James Sewell Ballet

Many of us turn to the arts for inspiration, entertainment, escape, and enlightenment as well as to realign ourselves with a rapidly changing world. With gratitude and enthusiasm, we’d like to share a few highlights with you of what audiences said following JSB’s recent fall performances:

“The choreography was innovative and fresh, and connected so well with the music of each piece. In the Shadows was incredibly creepy in the best way possible! Totally accessible to all ages and audiences with any or no dance experience.”

"In the Shadows was the first JSB show I've gotten to see, and it was phenomenal. The exploration of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was raw, heartbreaking, and provoking.” 

“I was impressed by the emotion, choreography and technique in this show. An extra treat was having live singers during the performance. Stunning.”

The programming presented involved a highly curated approach for dance and was rich with its array of artists. We collected works with a spooky bend to sit on Halloween weekend and we decked out the lobby in “zombieance,” all while staying true to our commitment to excellence. The newly commissioned Unfashioned Creature debuted with brilliant teamwork from its creators (Timothy C. Takach and Penelope Freeh). The piece captured the best of what a re-telling can be—it catalyzed new thoughts beyond the original intent and amplified the subtle in a newly discovered way.

For Unfashioned Creature, the JSB dancers, singers of MPLS (imPulse), live cello, and percussion all combined to demonstrate the power and depth of multi-dimensional collaborations. We will continue this important aspect of our programming later this season alongside the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus. Every BODY commissions five composers and five choreographers to destigmatize topics surrounding body image. We also look forward to Shohei Iwahama’s premier as part of our spring concert. The former JSB dancer took some time away from touring the world to create an amazing piece steeped in tender swirls and sparkly pointe work. 

From Nutcracker partnering and coaching in Grand Rapids, MN, to touring activities in Montana and Idaho that share JSB’s playful/elegant brand of professional concert dance and outreach engagements along the way—we like to think our activities in Greater MN and out-of-state shine a positive light on the Twin Cities as a vibrant cultural destination.

More than ever, we are grateful for the opportunity and annual financial support that allows JSB to sustain professional dance and enrich lives with the arts.

We thank you for being a valued friend in our artistic journey and wish you all the best this holiday season.