zenon Dance School is excited to offer a wide variety of adult and youth dance classes this spring. Drop-in students are always welcome!

MONDAY
5:30pm: Cardio Dance Jam with Ariel Linnerson

TUESDAY
9:30am: gaga/people with Berit Ahlgren
5:30pm: Ballet for Contemporary Dancers with Anne Lentz
7:00pm: Beginning Jazz with Allison Rubin-Forester

WEDNESDAY
9:30am: Composition/Improvisation with HIJACK
5:30pm: Intermediate Contemporary/Modern with Ruby Josephine Smith – HYBRID
5:30pm: Beginning Ballet with Lisa Erickson

THURSDAY
9:30am: Advanced Contemporary/Modern with Erin Thompson
5:30pm: Afro Modern with Roxane Wallace
7:00pm: Intermediate Modern with Dustin Haug – HYBRID

FRIDAY
10:00am: All Levels Jazz with Erinn Liebhard and Karla Grotting
12:00pm: Intermediate Ballet with Penny Freeh

SATURDAY
9:00am: Yoga with Ariel Linnerson
10:00am: Tap with Dorian Brooke
10:15am: Youth Hip Hop, Ages 6-9 with Erin Sheppard
11:00am: Youth Ballet I, Ages 5-7 with Sarah Bartlett
11:15am: Youth Ballet II, Ages 8-10 with Kendall Kramer
12:00pm: Beginning 2 Ballet with Benjamin Johnson

Register online today!

Mulier Dierum by Jennifer Ilse and See Change Choir – Available Online

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. Performance filming and editing by Tamara Ober.

A Work in Process performance of this project is now available online through May 30 for a suggested donation of $5-25. Link to the Work in Process performance will be emailed to you after registration is completed.

The live final performance of Mulier Dierum will be at the gorgeous outdoor stage at Caponi Art Park in Eagan, June 25-26. Tickets will be available soon!

Cassandra’s Zoom Dance Party

Cassandra is your DJ and dance inspiration for this Zoom Dance Party! Grab your sparkly hip belt and join her for some at-home shimmy fun!

Party begins on your screen at 6:00pm CT on Saturday, May 22.

Only one $5 reservation per household is needed. Payment in advance is required by 12:00pm CT the day of the party.

MotionArt Virtual Adult Modern Dance Classes

MotionArt’s mission is to share the art of dance and the joy of movement with people of all ages and abilities. We strive to enrich lives by fostering creativity, body awareness, and self-expression in a fun, non-competitive, welcoming environment.

We offer ongoing dance classes during these uncertain times both virtually on Zoom and outside (maintaining physical distance). Paying the regular rate helps keep our organization afloat; however, no one will be turned away for inability to pay. There is also an option to pay what you can. Please go to motionartmn.org to sign up for classes, or contact Pam for info.

Beginning Modern Dance
Tuesday, 5:00-6:15pm on Zoom

Intermediate Modern Dance
Wednesday, 10:30am-12:00pm on Zoom

Ageless Dance
Thursday, 4:30-5:45pm on Zoom

Mixed Level Modern Dance
Saturday, 4:00-5:30pm on Zoom

Rhythmically Speaking and Keane Sense of Rhythm Present Jazz on Tap

Tickets are ON SALE NOW for Jazz on Tap, a series of live jazz and tap dance shows by local dance companies Rhythmically Speaking and Keane Sense of Rhythm, happening May 22-23, 2021 at covered outdoor venue The Shed @ The Lab Pilot Facility and Taproom in St. Paul!

Rhythmically Speaking is presenting The Cohort 20/21, their show rescheduled from August 2020. Keane Sense of Rhythm is presenting Mirror and Fission, featuring works by choreographer Davon Suttles. As if live dance (with proper pandemic safety protocols) isn’t enough, there will also be live music, a food truck and open dance jams!

Saturday, May 22
2pm – Rhythmically Speaking
4pm – Keane Sense of Rhythm
7pm – Rhythmically Speaking

Sunday, May 23
2pm – Keane Sense of Rhythm
4pm – Rhythmically Speaking
7pm – Keane Sense of Rhythm

Wanna catch both companies’ shows? We’ve got a package deal available for the 2:00 and 4:00pm shows on both Saturday and Sunday.

Would streaming the show from home work better for you? We’re offering a livestream ticket option, which will enable you to catch the 2:00pm RS and 4:00pm KSR shows on Saturday, May 22 from your own home.

Tickets (pods of seating) are limited and selling FAST: visit either of our websites (listed below) to get yours NOW! See you at the show this weekend!

MotionArt Virtual Children’s Dance Classes

MotionArt focuses on nurturing children’s individual creativity while facilitating their understanding of the dance elements of space, time, and energy. Ages 3-5 explore these elements through playful, structured activities allowing them to expand their movement vocabulary, develop body awareness and gain self-confidence. Ages 5-7 explore the dance elements while being introduced to new movement skills and the creation of their own dances. Ages 7-12 expand their creative and kinesthetic awareness while learning basic movement skills of modern dance.

We offer ways for children to dance during these uncertain times through Zoom and outdoor classes. Please go to motionartmn.org to sign up for classes. There are various options for payment/donations, and no one will be turned away for inability to pay.

Ages 3-5: Friday, 12:00-12:30pm

Ages 5-7: Saturday, 10:00-10:45am
Zoom or outside, weather permitting. Contact Pam for info.

Ages 7-9: Saturday, 11:00-11:45am

Ages 10-12: Friday, 3:00-4:00pm

BCL – Adult Drop-In Classes

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

Join us for our Adult/Teen Drop-in classes! 

Dance is for everyone! Get your body moving and enjoy a variety of dance and conditioning classes, including Pilates. 

You can join us in-person, or virtually via Zoom. All attending dancers must sign-in on MindBody. Class sign-in will close 10 minutes before the class begins. Class size is limited to 10 dancers for in-studio.

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