Beyond Colorblind Casting

Honoring the body as the truest canvas

Minneapolis, MN: Nov 14 & 15, Artistic Director Karen L. Charles will present her Threads Dance Project in their sixth season show at the Cowles Center for Dance and The Performing Arts Goodale Theater. Charles first evening-length work, entitled The Secrets of Slave Songs, is an examination of slavery, its abolition and consequences in the United States. Expressive choreography, combined with moving renditions of Negro Spirituals and others songs borne from the American slavery experience, illuminate the complicated journey in our nations history.

The Secrets of Slave Songs will reimagine the meaning of traditional Nero Spiritual lyrics in direct relation to the African-American quest for freedom from slavery. This evening length piece was inspired by the use of Traditional Nero Spirituals as a secret language of communication among slavesa code often used to encourage survival, build community, express the triumph of escape, the trials of attempted escape, and the sorrow in failing to escape.

I want to authentically convey the feelings associated with this American experience we call slaveryI was challenged the first time I had to cast dancers specifically as slaves and masters based solely on their skin color, says Charles, however, I felt this was the only way for me to truly tell a story of slavery in America.

Performances are November 14^th and 15^th at 7:30 pm

at The Cowles Center for Dance & The Performing Arts.

ASL interpretation and Post-Show discussion Nov 14^th

For ticket information, please visit www.thecowlescenter.org/calendar-tickets/threads-dance-project

or call 612-206-3600

About Threads Dance Project & Karen L. Charles: Threads Dance Project was founded by Karen L. Charles in 2010 when her beloved father passed away, leaving her just enough money to realize a 10-year dream of becoming a choreographer and director of her own company. Since then Threads has enjoyed five successful seasons of contemporary dance. The mission of Threads Dance Project is to examine, expose and celebrate the threads that connect us. Threads Dance Project celebrates the human spirit through dance.

A dedicated performer, teacher, and mentor, Karen Long Charles received her B.F.A. in Ballet from Texas Christian University. Charles has performed with dance companies around the country including Room to Move Dance Company (Atlanta, GA), Susan Warden Dance Company (Kansas City, MO), and the Pittsburgh Choreography Continuum (Pittsburg, PA). Charles was also awarded a fellowship to study at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. She later served as founder and principal instructor of Discovering Dance (Atlanta), and was an instructor in the Atlanta Public School System for ten years.

Charles currently lives in Golden Valley, MN. As an arts educator, she served as Director at Perpich Arts High School and she was the founding Principal/Executive Director at Main Street School of Performing Arts for seven years.

For more information about Threads Dance Project, visit www.threadsdance.org

Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/threadsdanceproject