BRKFST Dance Company: Breaking Artistic Boundaries

BRKFST Dance Company has exciting opportunities on the horizon and YOU can be a part of the action by donating today!

The art BRKFST is producing will benefit people all over the country.

Please donate now through GiveMN. A fundraising platform celebrating 15 years of supporting arts organizations in Minnesota during the month of November.

A bit of history: How many of you remember the iconic 1983 film, Flashdance? It was the international sensation that initially brought the dance form, Breaking, to the general public.

Breaking movement has always been about the expression of self, identity, creativity and how far those ideas can be pushed. As one of the few breaking companies in the US, BRKFST Dance Company wishes to continue to uphold the values of breaking culture by creating a space for the dance form to be appreciated by a broader audience base. At the same time, we strive to be financially secure enough to allow BRKFST members the opportunity to make a living while pursuing their creative endeavors.

Breaking prioritizes individuality over homogenization and the majority of breakers are self-taught. In the 1970s, a breaker had to perform his/her own moves to stand out—and eventually, these discoveries were passed down. After learning a new move, breakers are required to “flip it” (add their own twist to it). The value of originality is still sacred to this day, so the dance is in constant evolution as knowledge is passed down. Overtime, new moves become foundation and as long as breakers flip them, they are creating one of the most contemporary dances of our lifetime. These values and qualities are what distinguish breaking from other dance forms.

We are striving to model longevity and sustainability within the dance form through performance and concert dance.

As a company rooted in breaking culture, BRKFST Dance Company is a leader in both content and collaboration. We are proud to be celebrating our 10 year anniversary in 2024.

Thanks to our generous donors and the funds raised through the GiveMN campaign in the last two years, BRKFST Dance Company has been able to sustain a consistent schedule, paying the dancers for each rehearsal! Because of this, BRKFST members have had the opportunity to prioritize their art making and creative process.  

We are proud that in 2022, we became the first breaking company in the Midwest to perform with a live Orchestra – The Minnesota Orchestra. Subsequently, BRKFST was invited back to work with this orchestra as the Artist In Residence for Summer at Orchestra Hall in 2023. With this opportunity, BRKFST curated the Peavy Plaza stage and Orchestra Hall lobby performances for the International Day of Music as well as presented a new work to Dancers, Dreamers and Presidents by composer Daniel Bernard Roumain which premiered in July 2023 with The Minnesota Orchestra at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis, MN.

This year, BRKFST is asking for your help so that each dancer/choreographer continues to earn a living wage for rehearsals, performances, and community engagement opportunities.

In the next year, BRKFST Dance Company will:

• Participate in a creative residency at The National Center for Choreography-Akron, OH in February, 2024.
• Premiere a new work to Prokofiev’s Death of Tybalt as well as an original work to Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge with the Des Moines Symphony, April 13th and 14th, 2024.
• Present the world premiere of a new work, co-commissioned by The Cowles Center and Northrop UMN, at The Cowles Center in Minneapolis, MN, April 27th and 28th, 2024.
• Join the Bates College (ME) Dance Festival Professional Training Program faculty to teach Breaking in July 2024.

Your donation will:

1. Support our creative process
2. Expand our audience base
3. Help us pay our dancers and choreographers a living wage

Not only will your donations directly support and affect each member, but all donations are tax-deductible. Make your best gift today!

Thank you for fueling our bold goals!