May 20, 2013 - St. Cloud Times
Passion for Dance
By Ben Katzner
Sunday's audition for the Minnesota Dance Ensemble didn't come with a lot of glitz, glamor or fanfare. It wasn't a reality competition with cameras perched in every corner of the room. Nor was it a cutthroat tryout with lines of eager participants looking for any edge that would put them above their competition. In fact, there were a lot of things the audition, held at the Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud, was not, but what was most important was the one thing the tryout was - a way for those interested in dance to test their curiosity.
"We're trying to take it to a different level, to see what we can do that's different," Artistic Director Cat Barnes said. "(We're) just trying something more to just see what we have." The group, which finished last season with eight dancers and has just five of them returning, expected a handful of people to audition Sunday. The goal: Giving residents who enjoy dance in St. Cloud and the surrounding areas an outlet.
"It's been around for quite a while and really it was just a way for adults to continue their passion," Executive Director Kerri Golombecki said. "That's what we really provide and we provide it at a professional level."
A modest number of applicants provided a mixture of frustrating and uplifting feelings for Barnes and Golombecki. Frustrating because more dancers makes planning shows easier, but uplifting because they knew those who showed up truly wanted to be there. The group is reaching out to local dancers to help navigate logistics issues that have sometimes interfered with people being able to take part in practices.
"Now we're looking for more people locally, just because we need more people who are dedicated and able to be here... when they're having to drive two hours, it doesn't really turn out that well," Barnes said. Even with any new additions, there are still plenty of hurdles for the ensemble to pirouette around, especially with such a small contingent of dancers. "When you're trying to plan an hour, hour and a half show and you have only seven or eight people, costume changes get longer and people are more worn out because they're having to perform in every piece," Barnes said. Sunday's audition session, which was open from noon until 3 p.m., consisted of Barnes and Golombecki working their way through a variety of techniques and routines.
"We ask them to prepare a two-minute solo and that's really for them to show us what they're good at. Then we can see exactly what they can do and how they present themselves," Golombecki said. "We also give them choreography to learn and see how they pick up things."
Kelly Steffens, who danced when she was younger and currently does zumba, said that her love of dance is what brought her to the tryouts Sunday. Her friend Holly Deans, a mother of four from St. Cloud, joined her.
"We've been doing zumba, and we enjoy dancing and our instructor is Cat and she told us about this," Steffens said. "I was in competitive dance in high school, so I had some experience with it and that is where it stopped unfortunately." Added Deans: "We're accountability partners... she makes me work out, I make her work out, so now we actually do something that we really enjoy, we love to dance... I really have no previous dance experience other than I've always enjoyed it. I've done some ballroom stuff, but that's pretty limited." Just as important in the audition process was getting to know applicants. Before any dancing began, Barnes and Golombecki sat on the dance floor with Steffens and Deans to learn what the duo's life outside the studio consisted of. The group will have more tryouts in August and hopes to begin practicing and performing soon after. Until then Golombecki, Barnes and other members are hoping that through hard work and word of mouth, the group can gain more exposure.
"If there was one thing I'd want people to know about us, it's that we exist, we just had our 10-year anniversary and nobody knows about us," Barnes said. "We're here just looking for more opportunities to perform and more people that have a passion for dance."
"We're trying to take it to a different level, to see what we can do that's different," Artistic Director Cat Barnes said. "(We're) just trying something more to just see what we have." The group, which finished last season with eight dancers and has just five of them returning, expected a handful of people to audition Sunday. The goal: Giving residents who enjoy dance in St. Cloud and the surrounding areas an outlet.
"It's been around for quite a while and really it was just a way for adults to continue their passion," Executive Director Kerri Golombecki said. "That's what we really provide and we provide it at a professional level."
A modest number of applicants provided a mixture of frustrating and uplifting feelings for Barnes and Golombecki. Frustrating because more dancers makes planning shows easier, but uplifting because they knew those who showed up truly wanted to be there. The group is reaching out to local dancers to help navigate logistics issues that have sometimes interfered with people being able to take part in practices.
"Now we're looking for more people locally, just because we need more people who are dedicated and able to be here... when they're having to drive two hours, it doesn't really turn out that well," Barnes said. Even with any new additions, there are still plenty of hurdles for the ensemble to pirouette around, especially with such a small contingent of dancers. "When you're trying to plan an hour, hour and a half show and you have only seven or eight people, costume changes get longer and people are more worn out because they're having to perform in every piece," Barnes said. Sunday's audition session, which was open from noon until 3 p.m., consisted of Barnes and Golombecki working their way through a variety of techniques and routines.
"We ask them to prepare a two-minute solo and that's really for them to show us what they're good at. Then we can see exactly what they can do and how they present themselves," Golombecki said. "We also give them choreography to learn and see how they pick up things."
Kelly Steffens, who danced when she was younger and currently does zumba, said that her love of dance is what brought her to the tryouts Sunday. Her friend Holly Deans, a mother of four from St. Cloud, joined her.
"We've been doing zumba, and we enjoy dancing and our instructor is Cat and she told us about this," Steffens said. "I was in competitive dance in high school, so I had some experience with it and that is where it stopped unfortunately." Added Deans: "We're accountability partners... she makes me work out, I make her work out, so now we actually do something that we really enjoy, we love to dance... I really have no previous dance experience other than I've always enjoyed it. I've done some ballroom stuff, but that's pretty limited." Just as important in the audition process was getting to know applicants. Before any dancing began, Barnes and Golombecki sat on the dance floor with Steffens and Deans to learn what the duo's life outside the studio consisted of. The group will have more tryouts in August and hopes to begin practicing and performing soon after. Until then Golombecki, Barnes and other members are hoping that through hard work and word of mouth, the group can gain more exposure.
"If there was one thing I'd want people to know about us, it's that we exist, we just had our 10-year anniversary and nobody knows about us," Barnes said. "We're here just looking for more opportunities to perform and more people that have a passion for dance."
April 11, 2013 - St. Cloud Times Up Next
10 years of dance
By Stephanie Dickrell
The Minnesota Dance Ensemble is celebrating 10 years of existence with its annual show at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Paramount. This year's theme is "Hide and Seek," focusing on the things we hide from as well as the things we seek out in life. Artistic Director Cat Barnes has been planning the show since taking over the role last June.
"In different pieces there's a form of hiding, concealing, running away from some things," said Executive Director Kerri Golombecki. And there are pieces showing people seeking things. "It goes in two very different directions," Golombecki said. The pair wasn't thinking of the childhood game when they planned the show.
"We want to celebrate where we've been," she said. "And with a new choreographer, celebrating where we are going." The eight-member company has dance teachers as well as students.
"That's the main mission of the company, to provide opportunities for dancers to perform," and to further their education and advancement in the arts, Golombecki said. Modern dance is a little harder to find in the St. Cloud area.
"We consider ourselves a professional-level dance company. It's something that might get people out of their comfort zone," she said. "If they're in any way engaged in the arts, this is something they should see,"
The ensemble was founded in 2003 as an artistic outlet for adult dancers to perform post high school and college training. Its focus has been on styles of modern and jazz dance. It became a nonprofit in 2007. They decided to make this year's show special, looking at the ensemble's past and to its future.
"We're having five old company members come back and join us for a few pieces," she said. Most now live out of the area, traveling back to St. Cloud for the few rehearsals they've had with everyone. Company members rehearse once a week for four to six hours, so they have a lot of time invested.
"Everybody choreographs differently," she said. "This show in particular is a very dynamic show in the choreographic aspect." They've also chosen five dancers from past shows after reviewing them to perform. They chose examples that fit the theme of the show. Though Barnes and Golombecki are new to running the company, they have at least one member who's been around since nearly the beginning.
"You know the funny thing is, the company has been around for 10 years, but for both the artistic director and I, it's the first year running the company," she said. "This year has been about trying to figure out what's going to work best, and how can we take everything to the next level."
"In different pieces there's a form of hiding, concealing, running away from some things," said Executive Director Kerri Golombecki. And there are pieces showing people seeking things. "It goes in two very different directions," Golombecki said. The pair wasn't thinking of the childhood game when they planned the show.
"We want to celebrate where we've been," she said. "And with a new choreographer, celebrating where we are going." The eight-member company has dance teachers as well as students.
"That's the main mission of the company, to provide opportunities for dancers to perform," and to further their education and advancement in the arts, Golombecki said. Modern dance is a little harder to find in the St. Cloud area.
"We consider ourselves a professional-level dance company. It's something that might get people out of their comfort zone," she said. "If they're in any way engaged in the arts, this is something they should see,"
The ensemble was founded in 2003 as an artistic outlet for adult dancers to perform post high school and college training. Its focus has been on styles of modern and jazz dance. It became a nonprofit in 2007. They decided to make this year's show special, looking at the ensemble's past and to its future.
"We're having five old company members come back and join us for a few pieces," she said. Most now live out of the area, traveling back to St. Cloud for the few rehearsals they've had with everyone. Company members rehearse once a week for four to six hours, so they have a lot of time invested.
"Everybody choreographs differently," she said. "This show in particular is a very dynamic show in the choreographic aspect." They've also chosen five dancers from past shows after reviewing them to perform. They chose examples that fit the theme of the show. Though Barnes and Golombecki are new to running the company, they have at least one member who's been around since nearly the beginning.
"You know the funny thing is, the company has been around for 10 years, but for both the artistic director and I, it's the first year running the company," she said. "This year has been about trying to figure out what's going to work best, and how can we take everything to the next level."
March 8, 2012 - St. Cloud Times
Kids get into the Groove: Ensemble Shares Passion for Dance
Youth at Eastside Boys & Girls Club in St. Cloud learned about the art of dance during workshops Wednesday afternoon. The Minnesota Dance Ensemble showed students an excerpt from its coming show "Amalgamation" and also taught some dance steps. The ensemble worked first with younger students and then with those in fourth through sixth grades. "Amalgamation" will be staged at 7:30 p.m. April 13 at the Paramount Theatre in St. Cloud. Tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students. The Minnesota Dance Ensemble is a nonprofit group that focuses mostly on modern and jazz dance.