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Perpich Arts High School Dance Program Presents: Invisible Threads

Perpich Arts High School Dance Program Presents: Invisible Threads
Thursday, December 4 and Friday, December 5 at 7:00pm
Perpich Center for Arts Education

From all corners of the state, the dancers of the Perpich Arts High School Dance Program are happy to present Invisible Threads on December 4 and 5. The winter concert is the culmination of a semester of work. The dancers will demonstrate their creativity, choreographic skills, and performance expertise in student choreographed works, a faculty work, and a guest artist work. The works will range in style, musical choice, and intention. The dances range from dynamic to fluid, from formal to fun, with a range of intensities.

Reserve your free tickets here!

Threads Mini-Winter-Workshop This Week

This 2-day workshop is for advanced/professional dancers 18+ up. It will feature technique classes taught by Guest Teacher Hassan Ingraham, as well as Threads Rehearsal Manager and the Artistic Director of 43X94 Movement Research, Karen Christ Aalgaard. Repertoire, Composition, and Improvisation classes round out the packed schedule.

Thursday, December 4, 9:30am-1:00pm
Friday, December 5, 9:30am-1:00pm

Registration is open now! For more information on pricing and schedule, click here. View below to access online registration forms.

Pricing: $65 for full workshop, $40/per day. Discounts are available for current and former Threads company members and Tapestries choreographers. Please email aericson@threadsdance.org for more information.

Repertoire learned in the workshop may be part of the Company Audition on Saturday, December 6.

TU Dance Winter Showcase, CULTIVATE and The School Level 4 and 5

Join us for the TU Dance Winter Showcase at The Southern Theater featuring CULTIVATE, A Trainee Program, and students from Level 4 and 5 of the Pre-Professional Program at The School at TU Dance Center.

CULTIVATE trainee and apprentice dancers will share their self-choreographed solos and duets as well as new works by choreographers Laurel Keen and Tumelo Khupe. The Level 4 and 5 students will also perform new works choreographed by TU Dance Center teaching artists Sa’Nah Britt and Davente Gilreath. TU Dance is excited to showcase new works by these dynamic choreographers and to witness how the dancers transform the space with their impactful performances.

Friday, December 5 and Saturday, December 6 at 7:00pm — doors open at 6:00pm, house opens at 6:30pm
Sunday, December 7 at 2:00pm — doors open at 1:00pm, house opens at 1:30pm
Location: The Southern Theater

Tickets: $24 general admission, children 4 and under are free

MotionArt First Friday Improv Gathering

Friday, December 5 from 6:30-8:00pm
Center for Performing Arts, Studio 105w – next to 38th Street entrance

This event is open to people of all ages and abilities. Enjoy being present in the moment, responding to other dancers, finding new ways of moving, and discovering form as it emerges during this fun evening of creative movement. We’ll begin with an informal warm-up, then improvise together based on movement ideas offered by participants. 

Come to move, to dance, to observe, or some of each!
Suggested donation: $5-$15. No one turned away for lack of funds.

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is back! Based on the children’s book by Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman this original, family-friendly, contemporary and Yiddish dance production is hitting the road and heading to Duluth. Catch us at Minnesota Ballet’s Studio 4 at the Depot December 6-7.

In the story, a wandering trickster named Hershel saves a village in Ukraine from a pack of goblins who have taken over their synagogue and are preventing them from celebrating the holiday of Hanukkah. The show runs approximately 50 minutes and features a multi-generational cast and live music from Hershel’s Ostropoler Kapelye.

Hailed by audiences from the 2024 premiere as “infectious”, “dynamic”, and “so great we came a second time”, this new holiday tradition is sure to have you dancing in your seat. Don’t miss it!

Saturday, December 6 at 7:00pm
Sunday, December 7 at 2:00pm
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $15 for students and seniors.
Presented by Little Tanz Theater, directed and choreographed by Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies.

Hannah MacKenzie-Margulies is a fiscal year 2025 recipient of a Creative Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

This project is also supported by Rimon: The Minnesota Jewish Arts Council, a program of the Minnesota JCC.

Threads Seeks Company Members for 2026 Season

Threads Dance Project is seeking a diverse group of dancers ages 21+ who are versatile, expressive, quick learners, and fluent in a variety of dance forms.

Saturday, December 6
9:30am-1:00pm
Registration and self-warm-up: 9:30-10:00am
Audition: 10:00am-1:00pm

Dancers are encouraged to pre-register by Wednesday, December 3, and upload a headshot and resume via the Google Form linked here. In-person registration will also be available on-site—but we prefer interested dancers to pre-register online.

A virtual audition format is available upon request; however, in-person auditions are preferred. Virtual auditions must be arranged with Company Manager, Karen Christ Aalgaard, and audition materials must be submitted no later than Friday, November 21. Please email Karen at kchrist@threadsdance.org for additional registration or virtual audition instructions.

Doma Dance Theater – FermentationLAB 2

The FermentationLAB ([still a]pilot program) is a no cost month long space and time curated laboratory to begin, develop, workshop, clean, finalize, play, research and/or ferment movement based works.

Río Saúl García Ramírez was working through the month of November to develop new performance culminating in a brief showing this weekend. Marcela Michelle will not be showing work this LAB, however, Doma artist Non Edwards will perform their new work, The Door Does Not Open, which premiered two weeks ago in the 53rd annual Choreographers’ Evening.

A showing will be held on Saturday, December 6 at 7:30 at Doma Studio. 

Update: Marcela Michelle will not be showing work this LAB and the 4PM showing has been removed.

Limited tickets available here.

McKnight Artist Information Session

Wednesday, December 10, 6:00-7:15pm CST
Rochester Art Center — free parking is available after 5:00pm in the Mayo Civic Center Parking Ramp

This in-person session, led by Program Directors Tracy Krumm (Fiber Artists) and Dana Kassel (Dancers and Choreographers) will speak to the full McKnight Artist and Culture Bearers Fellowship program which supports 15 artistic disciplines, and more specifically to Fiber Artist and Dancer/Choreographer Fellowships. We’ll allow plenty of time for questions.

The intent of the McKnight Artist and Culture Bearers fellowship programs is to support Minnesota-based artists who are clearly beyond early practice and who have created a substantial body of work over time that demonstrates artistic excellence.

Please let us know if you plan to join us so we can provide snacks and drinks for the group. RSVPs and questions can be sent to mcknightfellowships@springboardforthearts.org.

MN Dance Task Force Notes and Next Meeting

Here are the notes from our MN Dance Task Force virtual gathering on Thursday morning, November 20.

Summary of gathering: The Minnesota Dance Task Force met to discuss the upcoming Wilder research report on dance infrastructure in Minnesota. Mathew presented the Wilder report outline, which covers project overview, methods including focus groups and surveys, and recommendations for organizational development. The report will be shared with task force members and the broader community, with feedback to be collected at the next meeting in December. Three to five volunteers will be selected to provide detailed feedback to Wilder for the final report.

Next Meeting: Friday, December 12
8:45am: Welcome new attendees
9:00-10:00am: Meeting

Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 857 9656 3910
Passcode: 538729

Twin Cities Ballet Performs A Minnesota Nutcracker

Following last season’s triumphant debut at Northrop, Twin Cities Ballet (TCB) is thrilled to announce that A Minnesota Nutcracker will return to Northrop Auditorium this December, in addition to a full weekend at Ames Center, TCB’s home stage, where it has delighted families annually for the past fifteen years.

The stunning Flower Queen is transformed into Minnesota’s state flower, the elusive and beautiful Lady Slipper. Vikings will make their powerful and dramatic debut to the energetic Trepak music. Audiences will also be treated to the haunting, ethereal sound of a traditional hand-carved wooden flute, seamlessly woven into Tchaikovsky’s Mirliton music by local musician Mark Woerpel, for the premiere of this year’s enchanting new Dance of the Loons.

These imaginative changes promise to heighten the magic and charm of the performance, offering a fresh and exciting experience even for longtime fans. Don’t miss your chance to experience the magic of A Minnesota Nutcracker this December—two iconic venues, and endless holiday joy!

Ames Center, Burnsville: December 12-14
Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis: December 16-17