August 1, 2023
Tickets on sale now! Click here for details.
September 22-23, 2023. 7:30 pm
The O’Shaugnessy at Saint Catherine University
2004 Randolph Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
ASL provided at both performances.
Learn more about the production and it’s creation process:
April 18, 2023
Ananya Dance Theatre seeks an experienced production manager with a heart for social justice; on an ongoing basis to coordinate and run the technical aspects of our dance theatre performances and workshops, at home and on tour. We are ready to build a recurring annual relationship that can grow with the company’s needs and the successful candidate’s desires for their future.
Annual Schedule:
–Extended collaborative creation of new work: Jan-Sept.
–Annual premiere of approx 90 min work: Sept/Oct (in Saint Paul)
–Ongoing touring engagements: Jan – Nov. (Likely 2-3 engagements over the course of the year. Most engagements will be 3-5 days, though one might be a week+. Touring opportunities are always emerging, though we always have 2-3 months notice minimum, and we work through our company members’ non-ADT commitments.)
–December of each year – entire company is on break.
Duties include:
–Scheduling and facilitating meetings with designers/collaborators during extended collaborative process (Jan-Sept, annually.)
–Attending occasional rehearsals to be familiar with the work and facilitate the details of collaborative decisions (Jan-Sept, from very occasional in Jan to fully engaged in September. Rehearsals are evenings and weekends at our studio in Saint Paul, except for tech week.)
–Representing ADT to work effectively with venue production crews (at the O’Shaughnessy for premiere, and on tour)
–Calling or running lights/sound/backstage for performances (depending on venue: some provide staff, others may require you to run Qlab yourself. While you will not need to program lighting, sound, or video cues, you may need to troubleshoot.) Annual Fall premiere at the O’Shaugnessy and intermittent touring throughout Jan – Nov.
–Coordinating and communicating schedule and logistics (inc. transportation, lodging, as needed) for all live engagements (dancers, venue/community host, technical staff, etc.)
Our next full production is MICHHIL AMRA!: WE ARE THE PROCESSION!, premiering September 22-23, 2023 at The O’Shaughnessy at Saint Catherine University. This work is currently in creation/rehearsal.
Requirements:
–Competent knowledge of Qlab
–Experience with calling and running a live performance (dance, theatre, multidisciplinary, corporate events, etc.)
–Basic management experience, including motivating, problem-solving, and delegating
–Demonstrated ability to manage complex schedules and needs among 7-10 artist collaborators plus 12 company dancers.
–Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
–Nimble mind; the ability to project calm into complex and time-pressured situations (aka “live performance”); a joyful work ethic
–Full availability for tech week and premiere of MICHHIL (Sept 2023.)
–Available to tour internationally during the week following the premiere, Sept 27th – Oct 6th.
Appreciated:
Experience and/or leadership in social justice community work
–Strong interpersonal management experience
–Background in anti-racist, anti-misogyny, and liberation work
–Background and/or demonstrated interest in dance
–Bachelor’s degree (in any field)
–Current driver’s license
–Current passport and international travel experience
Ananya Dance Theatre is committed to the full community inclusion of all people who live at all intersections of identity and experience; this role does not assume the absence of disability. If this role speaks to you, we strongly encourage you to apply.
This is an hourly “Work For Hire” annual contract.
Starting rate: $25/hour.
Touring: $150/day (expenses paid by ADT).
Estimated annual hours (to be scheduled as needed, heavily weighted towards Sept, includes touring): 300
Ananya Dance Theatre is a company of BIPOC women and femme artists who create original dance theatre at the intersection of artistic excellence and social justice. We premiere one major new work annually with original music, and offer workshops, dialogues, classes, and performances at home and on tour. We call audiences to join us in movement, dialogue, and action driven by shared humanity. Our work invites audiences to participate in our strategy of #occupydance, the movement of dancing as civic action. We conjure dance as a liberatory practice; a methodology for a just world; and a space where BIPOC women and femmes can belong and thrive. For more information, please visit our website: www.ananyadancetheatre.org.
Please express your interest with
–a one-page letter detailing your relevant experience and interest in the role
–a resume (if available; if not, a chronological list of your experiences.)
Please respond to Jennie Ward, Managing Director (she/her) at jennie.ward@ananyadancetheatre.org. Please put “ATTN: PROD MGR” in the subject line. Review of submissions will begin Monday May 1st and will continue until the position is filled.
February 14, 2023
This two-week intensive in ADT’s signature movement aesthetic, YORCHHĀ, and our choreographic practice, SHAWNGRĀM, will invite participants into building physical strength and emotional stamina through a daily movement practice. Yorchhā combines movement principles from Odissi, the traditional Indian dance technique; Chhau, the martial art form from Odisha; and from Vinyasa Yoga. Shawngrām is the creative process for ensemble-based choreography to share a mosaic of stories and emotional landscapes and build justice-based collectivity through movement. This year’s thematic focus takes its inspiration from community processions taking up public space to re-direct our relationships to power and each other.
The first half of each session will be dedicated to instruction in Yorchhā, with room for different levels of interpretation depending on participants’ familiarity with the form. Whether this is your first experience with Yorchhā or you have been practicing for multiple summers, we will meet you where you are to steer you towards individual excellence. The second half will be dedicated to structured improvisational and choreographic processes. The Intensive will culminate in a choreographic offering with opportunities for live streaming.
Our theme this year is “Processing to Re-frame.” We are inspired by the BIPOC organizers of The Uprising and other justice movements who interrupt constructed “normals” and publicly refuse to accept systemic violences. Processions are designed to reveal the potential of movement and dance as a methodology for organizing. Your participation will enrich our work and our commitment to route choreography through justice and community. We hope it will offer us all different provocations about the role of art and dance in civic life and movements for social change.
We are currently exploring an opportunity to offer the culminating performance as part of a procession across city streets in keeping with our theme of “processing to re-frame”, and in partnership with leaders from our BIPOC communities.
Ways to Participate:
1) In-person at the Shawngrām Institute (Limited Capacity)
2) Remotely, Via Zoom
Policies:
• We accept applications on a rolling basis. However, due to the continuing pandemic and to ensure the safety of our community, we have to limit our in-person attendance. Participants will be confirmed on a first-applied first-accepted basis.
• Students attending in-person classes must provide proof of up-to-date Covid-19 vaccination (booster required) and must wear face masks during class. No exceptions.
• All information we receive via the application will remain confidential.
• In Yorchhā instruction, corrections are offered primarily through verbal description. Should further clarification become necessary, instructors will ask before offering touch-based feedback.
• The Institute is located in an accessible building. We do our best to offer ASL interpretation and audio description to fit participant needs, so please describe your needs to us in your application.
• We will take access needs into consideration in the planning of “processional” performances.
Attendance:
Your presence in this process has deep value to us and to your fellow participants. We expect everyone to attend all ten Intensive sessions, including both showings.
Attire:
Yorchhā™ is a barefeet dance technique. Please be ready to dance without socks as well. Participants should wear comfortable clothing that allows for easy movement. However, we prefer clothing that allows teachers to see the joint lines clearly in order to offer feedback.
Tuition:
• The total fee for this intensive is $650. Scholarships available!
• Application fee/deposit of $50 (applied to total tuition fee) must be received before your application can be processed.
• A limited number of need-based scholarships are available. If you are awarded a scholarship, you will only pay the $50 application fee/deposit.
• Applications close on Monday, June 1, 2023. The $50.00, non-refundable deposit will be deducted from the tuition due.
• All tuition balances must be received by June 9, 2023. Once paid, tuition will not be refunded or pro-rated.
• Payment is via Paypal or check. Please indicate your payment preference in the application form.
• Upon acceptance, a Paypal invoice for any remaining balance will be emailed to the address provided.
• If you prefer to pay by check, please indicate on the form, make payable to “Ananya Dance Theatre”, and mail to P. O. Box 2427, Minneapolis MN 55402-0427.
Key Dates:
Last to submit applications: Monday June 1, 2023.
ADT responds to application and scholarship need in 10 days or fewer.
$50 non-refundable deposit due Monday June 1, 2023.
Balance of tuition due Monday June 9, 2023.
First day of classes June 19, 2023
Detailed schedule, location, local transportation/parking information, and other logistics will be provided to all accepted applicants in June. The Shawngrām Institute does not provide local housing.
For questions about payment:
Contact Hadiya Shire at hadiya.shire@ananyadancetheatre.org
February 2, 2023
Ananya Dance Theatre announces the dates for our annual Summer Intensive:
Ananya Dance Theatre’s Shawngrām Summer Intensive is a 2-week training program in St. Paul, Minnesota (4 hours/day, 5 days/week). It will introduce Yorchha™, our unique movement aesthetic, in technique classes that build in complexity over 2 weeks, and our particular choreographic process of creating dance from the stories of our lives.
This program is part of Ananya Dance Theatre’s ongoing commitment to train the next generations artists of color for professional engagement in dance.