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It is February, Black History Month, a time to pay homage to all the contributions made to our culture by Black Americans.
At Ballare, we are doing this through a dance lens. To be honest, there is no way I will be able to even scratch the surface of how dance has been influenced by Black cultures, in this newsletter. My hope is to ignite some curiosity in you about who the influencers are, so you can educate yourself. We for sure wouldn't have tap dance without Master Juba, Bill Robinson, and Honi Coles, to name a few. And then there are dancers like Pearl Primus (pictured) and Katherine Dunham who not only changed modern dance, but have influenced jazz dance as well. Here is an article outlining 5 Iconic Black Artists who Changed History from Dance Spirit Magazine.
One book on my desk to read this month are 'Rooted Jazz Dance' Edited by Lindsay Guarino, Carlos R.A. Jones and Wendy Oliver. This book recognizes jazz dance as historically a Black American form of dance. Another, 'A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance' by Hanif Abdurraqib. I am excited to delve into these two books to learn more! For our younger dancers, at the studio we have two great books, Bunheads, by Misty Copeland, and another book that isn't necessarily dance focused book, My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey by Jeanne Walker Harvey.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do send me an email at ann@ballareteatro.com, or you can call me on my cell: 612-267-1766. I am more than happy to talk to any one of you.
Please read on for all the Ballare news that is fit for print!
Sincerely,
Ann Williams, Director
Ballare Teatro Performing Arts Center
PS: Did you know that your child's dance education may be eligible for the education tax credit? Ask your accountant to make sure. If you would like a statement for tax purposes, let me know and I will send you one!
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Summer Registration is OPEN!! | |
When it is cold outside (sort of) it is the perfect time to think about summer!
We have your dance card covered, with our normal offerings of Creative Dance, Fundamental A and B and Level IA and IB! You should talk to your dance instructor to see if they should register for the next level up, or would benefit for one more year at the level they are currently enrolled. To see the schedule, and register, click HERE!
For dancers in IIA-V, we have drop-in classes so you can mix an match your classes to whatever you are feeling like taking. You can check out the schedule HERE!
We can't wait to dance with you this summer!
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Isabella Saves The World Is COMING! Get your tickets HERE! | | |
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The world is stuck in perpetual winter brought on by the evil snow sorcerer. Isabella, sick of being stuck inside, ventures out to find the Evergreen Elder and bring the seasons back. Will she succeed??
We are excited to be bringing our original ballet, Isabella Saves the World, back to the stage on Saturday, March 9! Shows are at 2 pm and 5:30 pm and are at Minnehaha Academy North Campus. Dancers in Fundamental B-V will be performing, but ALL are welcome to this fabulous show. Get your tickets by clicking this link: Isabella Saves the World Tickets
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Level IV/V Rep Class is Turning Heads | | |
If you haven't been in the studio on Thursday evenings, you may be unaware of the fabulous experience our level IV/V dancers are having this year! They are in a class called 'Rep' where we are bringing in guest artists for them to work with, and this will culminate in their own special show May 10-12 at the Tek Box Theater in Downtown Minneapolis! This month we had to expand our rehearsals to Thursday and Saturday! Here are the three choreographers they are working with for the month of February: |  | |
Leila Awadallah
Leila Awadallah is a Palestinian American dancer and choreographer based primarily in Minneapolis, Mni Sota Makoce and sometimes Beirut, Lebanon. She is the Co-Artistic Director of Body Watani Dance along with her sister Noelle Awadallah. The practice and performances of Body Watani engage artists and audiences in folk, contemporary, and experimental Arabic dances as well as questions of homeland (watan) in the body. Their work TERRANEA which reflected on the crisis of loss and the histories of connection in the Mediterranean Sea consisted of a multiyear, multinational process and was performed in 2022 and 2023 in Lebanon, Chicago, Dearborn and Minneapolis. Leila's solo YISSH, a work that grapples with the tension of Palestinian American experiences has been performed in festivals in Lebanon (2019), Egypt (2022), Palestine (2023), and multiple venues and community spaces in Minnesota.
Leila is a McKnight Dancer (2022), Jerome Hill (2021), Daring Dances (2019) and Springboard for the Arts (2018) Fellow. She is a co-founder of the trio: Kelvin Wailey (MN), a collaborator of the Theater of the Women of the Camp (Lebanon), and more recently Amwaj Choir and Diyar Dance (Palestine). Leila danced with Ananya Dance Theater for 6 seasons and was trained and mentored in impactful ways by Ananya Chatterjea. Leila has a BFA in Dance and a minor in Arabic Language & Literature from the U of M. In her free time she likes to practice martial arts (tai chi and aikido), visit lakes and rivers, and pet her cat Skye.
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 | Alexandra Eady(She/her) dances in honor of those that have come before, the ones that are witnessing, and for future generations. She wants to first acknowledge her wonderful family, mentors, collaborators and students that give her energy and light every day. Alexandra is interested in creating and dancing choreographies that require a sustainable intensity and maintain a connection to story by being guided by our ancestors, something that requires a constant connection to the information that flows through our veins. Alexandra had the great privilege of practicing the contemporary dance technique of Yorchhā, created by Ananya Chatterjea. With Ananya Dance Theatre she has traveled nationally and internationally teaching and performing. In the summer of 2023 she had the opportunity to attend the Art OMI Dance residency and be in collaboration with 9 other dancers from around the world. Sharing, learning and creating together. In 2021 she received the Mcknight Fellowship for dance and worked in collaboration with Maria Bauman(MBDance) to perform a solo created by Maria as part of the “SOLO” Mcknight performance in Minneapolis. Alexandra teaches in a variety of settings across the Twin Cities. She Co-Chairs the dance department at St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists and is on faculty at the University of Minnesota. | | |
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Laura Osterhaus Rosenstone
Laura Osterhaus Rosenstone is a movement artist and educator, born and raised in the Midwest. Across all modes of creating, she strives to connect with and listen to people. Laura received her M.F.A. in Choreography & Performance from Smith College and her B.A. in Dance from the University of Minnesota. Throughout her years of dance education, Laura had the opportunity to work with choreographers Nora Chipaumire, Gregory Dolbashian, Maurya Kerr, Garth Fagan, and Chris Aiken among others. As a member of Zenon Dance Company in Minneapolis 2016-2019, Laura performed the work of Kyle Abraham, Stephanie Batten-Bland, Michelle Boulé, Danny Buraczeski, and Sam Kim, to name a few. Laura is a member of creative trio, Kelvin Wailey, in addition to her on-screen and live performance roles alongside musical artists for John Mark Creative. As the founding artistic director of Slo Dance Company, she collaborates with artists to build work seeded in slowness–embracing the process of intimate relationship-building and developing collective awareness through embodied listening. Her most recent performances have been in Vanessa Anspaugh’s Bessie-nominated mourning after mornings, STRONGMovement, and Kia the Key & Company. Laura is a member of Kia the Key & Company, an East coast-based street and club styles company, and assistant to the artistic director and choreographer Shakia Barron. Laura is also the co-chair of the dance department at St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists in St. Paul, MN and an adjunct lecturer at the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities.
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New Popcorn Fundraiser started Feb 1-It's not too late for you to be involved! | | |
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We are so excited to be trying a new fundraiser for February - Poppin Popcorn! This fundraiser starts February 1, and runs until February 20. You will keep 50% of your profit! I have tried this popcorn and it is THE BOMB!
Please join our fundraiser by clicking the link below:
https://poppinpopcornonline.com/participant/register.php?g=FFNVNL
Once registered, you'll be able to log in and start selling by simply posting a link to your social media, login from your mobile device to send text messages to close family & friends. Or, you can also send your fundraiser link via email. Good luck and have fun selling!
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Buddy Week is Back! February 12-18 | |
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We are excited to have another buddy week coming up February 12-18. Fundamental A-V classes will get together during class time to share dances, play a game, and just get to know each other better! We had a blast in October and can't wait to continue to build on the friendships we started.
We don't include creative dancers in the buddy week, as it could be very overwhelming for the little ones.
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A Sad Goodbye to the Cowles | |
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As you may or may not have heard, the Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts is concluding it's operations at the Gooddale Theater on March 31. For more information on this, click HERE
This will not affect the Rep show at the Tek Box theater in May.
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It's COLD outside! Warm-up with Ballare merch! | |
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You may have seen our merch displayed at the studio...but did you know there is even more selection in our online store?? How about a warm hat or a cozy blanket? What about a scarf or a new Ballare hoodie? You can place an order right in our online store and the items will be delivered right to your doorstep! Click the link to see everything we have!
Don't forget to check out some of the dance bags and leotards we have we have at the studio, too!
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That's right! We have great adult classes for you to try. You can purchase a 10-class card for $115. But wait! Did you know that if your child is enrolled at Ballare you get a 25% discount off of your class card? It's true! Classes are offered both virtually and in person. You can also drop in for $17/class.
Beginning
Ballet Saturdays 12:30-1:45 pm with Siri
Tap Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 pm with Molly
Advanced Beginning
Tap Tuesdays 6:30-7:30 pm with Molly
Advanced Beginning/Intermediate
Jazz Tuesdays 6:45-8 pm with Shannon
Intermediate
Ballet Sundays 6-7:15 pm with Siri
Tap Sundays 5-6 pm with Brenna
Fast Intermediate
Tap Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 pm with Jake
Advanced
Tap Wednesdays pm7:30-8:30 pm with Jake
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February
Feb 1 Summer registration opens!
Feb 1-21 Poppin Popcorn Fundraiser
Feb 12-18 Buddy Week #2
Feb 19 Presidents Day – we DO have class
March
March 9 Isabella Saves the World Performance 2 pm and 5:30 pm @Minnehaha
Academy North Campus
March 23-28 Family Visitation
April
April 1-7 Spring Break
May
May 19 Picture day - schedule will be shared during March visitation
May 25-27 Memorial Day weekend – no class
June
June 1 Registration for 2024/25 classes open
June 3 Last day of class
June 4-6 Dress Rehearsals at Minnehaha Academy North Campus – Schedule
shared at March visitation
June 7 Creative Dance Show—Minnehaha Academy North Campus (5 pm)
June 7 End of Year Concert - Show #1 Minnehaha Academy North Campus (6:30pm)
June 8 End of Year Concerts: Shows #2,3, 4 @Noon, 3 or 6:30pm
June 24 Summer session begins. Summer session will run through August 2 and
classes will be once/week as they are during the year. Drop in classes for level
II-V. No class the week of July 1-7.
August
5-9 Audition week option 1 for level IIA/IIB/III
8 Open House - get your gear for 24/25!
12-16 Audition week option 2 for level IIA/IIB/III
14 Open House - get your gear for 24/25!
15-16 Auditions for level IV/V
September
Sept 3, 2024 First day of dance 2024/25!
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