'Sleeping Beauty'
A kiss is just a kiss, unless it's true love, of course. Then, as we know from the storybooks, it's magical. For its spring concert, Ballet Minnesota stages this classic tale — the second of Tchaikovsky's three ballets — from Maurius Petipa's original choreography by Andrew Rist, with costume designs by Cheryl Rist. The performance is part of the 28th annual Minnesota Dance Festival, which includes a showcase Saturday featuring excerpts of the evening show plus dance works by Minnesota artists. All shows also include a children's story ballet, "Sorcerer's Apprentice," starring the young students from Classical Ballet Academy of Minnesota, with original choreography by Rist. (7:30 p.m. Fri. & Sat. plus showcase at 2 p.m. Sat., the O'Shaughnessy, 2004 Randolph Av., St. Paul, $14-$34, 651-690-6700, oshag.stkate.edu)
Leyya Tawil
The New York-based conceptual dance artist visits for a workshop, public performance and artist talk, all part of "Claiming the Narrative-Adventures in Arab Experimentalism," presented by Mizna. During the day, Tawil will work with musicians, dancers, writers and artists of all media to generate material themed around identity and expression. The workshop will culminate in a performance, featuring a core group of Arab-American artists and guests, exploring dualities such as local vs. diaspora, renegade vs. quiet and history vs. the future, using collaborative and impromptu choreography. Afterward, Tawil will chat with artists Taous Khazem and Moheb Soliman about their work and the state of contemporary Arab American performance. (Workshop 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sat., performance at 5 p.m., Bedlam Lowertown, 213 E. 4th St., St. Paul, $10-$15, 651-209-0597, bedlamtheatre.org)
SHEILA REGAN
