Enjoy dance at any age. Stay stronger, more flexible, and more active through movement…
Open Classes are intended for students ages 13 and up. Take them seriously, or take them for recreation. We offer something for everybody!
All classes may taken in-person or virtually. Inquire about Zoom links at the time of registration.
Register and buy passes here!
First time using our new Jackrabbit Punch Card system? Download the app to get started. Purchase the right Punch Card for you and sign up. Open classes show up as “events” in Jackrabbit. Bring you smartphone to class for your teacher to deduct each punch.
Winter-Spring 2023 Open Classes
Our Summer Open Class schedule runs in coordination with our Summer Class sessions, as well as according to teacher availability. Please be sure to check class dates carefully.
Open Beginner Ballet: Tuesday 6:15pm-7:30pm
Open Pilates: Thursday 12:00pm-1:00pm
Open Jazz: Sunday 2:45pm-3:45pm
Open Tap: Sunday 4:00pm-5:00pm
For more information email Artistic Director, Karl von Rabenau, at [email protected] OR Principal Teacher, LilaAnn Coates White, at [email protected]
Dress Code
Open Classes and Creative Dance do not have a specific dress code. Proper shoes are recommended, along with comfortable clothes that move easily, but are not too baggy. Once you begin attending a class, you’ll learn about any appropriate items needed for different styles of class: shoes (ballet, tap, jazz) or accessories (Pilates) that you may want to purchase.
Open Class Descriptions
Ballet
Develop strength and grace through classical ballet technique. You will feel longer and stronger and will know that you are making lasting improvements in your posture and flexibility.
Modern
Free your body to move through space—high, low, fast, slow. You will develop full-body strength and mobility while giving yourself a broad-ranging expressive outlet.
Tap
If you have some pent up, get down and make sound energy inside you, try a tap class. There is nothing like the fun and mental challenge of a good rhythm tap pattern to get you going. Beginning Tap is for those with no tap experience or those wanting a refresher; Intermediate Tap is for those with some experience.
Ballroom
Brush up on your ballroom steps or learn new ones. You’ll shine on the dance floor while burning calories. Please contact the Ballet office for dates and times.
Pilates Mat Exercises
For the allover conditioning regimen developed for dancers and used by the Minnesota Ballet Company, the Pilates mat class is it. The instructor keeps you interested and challenged, groaning and laughing, all the way to a well-toned, more injury-resistant body. All you do is show up.
Jazz
Learn popular dance forms which incorporate everything from Contemporary Jazz to Disco.
Open Class Teaching Staff
LilaAnn Coates White, Minnesota Ballet Artistic Associate/Principal Teacher, trained at the National Academy of Arts, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. She apprenticed with the Des Moines Ballet, taught at the Allegro Dance Theatre, Tennessee, and was a company member of the Minnesota Ballet from 1986
Linda Carrillo, teacher, School of the Minnesota Ballet, trained at the University of Utah, Ballet West in Salt Lake City, and the Joffrey Ballet in New York. She also performed and toured with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. She trained in the Vaganova technique and is certified in the Cecchetti Method.
Alex Loch, comes to ballet from a background in gymnastics. At St. Cloud University, he earned a B.A. in English with a minor in dance. In Seattle he danced with Khambatta Dance Company and taught ballroom, Latin and swing dance. He danced with the Minnesota Ballet in the 2010-11 season as a trainee.
Renee Moe, studied dance at UMD and in New York City. She founded Sterling Dance in Grand Marais in 1994. She has performed with Keane Sense of Rhythm Tap Co., Ressl Dance, and Project Lulu.
And other additional teaching professionals.