Archive

Driftless Water Dance Project Invites Participants to Outside Dance-Making Workshops

Come join a community dance making process and project as a part of National Water Dance in the heart of the Driftless region in southeastern MN on the Mississippi River!

Driftless Water Dance Workshop
Saturday, March 23
12:30-4:00pm
At the Widespot in Wabasha: 611 Broadway Ave

More Ways to Participate
Outside dance-making events Saturdays, March 30, April 6, and April 13.
We are building a site-specific dance piece about this unique region using the theme for National Water Dance 2024 of “Remembering Waters Way” based on the Toni Morrison poem. We are looking for dancers and those that don’t consider themselves as such to share river stories, movement and ideas in the creation of this piece. Committing to participation in the final performance is not necessary but encouraged.

Public Performance
Saturday, April 20 at 3:00pm
National Eagle Center Amphitheatre in Wabasha – part of the national festival.
Free!

Contact espoir.delmain@gmail.com if you have any questions, or find us on Facebook.

Critical Conversations Series: Developing and Nurturing Relationships

Sunday, March 24
12:00-1:30pm
The Cowles Center Flex Space, Main Lobby

Welcome, dancers, enthusiasts, and industry professionals! Today, we embark on a journey to delve into the intricacies of networking and relationship-building within the dance world. Our aim is to learn from those who have paved paths of success through fostering meaningful connections. Let’s explore together how cultivating relationships can propel careers, inspire collaborations, and enrich our experiences within the dance community. Come ready to make a new connection!

Free and open to the public. Snacks provided; transportation stipend provided with pre-registration.

Moderator: Colin Edwards, Programs Coordinator and McKnight Artist Fellowship Programs Assistant for Dance and for Choreographers

Tapestries 8.0 Masterclasses

Threads Dance Project presents Tapestries 8.0 Master Classes.

As part Tapestries, Threads Dance Project commissions 3 emerging choreographers selected by an expert panel of dance/community leaders to create new works for the company under the guidance of Artistic/Executive Director Karen L. Charles. Tapestries provides a much-needed avenue for underrepresented women and artists of color to take center stage in the world of professional choreography.

What are the Tapestries 8.0 Master Classes?
The Tapestries 8.0 Master Classes are intimate and engaging opportunities for you to learn from the masters themselves. Each of our choreographers will guide you through learning the fundamentals and will hone your skills from their wealth of knowledge. They will show you why they were chosen to be a part of Tapestries!

Da’Rius Malone: Contemporary and Ballet
Monday, March 25: 9:00-10:30am – Contemporary
Tuesday, March 26: 9:00-10:30am – Ballet

Pay as you come. No prior registration needed.
Price: $12

The Move: Experiments from Inside the Groove with Nia-Amina Minor

Minnesota Dance Theatre is thrilled to present Nia-Amina Minor on Tuesday, March 26 from 9:30-11:00am.

Dive into contemporary approaches to movement through groove and musicality, technical exploration, and choreography. Class is informed by historic and current movement practices including Black social dance, improvisation, floor work, and modern technique. Bring all of yourself, that means any foundational movement practices or dance styles/genres of movement, party dances, and social dances; bring all the ways your body moves.

Nia-Amina Minor is a movement artist, choreographer, curator, and educator originally from Los Angeles. As a performer Nia-Amina has worked with Spectrum Dance Theater, Zoe Juniper, Will Rawls, Alice Gosti, dani tirrell and Amy O’Neal. In 2021 she was recognized as Dance Magazine’s 25 Artists to Watch. Nia-Amina has her MFA in Dance from UC Irvine, a BA from Stanford University, and is based in Seattle.

Cowles Center Studio 6A. Price is $16; no prior registration required.

Katha Dance Theatre Seeks BIPOC Guest Artists for June 2024 Performance: Ganga

Katha Dance Theatre (KDT) has been teaching and performing Kathak, the North Indian classical dance form, for over three decades. Kathak is an elegant dance form characterized by rhythmic footwork, graceful hand gestures, pirouettes, lyrical movements, and storytelling.

KDT seeks BIPOC dancers to take part in its June 2024 world-premiere performance of Ganga: A Choreographic Odyssey at Concordia University’s E.M. Pearson Theater. The guest artist(s) perform alongside KDT’s professional company, learning Kathak inspired movements and bringing diverse dance perspectives to the stage. Guest artist(s) will perform in one to two dances that will be 7-9 minutes in length. Having a professional background in ballet and/or tap is preferred, as Kathak features balletic and rhythmic qualities. Guest artists will have the opportunity to pursue adult apprenticeship/student trainee positions with KDT following the performance (training beyond the performance is unpaid).

The chosen guest artist(s) will be paid an honorarium of $350. Rehearsals will start this spring, with the performance scheduled to take place June 14-16. If interested, please email your resumé and video clips, exemplifying class work/performances in ballet and/or tap, to info@kathadance.org. Deadline to apply is April 1, 2024.

Free Workshop with Christian Warner

Delve into Christian Warner’s contemporary interpretation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in this free workshop.

Tuesday, April 2
6:00-8:00pm
Ballet Co.Laboratory Studio Theatre

Hear about Christian’s creative process and get a sneak peek at the world-premiere production. You’ll have the opportunity to learn a piece of choreography from the show!

Save your spot by submitting your RSVP to info@balletcolaboratory.org.

This engagement is supported by the Arts Midwest GIG Fund, a program of ArtsMidwest that is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts, with additional contributions from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Apply for The Ordway’s GreenRoom 2024

The Ordway’s GreenRoom is a paid, intensive training fellowship created by BIPOC artists to center and uplift underrepresented communities within musical theater.

Led by Ordway Director of Arts, Learning, and Community Engagement Maia Maiden, the educational program is open to Minnesota actors, dancers, and singers who are 18 years and older and interested in expanding their performing arts skills into musical theater.

Throughout the six-week program, 10 selected fellowship positions combine collaborative, experiential learning with 1-on-1 mentoring and coaching.

Applications accepted from February 27-April 5, 2024.
Program runs from July 2-August 20, 2024.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Presented by Ballet Co.Laboratory

Reality and fantasy collide in a contemporary retelling of William Shakespeare’s spellbinding A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Under the moonlight in an altered reality, witness the chaos and absurdity of desire come to life as lovers are driven by mistaken identity and enchantment. Inspired by astrological and environmental themes, we invite you to linger with us in the mayhem until dawn.

Choreographed by: Christian Warner
Performed by: The Company of Ballet Co.Laboratory

Friday, April 5 at 7:00pm
Saturday, April 6 at 7:00pm
Sunday, April 7 at 2:00pm

Floorwork: Conversations and Knowledge Sharing Potluck

Saturday, April 6
12:00–2:00pm
RSVP is appreciated.

This April Floorwork will continue the March 4, 2024 Dance Town Hall conversation with emphasis on creating a specific advocacy group for the dance community! Please come prepared with topics and action steps in response to the recent survey, March 4 Dance Town Hall, and previous Floorwork discussions.

Floorwork: a communal conversation and shared meal. 
Conversation will be held over a communal meal – bring your own dish to share in our potluck! ARENA DANCES will supply beverages, plates, napkins and utensils. Floorwork was developed to hold conversations, knowledge-sharing, and a supportive space for dance artists and people who like to move. Attendees are asked to fill out a new RSVP form for each monthly Floorwork event.

Can’t attend, but would like to join in the conversation?
Join us via Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 811 5083 8698
Passcode: 738155

Injury Prevention for Dancers: Intrinsic Foot Strengthening

Injury Prevention for Dancers: Intrinsic Foot Strengthening
Monday, April 8, 5:30-6:30pm
$25
Minimum of 5 registered clients necessary.

The foot plays an integral role in how our entire body functions, balances, and moves through space. Dancers need to have this system finely tuned for optimal stability and mobility. The foot strength, flexibility, and mobility affect everything from the foot, knee, hip, pelvic floor, low back and spine – even up to the shoulders, neck and head. It is important that we not neglect these tiny, yet impactful muscles.

This workshop will be part lecture and part movement. You will walk away with a better understanding of this system in order to dance in a healthier way and prevent future injury. Come prepared to learn some basic anatomy and function of the foot, as well as exercises to perform before dance class or a performance. Join us!

Taught by Dr. Annie Chesterfield PT, DPT, OCS, CPT. Annie is a women’s pelvic health physical therapist with a special interest in dance medicine and a nationally certified Pilates teacher.

Register through our website, or call or email the studio for more information.