DANCE EVENTS IN THE TWIN CITIES
(in person and/or streamed or available on demand)
SEPTEMBER 2024
Jennifer Glaws’ Jagged Moves Presents It’s Physical
“Jennifer Glaws’ Jagged Moves brings It’s Physical to the Southern Theater stage. It’s Physical is a multi-discipline work holding performance, sculpture, sound, and visual elements. It’s Physical is a world fabricated by liminality and opposition: a living sculpture where emotional experiences are embraced in physicality and ideological landscapes, personal capacity, and aggregate mood.”
Located at the South Theater.
- Thursday, September 19 at 7:30pm – Pay-as-able performance
- Friday, September 20 at 10:30am – Streamed live with post-show Q&A
- Saturday, September 21 at 7:30pm – Post-show reception
- Sunday, September 22 at 2:00pm
For more information visit: https://dancemn.org/submissions/jennifer-glaws-jagged-moves-presents-its-physical/
SOLO: Six World Premiere Solos by the 2022 and 2023 McKnight Dancer Fellows
“Each year three exceptional Minnesota dance artists receive the coveted honor of a McKnight Dancer Fellowship. To celebrate them, we commission a solo dance for each of them from a choreographer of their choice. The 2022 & 2023 Dancer Fellows have selected an outstanding group of local, national and international dance artists to bring their choreographic imaginations to new and reimagined works expressly tailored for these exceptional performers. The result is an evening of Minnesota premieres, ranging from Baladi to Breaking to Ballet and more.”
Located at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
- Friday, September 20th; Doors: 7pm // Show: 7:30pm
- Post-show reception in the O’Shaughnessy lobby.
- Saturday, September 21st; Doors: 7pm // Show: 7:30pm
- “Meet-the-Artists: Post-show Discussion Series immediately following the performance.”
For more information visit: http://www.mcknightdancechoreo.org/solo
Ananya Dance Theatre Presents – Antaranga: Between You and Me
“ANTARANGA: BETWEEN YOU AND ME is set in a world in deep crisis, where most people have lost their ability to sense the energy of other human beings and can no longer recognize or connect with each other. A few humsafar (“fellow travelers” in Urdu) remain, blessed with super-connecting and heart-opening powers. As they undertake perilous journeys, they forge connectivities that may yet heal the world. ANTARANGA is the first work in a duology, and explores themes of intimacy, connection, trust, and community among BIPOC women/femmes. Ananya Dance Theatre’s ensemble of BIPOC women/femme dance artists will celebrate its 20th season in 2025, with the second and final work in this series.”
Located at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
- Friday, September 27th ; Doors at 7pm // Show at 7:30pm
- Saturday, September 28th; Doors at 7pm // Show at 7:30pm
For more Information Visit: https://www.ananyadancetheatre.org/dance/antaranga-between-you-and-me/
Dance Theatre of Harlem
“A singular presence in the ballet world, Dance Theatre of Harlem presents a powerful vision for ballet in the 21st century. This multiethnic company performs a forward-thinking repertoire that includes treasured classics, neoclassical works by George Balanchine and artistic director Robert Garland, as well as innovative contemporary works that use the language of ballet to celebrate founder Arthur Mitchell’s belief that ballet belongs to everyone. The mixed program at Northrop includes renowned choreographer William Forsythe’s Blake Works IV (The Barre Project), created specifically for Dance Theatre of Harlem and set to the electro-soul music of British composer James Blake.”
Located at the Carlson Family Stage.
- Fri, Sep 27; 7:30 pm
- Sat, Sep 28; 2:00 pm
For more information visit: https://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/dance-theatre-harlem-2024
Discover Dance: Continental Ballet, Concerto Dance, and Threads Dance Project
“The Bloomington Center for the Arts presents the Discover Dance Series, Saturday, September 28. This series features multiple local dance companies representing a wide range of styles aimed for an all-ages audience to discover the joy and power of dance!
Performances and classes by Concerto Dance (Jazz), Continental Ballet Company (Ballet), and Threads Dance Project (Modern).”
Located at The Bloomington Center for the Arts.
- Education Opportunities
- Master classes for youth and adults including ballet, jazz, modern and hip hop. 12:30-5:30pm
- Free with a ticket to the performance, or $10.
- Participants can choose up to 2 class options in an open level format, or master classes geared for more experienced dancers. Classes are open to youth and adults. Register online with the ticket link or at the drop-in registration table on the day of class. Space is limited. Participants under 18 must have a guardian-signed waiver.
- Performance
- Featuring work by Concerto Dance, Continental Ballet Company and Threads Dance Project for an all-ages audience.
- 7:00-8:00pm
- Tickets: $20
For more information visit: https://dancemn.org/submissions/discover-dance-continental-ballet-concerto-dance-and-threads-dance-project/
Ruby Josephine Dance Theater Presents: Choreomania
“Ruby Josephine Dance Theater presents CHOREOMANIA, a show featuring 3 distinct works that all celebrate the drama, emotion, and musicality of dance in their own unique ways. Allow yourself to be swept up into new worlds and stories, offered through choreography by RJDT’s artistic director as well as our first international guest artist. The show begins by revisiting a work by Ruby Josephine Smith created originally for the Threads Dance Project Tapestries Program in 2022, Rabi’a. Rabi’a not only means “spring” in Classical Arabic, but is the name of the Sufi historical figure, Rabi’a al Adawiyya. Ruby drew upon the deep study of her life to create this piece that illuminates what lessons we can learn from Rabi’a today, including finding a sense of divine love and unity within differing worldviews. We then move to a piece choreographed by our renowned international guest, Brazilian choreographer and creator of the Invented Anatomy method, Natalia Fernandes. Traveling all the way from her home in Barcelona to work with 5 of our dancers, her piece Melomania: Unmaking Sound explores our relationship to music and its poetry. The choreography exists inside the music, inside the dancer’s body, and inside the imagination of the audience. Finally, we are excited to present the company’s newest work by the artistic director, Ophelia, in which we dive into the story of this beloved character from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Exploring the depth behind her surface, the humanity in her actions and emotions, and the truth within her madness, we will carry you through a dramatic dance retelling of this infamous work. Come and experience our full-bodied dramatic showcase of contemporary dance and story-telling.”
Located at the Southern Theater.
- Fri, Sep 27; Doors 6:00PM | Show 7:00PM
- Sat, Sep 28; Doors 6:00PM | Show 7:00PM
- Sun, Sep 29; Doors 1:00PM | Show 2:00PM
- Sun, Sep 29; Doors 6:00PM | Show 7:00PM
For more information visit: https://southerntheater.org/shows/choreomania
OCTOBER 2024
STAR KEEPER
STAR KEEPER is a searing solo performance created and performed by Emily Michaels King that opens the Rubbermaid tub of childhood to examine innocence, its tragic loss, and the harrowing journey of remembering. A shimmering world of stuffed animals, dress up clothes, and imagination, meets the strange realms of memory and the shadowy places of our subconscious where secrets hide. Mixing movement, light beams, VHS tape recordings, and the colors in your crayon box, STAR KEEPER sees the unseeable and illuminates the power of survival. The bravery it takes to venture into the darkness and look your past dead in the eyes. The wonder of embracing all of who you are as powerful and worthy; the messy, dark, and hurt, right along with the glorious.
So grab a flashlight. And the outstretched hand of your child self.
(Don’t worry, I’ve got all of us.)
And let’s go hunting for monsters, treasure, treasure, monsters…
Located at Red Eye Theater.
(All shows at 7:30pm)
- Friday, September 27 (Opening)
- Saturday, September 28 (Talkback)
- Monday, September 30 (Pay What You Can)
- Thursday, October 3 (Talkback)
- Friday, October 4
- Saturday, October 5
For more information visit: https://www.redeyetheater.org/emk-star-keeper
Bonnie and Clyde – Collide Theatrical Dance Company
“COLLIDE Theatrical Dance Company presents Bonnie and Clyde at The Luminary Arts Center in Minneapolis. Notorious outlaw couple Bonnie and Clyde come to life in this electrifying production told through Collide’s entertaining blend of dance and popular music.
Discover the outrageous true story of two small-town kids from Texas who were turned into legends by the American media. Bonnie and Clyde were a pair of daring bank robbers and fugitive lovers destined for a date with death. The mythology surrounding their story is part of American folklore, and it would be criminal to miss it!”
Located at The Luminary Arts Center.
- The show will run Thursdays to Sundays from October 11–November 3, with one weekday matinee.
For more information visit: https://dancemn.org/submissions/bonnie-and-clyde-collide-theatrical-dance-company-2/
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR – Ballet Co.Laboratory
“Get ready to have a KILLER time at Ballet Co.Laboratory’s 7th annual benefit performance. It’ll be a knife – err – night to remember, featuring a murder mystery-themed performance by the professional dancers of Ballet Co.Laboratory. Follow the clues to reveal endless fun as you enjoy gumshoe games, suspicious sips, and mystery munchies, along with a few other plot twists along the way. We suspect you will not want to miss this one…”
Located at Ballet Co.Laboratory Studio Theatre.
- Saturday, October 26; Show: 4:00 – 7:00pm
For more information visit: https://www.balletcolaboratory.org/season
NOVEMBER 2024
Children of Dharma – Ragamala Dance Company
“Described as “soulful, imaginative, and rhythmically contagious” by The New York Times, Ragamala Dance Company presents the world premiere of Children of Dharma, a Northrop Centennial Commission. In this seamless blend of mesmerizing Bharatanatyam choreography, original music, and lush visuals, creators Aparna, Ranee, and Ashwini Ramaswamy take inspiration from Keerthik Sashidharan’s novel The Dharma Forest—a re-envisioning of the Indian/global epic The Mahabharata.
The rippling effects of dharma, or “right action,” are revealed wordlessly through the body. Featuring scenic and light design by famed French artist Willy Cessa, Children of Dharma illustrates the emotional, moral, and physical consequences exacted on and outside an epic battlefield.
“Dharma is unseen despite its presence everywhere. Like the fidelity of a shadow which vanishes but never leaves us, like a forgotten old love that shaped us into who we are, like a forest that nourishes all who live within without asking anything in return.”—Keerthik Sasidharan”
Located at the Carlson Family Stage.
- Saturday Nov. 2nd; 7:30pm
For more information visit: https://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/ragamala-dance-company-children-dharma-2024
Semaphore Repertory Dance Company Fall Concert – Carleton College
“Semaphore Repertory Dance Company presents its fall concert, featuring works by guest artists as well as student work.”
Located at Weitz Theater.
- Friday, Nov 8th; 7:30pm
- Saturday, Nov 9th; 7:30pm
For more information visit: https://www.carleton.edu/arts/events/arts-calendar/?eId=uqf1
Katha Dance Theatre Presents: Panchatantra – The Dancing Tales of Wisdom
“Life is a series of stories. Fittingly, Katha Dance Theatre will present a collection of folktales from India, titled ‘PANCHATANTRA’ that originated in the 3rd century BCE. The central theme of the Panchatantra is the harmonious and integrated development of humans, a life in which security, prosperity, friendship and learning are combined to produce a lasting joy. Originally written in Sanskrit, the PANCHATANTRA TALES are short, crisp and simple to understand, and the best part about these stories is that they always ended with a moral, and are relevant even today.
The stories are told in order to educate three ignorant princes about the principles of “nīti” which roughly translates as “the wise conduct of life.” We teach our children the right things from a very early age so that they grow up with strong moral values. The `PANCHATANTRA’ is one such collection of short stories from India.
It offers us the possibility of making our lives richer and more meaningful. These stories carry important messages on how one should live his or her life. The stories that will be included in KDT’s PANCHATANTRA are selected for their relevance in today’s world – issues of friendship, conflict, separation & union – especially as they relate to equality & and social justice. The 2000 years old Indian classical dance style used here is called Kathak. PANCHATANTRA will feature thrilling spectacles of Kathak dance – its mesmerizing movements, intricate footwork, spinning bodies and expressive storytelling, as one of India’s oldest and most revered classical dance forms.”
Located at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
- Saturday, November 09; Doors: 7pm // Show: 7:30pm
- Sunday, November 10; Doors: 1:30pm // Show: 2pm
For more information visit: https://oshag.stkate.edu/event/katha-dance-theatre-presents-panchatantra-the-dancing-tales-of-wisdom/the-oshaughnessy-at-st-catherine-university/st-paul-minnesota/
Concerto Dance presents Two Suites
Concerto Dance presents Two Suites, featuring new works by Artistic Director Jolene Konkel, including Seasons Suite, a new modern work set to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons recomposed, and a swingin’ new jazz dance suite to Duke Ellington’s arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s holiday classic.
Friday and Saturday, November 22-24, 2024
Located at the Black Box Theater at the Bloomington Center for the Arts
Tickets are $25. For more information visit: https://www.vancoevents.com/us/events/landing/46278
Choreographers’ Evening 2024
“Now in its 52nd year, this annual dance showcase celebrates Minnesota’s vibrant and diverse dance community. Powerful performances by a roster of local choreographers and movement artists will draw from Audre Lorde’s writing on the necessity of creative practice. The intention comes from this year’s curator jess pretty, returning to the Walker following her 2019 appearance in Claudia Rankine and Will Rawl’s What Remains. Through Lorde’s writing, the performers will reflect on art-making as a means of tending to the self and to others.”
Located at the McGuire Theater.
- Saturday, Nov 30; Shows: 4:30pm and 7:00pm
For more information visit: https://walkerart.org/calendar/2024/choreographers-evening-2024
DECEMBER 2024
Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet
“The beloved family tradition is back – NUTCRACKER! Magical Christmas Ballet! Gather your loved ones for the warm-glow-nostalgia of America’s favorite Christmas celebration. Featuring renowned Ukrainian ballerinas and danseurs from the leading opera houses of Ukraine, Broadway-level sets and costumes, and vibrant new choreography that fuses classical ballet, puppetry, and acrobatics, Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet is a holiday spectacular, having won critical acclaim from critics and audiences alike.”
Located at the Orpheum Theater.
- Friday, December 6; 7 PM
- Saturday, December 7; 1 PM
- Saturday, December 7; 5 PM
For more information visit: https://hennepinarts.org/events/nutcracker-magical-christmas-ballet-2024
Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy
“Celebrate the season with Minnesota’s beloved holiday tradition! Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy returns to the State Theatre featuring Loyce Houlton’s imaginative choreography, Tchaikovsky’s iconic score, and a spectacular cast of local student and professional dancers with special guest artists.”
Located at the State Theater.
- Saturday, December 14 at 3 PM
- Sunday, December 15 at 3 PM
- Thursday, December 19 at 7:30 PM
- Friday, December 20 at 7:30 PM
- Saturday, December 21 at 3 PM
- Saturday, December 21 at 7:30 PM
- Sunday, December 22 at 3 PM
For more information visit: https://hennepinarts.org/events/loyce-houltons-nutcracker-fantasy-2024
Ballet Minnesota Presents: The Classic Nutcracker
“Ballet Minnesota’s 36th annual ‘The Classic Nutcracker’, returns to the O’Shaughnessy! Come celebrate this annual family holiday tradition!
For novices to the ballet, this holiday story begins on Christmas Eve. We join a young girl, Clara, her mischievous brother, Fritz, and their family hosting a Christmas party. A latecomer to the party is Clara’s mysterious Godfather Drosselmeyer. He presents her with a marvelous gift, a Nutcracker doll.
As Clara goes to sleep that night, we are transported into her dream of the Rat King fighting the Nutcracker and his army of toy soldiers. The Nutcracker Prince escorts Clara through an enchanted snow-covered forest and on to his Kingdom of the Sweets where Clara accepts the throne from the Sugar Plum Fairy. Enjoy The return of this classic holiday favorite!”
Located at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
- Saturday, December 14; Doors: 1:30pm // Show: 2pm
- Saturday, December 14; Doors: 6:30pm // Show: 7pm
- Sunday, December 15; Doors: 1:30pm // Show: 2pm
For more information visit: https://oshag.stkate.edu/event/ballet-minnesota-presents-the-classic-nutcracker/the-oshaughnessy-at-st-catherine-university/st-paul-minnesota/
Ballet Co.Laboratory Presents: Nutcracker in Wonderland
“Ballet Co.Laboratory’s enchanting twist on a holiday classic returns to the stage! Nutcracker in Wonderland weaves together the magic of two timeless stories, E.T.A. Hoffman’s The Nutcracker and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Jump down the rabbit hole for a kaleidoscopic adventure of magic and whimsy. The beloved Tchaikovsky Nutcracker score will take on a new meaning as Clara and Alice join forces to battle the Rat Queen, whirl through the Land of Snowflakes, and encounter Wonderland residents like the Mad Hatter, mischievous Cheshire Cat, perpetually tardy White Rabbit, and spiteful Queen of Hearts.”
Located at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
- Friday, December 20; Doors: 6:30pm // Show: 7pm
- Saturday, December 21; Doors: 1:30pm // Show: 2pm
- Saturday, December 21; Doors: 6:30pm // Show: 7pm
- Sunday, December 22; Doors: 1:30pm // Show: 2pm
For more information visit: https://oshag.stkate.edu/events/category/series/ballet-co-laboratory-presents-nutcracker-in-wonderland/the-oshaughnessy-at-st-catherine-university/st-paul-minnesota/
INTERIM TERM
Twyla Tharp Dance – Diamond Jubilee – Featuring Third Coast Percussion
“Twyla Tharp celebrates her 60th anniversary with a groundbreaking evening of stellar dancing and phenomenal musicianship—including the world premiere of a new work that marks her six decades as a choreographer. An innovative dance set to Philip Glass’s Aguas da Amazonia, the new work has music arranged in close collaboration with Tharp and performed live by Third Coast Percussion on a unique collection of custom-designed percussion instruments. In addition, her Diabelli Variations, set to Beethoven’s intensely demanding masterpiece, reveals its elegant humor and commands technical prowess—and energy—as performers change effortlessly from ballet, to jazz, to modern, with bits of social and street dance.
At times tender, teasing, transcendent, and cheeky, the pieces showcase Tharp’s uncanny and witty use of music to create work of startling originality and beauty. The dances once again ensure Tharp’s place as one of the great artists of our time.”
Located at the Carlson Family Stage.
- Sunday, Jan 26th; 3:00pm
For more information visit: https://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/twyla-tharp-dance-diamond-jubilee-2025
MARCH 2024
Shamel Pitts | TRIBE – Touch of RED
“Touch of RED is a multidisciplinary duet performance inspired by the rapid-fire footwork of boxing, the African American jazz dance style Lindy-Hop, Gaga movement language, and nightlife culture. Set in a stylized “boxing” ring designed by the MacArthur Fellow Mimi Lien, with the audience seated on the stage surrounding it, this powerful dance duet examines the way Black men are perceived and perceive themselves in contemporary society, and how masculinity and vulnerability can be reconsidered and reconciled in a non-combative, compassionate, and healing way. Bold. Boiled. Blood.
Touch of RED is part of the “RED Series” which continues the research to propose and share the colorfulness within Blackness, creating a body of work that supports, shelters, and cultivates an Afrofuturistic performance art landscape in which the multitude of Black diversity and capacity is realized, allowed, nurtured, and shared.”
Located at the Carlson Family Stage.
- Thursday, March 6th; 8:00pm
- Friday, March 7th; 8:00pm
- Saturday, March 8th; 8:00pm
For more information visit: https://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/shamel-pitts-tribe-touch-of-red-2025
James Sewell Ballet’s 35th Anniversary Season
“James Sewell Ballet celebrates a remarkable 35 years that have produced over 200 distinct dance pieces, supported vital opportunities for emerging and mid-career artists, and won over countless individuals who never expected contemporary ballet was for them. The evening features a retrospective that revisits past hits and company favorites.”
Located at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium at St. Catherine University.
- Friday, March 14; Doors: 7pm // Show: 7:30pm
- Saturday, March 15; Doors: 1:30pm // Show: 2pm
For more information visit: https://oshag.stkate.edu/event/james-sewell-ballets-35th-anniversary-season/the-oshaughnessy-at-st-catherine-university/st-paul-minnesota/
Concerto Dance Annual Evening of Jazz and Modern Concert Dance
A mixed program featuring new work by Artistic Director Jolene Konkel and nationally visiting guest choreographers.
Located at the Southern Theater
March 21-23, 2025
For more information: https://www.concertodance.com/2023-2024-season
BalletMet
“Lauded for its versatility and innovative repertory, Columbus, OH based BalletMet will grace the stage with a program featuring a stunning Northrop Centennial Commission and a joyful ode to music through dance. Timeless Tide brings swirling energy onstage to depict the gravitational pull of time and the countless interactions that guide its continuous momentum. Set to an original score by Michel Banabila, it is the latest work from acclaimed artistic director, dancer, and choreographer Yue Yin. World-renowned choreographer Edwaard Liang’s Seasons, inspired by Max Richter’s reimagining of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, gracefully depicts the cycle of seasons with dynamic movement and evocative imagery.”
Located at the Carlson Family Stage.
- Friday, March 28th; 7:30 pm
For more information visit: https://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/balletmet-2025
APRIL 2024
EMILY DICKINSON: THE UNTOLD VERSE – Ballet Co.Laboratory
“Viewed as reclusive and eccentric, Emily Dickinson’s mysterious nature was often misunderstood during her lifetime. Delve into her intertwined view of love and death to see beyond the myth, exploring the transcendent landscape of Emily’s world.”
Located at Ballet Co.Laboratory Studio Theatre.
- Friday, April 11, 2025 @ 7:00pm
- Saturday, April 12, 2025 @ 2:00pm
- Saturday, April 12, 2025 @ 7:00pm
- Sunday, April 13, 2025 @ 2:00pm
For more information visit: https://www.balletcolaboratory.org/season
Eiko Otake & Wen Hui: What Is War
“Eiko Otake’s (Eiko and Koma) austere, haunting movement work has often commemorated death, time, and place. Joining forces with radical dance-theater artist Wen Hui (Living Dance Studio), she returns to the Walker to premiere a poignant new work forged through deep collaboration. This new performance explores how both performers’ lives have been affected by war—Otake grew up in postwar Japan and Wen in China during the Cultural Revolution. Together, the collaborators embody fierceness tempered by emotional honesty. Their formidable performance combines movement, text, and video as it excavates personal memories of war and its global resonances.”
Located at the Mcguire Theater.
For more information visit: https://walkerart.org/calendar/2025/eiko-otake-wen-hui-what-is-war/
American Ballet Theatre – Giselle (with live orchestra)
“American Ballet Theatre—America’s National Ballet Company®—returns to Northrop for two performances of the beloved classic, Giselle. The epitome of Romantic ballet, this heart-rending tale of love, remorse, and forgiveness perfectly fuses live music, movement, and drama. The role of Giselle requires an exquisite dancer with daring dramatic and technical skills to create a compelling portrait of the innocent, noble village maiden. In this universally acclaimed production, ABT’s unrivaled roster of international ballet stars brings Giselle‘s mystery and ethereal beauty to vivid life.”
Located at the Carlson Family Stage.
- Fri, Apr 18; 7:30 pm
- Sat, Apr 19; 2:00 pm
For more information visit: https://www.northrop.umn.edu/events/american-ballet-theatre-giselle-2025
MAY 2024
Mathew Janczewski/ARENA DANCES: Only the perverse fantasy can still save us
A major new work from Minnesota-based choreographer Mathew Janczewski interrogates the gender binary and asks how creative repression changes us. After receiving a diagnosis of leukemia, Janczewski learned that his condition was caused by the mutation of a single chromosome. For him, the experience brought new resonance to artist Matthew Barney’s epic five-film Cremaster cycle (1994–2002), which considers the embryonic stages of sexual differentiation—another biologically determined process that shapes our lives. Only the perverse fantasy can still save us takes inspiration from Barney and features a score by Minnesota-based composer Joshua Clausen.
Located at the McGuire Theater.
- Friday, May 16; 7:30 PM
For more information visit: https://walkerart.org/calendar/2025/mathew-janczewski-arena-dance-only-the-perverse-fantasy-can-still-save-us/