Kaleena Miller Dance

Kaleena Miller Dance is fundraising for two projects as we enter our 10th year.

First, em-dee-eff : a practice-in-progress that invites a reconsideration of intentionally sounding dance. 

Engaging repetitively transformed audio works, improvisation legacies in music and dance, and the material MDF (medium density fiberboard)––a substance literally made of discarded parts of itself––, the acclaimed cast of tap dancers navigate a score that honors their embodied knowledge and histories, while carving out space for individual and collective contemporary desires. 

In-progress editions of em-dee-eff have been presented in Minneapolis and Chicago - - with your support, more dates and cities to come!

And second, the development of pay-as-able Listening/Sounding workshops.

An extension of the process used to make em-dee-eff, Listening/Sounding workshops are pay-as-able sessions that utilize Deep Listening modalities and ideas from Wadada Leo Smith's text notes (8 pieces) to offer exercises, scores and conversation that explore how we can listen and respond as a community, but not compromise self. For anyone interested in moving and making sound with others in space.

Your support means the world!

Thank you.

- - - - - 

A brief history of the company - 

Since 2015, Kaleena Miller Dance has produced concept-driven evening length works, showcases for emerging tap dance talent, had multiple guest performances at the Twin Cities Tap Festival, and have brought incredible percussive dance guest artists to the Twin Cities including Ian Berg, Derick Grant, Naomi Funaki, Nic Gareiss, Caleb Teicher, Lisa La Touche, Max Pollak, Lia Spirka and Dianne Walker. 

From 2018-2024, the pre-professional ensemble KMD2 gave space for high school to college-aged, emerging tap dance artists to develop and showcase their choreographic ideas, and learn new and classic repertoire from distinguished national tap dance choreographers.

We have been committed to expression through and exploration of tap dance in Minnesota since our inception, giving emerging and established artists the opportunity to perform, expand and connect with internationally renowned artists and scholars.

photo by Bill Cameron