Mathew Janczewski's ARENA DANCES

ARENA DANCES mission is to make dance accessible to all through the presentation of contemporary dance, educational outreach, and community gatherings to inspire, promote dialogue and diversity.

How we do this:

Local performances are just one of the highlights of our year as Artistic Director Mathew Janczewski continues to create new works on the talented cohort of ARENA's professional dancers. Bringing timely themes into conversation on the stage, Janczewski's work merges artistry & social engagement.  

"Janczewski employs an expressiveness and engaging use of tension and release. His dances, even when exploring difficult topics, 

highlight an element of beauty and compassion. "
— Sheila Regan, Star Tribune

Erased Steps - Fall 2023
This past August, ARENA DANCES performed to sell out crowds and standing ovations with the evening length performance at Union Depot in St. Paul. Erased Steps' deft abstraction, incorporating dance, visual symbolism and imaginative staging shined a light on both personal and societal expectations. Performed with a live original score by local composer, Zack Baltich and a cast of 15 incredible and diverse dancers.      

8th Annual CANDY BOX Dance Festival  @ The Southern Theater- April 22-27, 2024
Promoting other Twin Cities Artists, ARENA curates the annual CANDY BOX Dance Festival (CBDF)  an eclectic annual week-long array of performances, workshops, and public sharings featuring a range of local dance-makers. Through shared performances, workshops, Q&A sessions and the rare sneak peek at works-in-progress, artists and audience members make new connections, gain deeper understanding of the creation process, and develop a stronger appreciation of the field of dance. 

And, perhaps you hear it here first, this coming years Happy Hour Artists:  Kayla Schiltgen, Nieya Amezquita, Penne y Freeh and Duniya Drum and Dance. 

CBDF24 featured artists: Tristan Koepke and Benny Olk, Paula Mann, and Jess Pretty!

Only the perverse fantasy can save us- Commencing January 2024
 Sponsor a dancer towards the research for ARENA's next work entitled Only the perverse fantasy can save us, beginning with the $6,000 needed for movement generating rehearsals starting in January 2024 with the talented Dustin Haug, Javan Mngrezzo and Leslie O'Neill.  ARENA will be taking its time in creative process with this full evening work, support in this fiscal year, will help support its beginnings-- looking to premiere in Fall 2025.

Education is critical to ARENA's mission of supporting arts education and accessible movement opportunities for all.

DanceON - "getting kids moving + teaching"
DanceON, the continuation and expansion of ARENA’s educational outreach program, focused on incorporating dance into K-12 Twin Cities Public Schools, along with the development of workshops for professional performing artists to acquire skills of dance pedagogy to teach in these K-12 academic settings. This season, DanceON holds residencies in the   Creative Secondary Arts, Humboldt and Hidden River Middle Schools in St. Paul and Jenny Lind and Waite Park Elementary; alongside our pilot program of dance pedagogy mentoring at North Community High School in Mpls.

MOVING PRACTICE: Making Space for a New Cast of Teachers, Performers, and Choreographers
Formed in response to the dance community's desire for a more diverse offering of techniques taught in the Twin Cities, Moving Practice gives each of its professional dancers the chance to teach, regardless of their age or experience. Aiming to give rise to new teachers & choreographers, this cohort-led class series prioritizes rigor, diversity of aesthetics & commitment. 

Studio Stories Podcast: Tracing the unique history of this big dance town
ARENA DANCES’ podcast series has filled an educational void in this community. Now in our 12th season with 140+ interviews and over 13000 listeners, Studio Stories highlights the histories of influential Twin Cities' dance artists. 

Community Gatherings foster conversations, resource-sharing, and connections that enrich the lives of individuals & strengthens the collaboration of the community as a whole. 

Floorwork is a monthly series of discussions on all things dance. Open to all as a space for conversation & sharing of ideas, knowledge and resources, each Floor Work focuses on a different topic relevant to life as an artist - from taxes as an freelancer to creative tools for choreographic processes. This series often invites experts on the topic to assist in facilitating conversation and offer their wealth of knowledge on the topic. 

How YOU can Engage today!

- Donate today to ensure that these programs continue to thrive & serve the Twin Cities' community

- Sponsor ARENA DANCES as an individual or company. 

- Become a recurring Monthly Donor

- Attend our upcoming events, more info on what's next here

- Join our Board of Directors! 

Email arenadances@gmail to get started