TWO MOVEMENT WORKSHOPS WITH KEI TSURUHARATANI at Theater Mu

"Dancer Kei Tsuruharatani (Broadway's Jagged Little Pill) will be holding two movement workshops this May. The first is focused on body awareness and interpretation, with applications to all performing arts and general mindfulness, while the second is based more on ballet technique taught from a decolonized approach. Both are shaped by Kei's collaborative, non-pedagogical teaching style that truly invites participants to open themselves up and learn from each other's creativity and strengths.

Whether participants attend one or both workshops, they will come away with a deeper understanding of themselves and how they can be more connected with their bodies and their movements. Anyone 16 or older is welcome to attend, but the space will be centered on BIPOC and TGNC (transgender/non-conforming) experiences.

CONSCIOUS MOVEMENT

May 23 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Threads Dance Nexus in Minneapolis
Capacity: 25 participants

This workshop is a movement exploration and mindfulness practice for both non-dancers and dancers. Activities include body mapping, improvisation, reflecting on perspective, and learning how to move with ease as you interpret and exude different experiences in your body. Kei will also be going over textures to support acting and singing, better allowing artists to connect with their bodies and understand how certain movements feel in relation to how they look.

The workshop will end with a discussion on participants' experiences and additional questions that may come up during the process.

Participants should wear clothes they can move in. They can go barefoot, wear socks, or use soft-soled dance shoes.

DECOLONIZING BALLET

May 25 from 10 a.m.-noon
Threads Dance Nexus in Minneapolis
Capacity: 25 participants

Dancers will learn how to approach ballet from a decolonized perspective as they go through technique exercises and combinations with Kei. They will also focus on how to imbue their movements with creativity and artistry as opposed to executing them at a level of technical virtuosity. Like everything Kei does, approaches will have a focus on mindfulness and will explore how deconstructing movement and styles can bring new life to them.

The workshop will end with a discussion inviting participants to reflect on the class material, and on the experiences and difficulties often faced by oppressed groups in dance and theater spaces.

Participants should wear clothes they can move in, and they can go barefoot, wear socks, or use soft-soled dance shoes. This workshop is designed for movers at an intermediate to advanced level with previous knowledge of ballet vocabulary."

For more information on the classes, click here

Photo credit Whitney Browne

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