Okay, I admit it. My moves are about as graceful and elegant as rhinoceros with a limp.

Dance is used as a form of communication in virtually every culture in the world. For me, it says “I’m a big doofus,” but regardless of skill level, dance can be a great way, not only to communicate, but to express emotion and to exercise and tone the body as well. Ballet is one of the more graceful means of telling a story through dance.

This Tuesday, March 8th 2011, the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet will be in Minneapolis, courtesy of Northrop Dance, to perform a trio of groundbreaking and moving shows at The State Theatre.

The Aspen Santa Fe Ballet is celebrating its 15th anniversary this season. The contemporary ballet troupe has taken the country by storm, wowing audiences with their adventurous sampling of choreographers, range of dance styles, and an impressively extensive repertoire, acquiring and commissioning works from the top choreographers of the world.

The troupe is the first American company to commission Spanish choreographer Cayetano Soto, and will perform Uneven, his stunning new ballet. They will also be performing Nicolo Fonte’s In Hidden Seconds, which showcases the performers’ spectacular athleticism and yoga-inspired moves. The finishing touch will be celebrated Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo’s Red Sweet, their signature crowd energizer, which highlights an evocative blend of punctuated and abstract movement.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster, and cost $31.50, $44.50, or $54.50, plus fees. Limited metered parking is available on streets, but ample parking in nearby ramps and pay lots is preferred.

For more information, visit northrop.umn.edu/events/aspen-santa-fe.

State Theatre
805 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(612) 339-7007
www.hennepintheatretrust.org/our-theatres/state-theatre