Archive: Dance Writing, Reviews, and Podcasts

For this week’s  Studio Stories series “New Breed,” we talk with Kayla Schiltgen for episode 193. It will air at noon on Thursday, September 18. “New Breed” is a special series within Studio Stories that highlights dancers and dance makers who are shaping the Twin Cities dance scene.

Kayla is an interdisciplinary artist from rural Two Harbors, Minnesota, whose work blends dance, film, and visual art to explore identity, place, and radical love. Rooted in improvisation and vulnerability, her practice spans choreography, screendance, installation, and performance, and she is currently a 2025 McKnight Choreographer Fellow.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

For this week’s episode of the Studio Stories series “New Breed,” we talk with Emily Michaels King. The episode will air at noon on Thursday, September 11. “New Breed” is a special series within Studio Stories that highlights dancers and dance makers who are shaping the Twin Cities dance scene.

Emily is a performing artist based in St. Paul, Minnesota, exploring authentic expression and human depth through movement, multimedia, and visual compositions. Emily is known for her fearless personal work, provocative compositions, and collaged evening-length solo performances. Additionally, her work has been presented at the Walker Art Center, the Guthrie Theater, and Movement Research, among others. Emily is a 2025 McKnight Choreography Fellow.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

This weeks episode for Studio Stories series “New Breed,” we talk with Malia Craft. The episode will air at noon on Thursday, September 4.

“New Breed” is a special series within Studio Stories that highlights dancers and dance makers who are shaping the Twin Cities dance scene.

Malia is a Hartwell, Georgia native and University of Georgia graduate whose passion for both performing and teaching has brought her to the Twin Cities dance community. She currently teaches at multiple studios and performs with Concerto Dance, Rhythmically Speaking and Threads Dance Project.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week for “New Breed,” we talk with Dominick Burkhardt. The episode will air at noon on Thursday, August 28.

“New Breed” is a special series within Studio Stories that highlights dancers and dance makers who are shaping the Twin Cities dance scene.

Dominick is a Twin Cities-based dancer and choreographer who grew up in his mother’s dance studio, where his passion for the arts first took root. A versatile artist with a background in both commercial and concert dance, he now performs with Black Label Movement and a number of independent projects.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

This week for New Breed we talk with Rachel Lieberman, airing at noon on Thursday, August 21.

New Breed is a special series within Studio Stories that highlights dancers and dance makers who are shaping the Twin Cities dance scene.

Rachel is a multidisciplinary dance artist whose roots in Giordano Jazz Dance and academic foundation from Macalester College have shaped a dynamic performance and choreographic career in the Twin Cities. She has performed with many in the community including Analog Dance Works and Black Label Movement. She weaves her passion for movement with visual art, music, and writing to create richly layered, community-centered work.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

The annual New Breed series kicks off Season 19 with Alex Arce, airing at noon on Thursday, August 14. New Breed is a special series within Studio Stories that highlights dancers and dance makers who are shaping the Twin Cities dance scene.

Alex is an Ecuadorian American dance artist, choreographer, and educator. His dynamic practice bridges street dance, Latin diasporic forms, and contemporary/modern dance. Alex has continued to grow his artistry through national training programs and impactful collaborations locally with Meridians Movement, Black Label Movement, and more recently as a company member of ARENA DANCES.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Airing Thursday, July 10 at noon, we speak with Doug Hooker to close out Season 18.

Doug graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Dance. He has had a variety of professional performing opportunities, including with the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, the Broadway show Blast!, Dancing People Company, and locally with ARENA DANCES, Collide Theatrical Dance Company, Concerto Dance, José A. Louis, Paula Mann, Shapiro and Smith Dance, Rhythmically Speaking Dance, and Threads Dance Project.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Join us at noon on Thursday, July 3, for Episode 186 with Frances Machala Cerro.

Frances built a distinguished dance career performing under Loyce Houlton at the Contemporary Dance Playhouse (later Minnesota Dance Theater), holding principal roles in works by Houlton and Glenn Tetley from 1963 to 1972. She went on to found a contemporary dance school and performing company in Santa Fe, Argentina, choreographed for major orchestral collaborations, and later helped establish Tulsa’s Local Motion Foundation while teaching through the Lincoln Center Institute.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Kaleena Miller for Episode 185 airing at noon on Thursday, June 26!

Kaleena makes sound-focused dance and performance work, rooted in tap dance technique and deep listening modalities. She co-founded and co-directs Twin Cities Tap, which produced the acclaimed Twin Cities Tap Festival from 2015-2021. She also directs KMD2, a making-driven pre-professional ensemble, currently on hiatus. She is a proud member of the recently formed HeardTheory Collective, a group of interdisciplinary tap dance artists and scholars.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Photo credit: Galen Higgins

Studio Stories continues Season 18 with Aneka McMullen for Episode 184 airing at noon on Thursday, June 19!

Dancer and choreographer Aneka McMullen is an independent performing and teaching artist who lives to dance through life, inspire, and connect with all people through her passion for movement of all types. She hails from Minneapolis and holds a BFA in dance from The Ohio State University. Her extensive dance experience spans more than two decades and includes dynamic skills in performance and instruction in the genres of West African, Afro Modern, Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Lyrical, and Liturgical.

Listen here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Photo credit: BLAQBible