Archive: Dance Writing, Reviews, and Podcasts

Listen in on Thursday, August 13, at noon with Davente Gilreath.

Davente is a Minneapolis-born dancer, educator, and choreographer whose journey has taken him from training at Perpich and the University of Minnesota to eight years performing with Garth Fagan Dance, and now back home, where he teaches at the University of Minnesota and currently performs with Ananya Dance Theatre.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.

Photo by Kameron Herndon

This Thursday, August 6, at noon, we hear from Roger Beck discussing the unforgettable and impactful David Voss. This is a rare opportunity to have a glimpse into the career and life of David Voss.

David was a remarkable and multi-talented force in the development of Minnesota contemporary dance — a composer, musician, dancer, choreographer, and beloved teacher whose influence touched countless students, collaborators, and audiences alike. Roger Beck shares a glimpse into David’s personal and creative world — the man behind the artist, the work, and the legacy that still resonates in our community.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.

Discover dance from around the world through Common Threads: Tapestry’s monthly dance media review series featuring resources such as the Hennepin County Library’s Dance in Video Collection.

This month, Operations Manager Sandra Carlo explores Of Beauty & Deities: Music & Dance of India—a documentary that offers a window into the artistry, history, and storytelling traditions of Bharatanatyam. Through performance footage, interviews, and live music, the film reveals how this classical dance form continues to evolve while remaining deeply rooted in cultural tradition.

Inspired by what you read? Experience it for yourself this summer at Tapestry Class Series: Contemporary Bharatanatyam, taught by Sudarsna Mukund on Wednesdays from 8:00–9:30pm.

Threads invites you to share your story. Here’s how:

Write a story or poem (1500 words max) inspired by one of these four photographs. The four photos are also represented at the bottom of Threads’ Tell Me a Story webpage.

Some guiding questions you could consider when writing:

• What happened right before or after this photograph was taken?
• Each of these photos captures a moment of change. What is this individual—or these individuals—transitioning into or out of?
• What might the person or people in the photograph be experiencing?
• What emotions does the image evoke for you?

Two outstanding submissions will be selected by a panel of community writers, professors, literary artists, and Threads Dance Project’s Artistic and Executive Director, Karen Charles, in late July.

Selected writers will win a $500.00 prize and be a part of the creative process, turning their written word into movement for Threads’ 15th year anniversary show, Love Evolving.

Learn more here and view the four photos here. Submit your writing here by Saturday, June 20.

Threads invites you to share your story. Here’s how:

Write a story or poem (1500 words max) inspired by one of these four photographs. The four photos are also represented at the bottom of Threads’ Tell Me a Story webpage.

Some guiding questions you could consider when writing:

• What happened right before or after this photograph was taken?
• Each of these photos captures a moment of change. What is this individual—or these individuals—transitioning into or out of?
• What might the person or people in the photograph be experiencing?
• What emotions does the image evoke for you?

Two outstanding submissions will be selected by a panel of community writers, professors, literary artists, and Threads Dance Project’s Artistic and Executive Director, Karen Charles, in late July.

Selected writers will win a $500.00 prize and be a part of the creative process, turning their written word into movement for Threads’ 15th year anniversary show, Love Evolving.

Learn more here and view the four photos here. Submit your writing here by Saturday, June 20.

We wrap up Season 21 with the CANDY BOX Studio Stories series with our final featured artist, Marciano Silva dos Santos, airing Thursday, April 30.

Marciano Silva dos Santos is a Brazilian native recognized by the American Folkloric Society as a folk artist of unique and exceptional ability. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Contempo Physical Dance, where his extensive research has culminated in a dynamic fusion of Afro-Brazilian and contemporary dance. His professional dancing and choreography have earned widespread acclaim; he was named “Best Dancer” by City Pages, hailed as “one of the most graceful movers on any Twin Cities stage” by the Star Tribune, and called “one of the hottest choreographers in town” by Minnesota Monthly Magazine. He is also a 2020 McKnight Dancer Fellow. He has served as a panelist for the Minnesota Sage Awards for Dance, USArtists International, NEA-National Endowment for the Arts, and the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.

This Thursday, April 23, at noon, we hear about the inspiration, process, and work Rachel Lieberman will present as a featured artist for the upcoming CANDY BOX Dance Festival.

Rachel’s choreography engages themes of home/place/violence/time/throughline from queer, jewish, diasporist, and surrealist perspectives. Her work has been presented by Alternative Motion Project, Franconia Sculpture Garden, Black Label Movement, Walker Art Center, Threads Dance Project, and Red Eye Theater. Primarily a movement artist, she also enjoys playing with sound, set, and costume design, and in textile and textual arts.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.

This Thursday, April 16, at noon, we hear from Eva Mohn discussing Dance Rec Pickup League and their presentation as featured artist for the upcoming CANDY BOX Dance Festival.

Dance Rec Pickup League is a group of friends who recreate together. Leslie O’Neill, Sarah Baumert, Erika Hansen, Gabriel Anderson, Jamie Ryan-Karels and Eva Mohn design proposals, scores, games and questions as a way to make dances.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.

This Thursday, April 9, at noon, we hear from Ronna Rochell.

From early training in the Martha Graham tradition to performing with Chicago’s Joseph Holmes Dance Theatre, Minneapolis’ New Dance Ensemble, and Nancy Hauser Dance Company, Ronna Rochell’s journey traces a rich path through modern dance history. Now a beloved teacher and performer, she reflects on a life in movement—from concert dance to musical theater, and a lasting commitment to wellness and community.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.

This Thursday, April 2 at noon we chat with Kaitlyn Gilliland.

Kaitlyn Gilliland—dancer, educator, and arts leader whose roots run deep in Minnesota dance history—trained at Minnesota Dance Theatre within the family lineage of Loyce Houlton and later as a dancer with New York City Ballet and Twyla Tharp.

Tune in here or wherever you get your podcasts for an inspiring conversation about artistry, community, and the transformative force of movement.