Auditions, Jobs, and Open Calls

The Tapestries Choreographic Program is an illustrious artist development program designed to nurture future generations of dance choreographers as they strive to become professionals in the field.

Three choreographers will be selected by an expert panel of dance/community leaders to create new works for the company’s spring season under professional guidance, with additional feedback from their peer choreographers. Each selected choreographer will receive a $2,000 choreography commission to create a new work of up to 15 minutes in length. The program is organized so emerging choreographers experience a professional commissioning process. The time frame, technical support, and ability to work with professional dancers, designers, and mentors provide a unique, professional choreographic experience. This immersive program prepares participants for future success in the field.

The Patterns Program seeks to nurture the choreographers of tomorrow. High-potential semi-finalists will be selected from the pool of Tapestries 11.0 applicants to receive support from Threads through residency, space subsidy, and an informal showing of their work.

Dates of Residency (Tapestries 11.0): January – April, 2027

Please visit our website to learn more about our programs and the application process. We will accept applications through October 16, 11:59 pm, 2026. Apply here.

Submit your rejected work to Rejects Cohort 2027!

Who is eligible: Open to any rejected work! If you have a project that has not come to fruition in the way you wanted it to, you are eligible! We are hoping to create a space where dance is able to be ridiculous, absurd, daring, vulnerable, and bold. Your piece does not need to be a work that was literally rejected, but more so an open call/platform for any works that have not had the means to get made or performed again.

Location: Pieces will be shown at the Mixed Blood Theater
Dates: Friday, January 22 and Saturday, January 23
Apply: Fill out this survey by Friday, October 16

What you get:

• A 6-minute time slot on either Friday or Saturday to present a rejected work
• 30 minute tech time with a lighting designer provided
• Video and photography of the show
• Marketing/advertising for the show
• Any profit from donations/ticket sales will be split among the presenters

Required feedback workshop with producers and cohort of presenters on Sunday, January 10 from 6:00-9:00pm.

More information can be found here!

Minnesota’s premier folklore ensemble is seeking male and female dancers for the upcoming season and beyond!

Ethnic Dance Theatre is an avenue for artists to explore the fostering of understanding and awareness of world cultures through the presentation of traditional ethnic dance and music. On October 18, join us for an immersive dive into the world of international folk dancing.

Audition Information:

• Auditions will run on October 18 from 5:00-6:30pm.
• Proficiency in Tap, Modern, or Ballet is preferred; prior experience in folk dance is not necessary but will be considered a bonus!
• Dancers should bring jazz or ballet shoes and prepare for a challenging yet enjoyable experience.
• All candidates will be required to sing in a group setting.
• Preference will be given to those who have graduated from high school.

Artist Call for Proposals for Off-Leash Area’s 5th Off-Kilter Cabaret are now open. Off-Leash Area’s Off-Kilter community program highlights and supports artists with disabilities creating original performance work. The annual Off-Kilter Cabaret is an evening-length cabaret-style production, composed of 5-7 acts in any performing arts form. The Cabaret is curated by the Off-Kilter Leadership Team, who are leaders in the disability community, and 80% of whom are themselves persons with disabilities.

Interested applicants are asked to submit a proposal for a performance piece that is 5-10 minutes in length that speaks to this year’s Off-Kilter Cabaret: “Location! Location! Location!”.

Off-Leash Area co-artistic director Jennifer Ilse says, “We all have seminal places in our lives. What happened there, or what do you hope will happen? Where do you go when you want to escape? Where do you thrive and where do you struggle? We are excited to see everyone’s unique interpretations of the theme in their proposals for this year’s Off-Kilter Cabaret.”

Performances will be held February 26-28, 2027 at the Playwrights’ Center, a fully accessible theater space. The event will include accessibility accommodations including ASL interpreting, captioning, and audio description.

The Call for Proposals has opened as of September 25, and artists with disabilities are asked to submit proposals by October 23.

The Off-Kilter Advisory Team includes writer and storyteller Amy Salloway, national touring musician Gabriel Rodreick, and Sam Jasmine, host of the Disability and Progress program on KFAI. Off-Leash Area is excited to be partnering again with Young Dance, whose mission is “transforming lives through movement.”

ARENA DANCES is excited to announce an open call for early-career choreographers for a new choreographic commission as part of the 11th annual CANDY BOX Dance Festival (CBDF), May 3-8, 2027, at the Southern Theater in Minneapolis. This opportunity supports emerging choreographic voices through a commission, free rehearsal space, feedback and mentorship, production support, and a public presentation of new work.

Eligibility

• Open to early-career choreographers of all backgrounds and dance styles. For this opportunity, early career is defined as having more than 2 and fewer than 10 years of experience creating independent choreographic work outside of a degree-granting program.
•  Applicants must have previously completed at least one original choreographic work.
• Selected choreographers must participate in 1-2 open rehearsal/feedback sessions during the creation process.

Selected Choreographers Receive

• $1,000 commission fee, plus suggested donations collected at the artist’s performance.
• Up to 30 hours of free rehearsal studio space at The Arena.
• Collaboration with a professional production team.
• Promotional support through ARENA DANCES’ communications and media partners, including graphic design.
• Wide-angle video documentation of the final showing.

Important Dates

• Application Deadline: Friday, October 30 at 4:30pm CT
• Selected Choreographers Announced: November 16
• Creation/Rehearsal Period: January-May 2027
• Performance: One evening from 5:30-6:30pm; Monday, May 3 or Tuesday, May 4, 2027

Application Requirements

• Choreographic Proposal: Describe your proposed work, including its concept, movement approach/style, and artistic vision.
• Feedback and Mentorship: Briefly describe what you hope to gain from dialogue and feedback during the creation process.
• Identify 2-3 potential mentors or artistic voices you would be interested in engaging during these sessions.
• Previous Work: Provide links to video excerpts of previous choreographic work.
• Availability: Confirm your availability for the May 3 and/or May 4 performance dates.

How to Apply: Email application materials to arenadances@gmail.com with the subject line: CANDY BOX Commission Application – [Your Name]. Applications must be received by 4:30pm CT on Friday, October 30.

Selection Process: A selection panel will review applications based on artistic vision, originality, and feasibility. Two choreographers will be selected for the 2027 CANDY BOX commissions.

Questions may be directed to Mathew Janczewski at arenadances@gmail.com. We look forward to learning about your work and supporting new choreographic voices through CANDY BOX Dance Festival.

Works-in-Progress (WIP) is a cohort-based container for creative process, peer exchange, and public sharing of a live performance work. Each year, Red Eye assembles a cohort of artists who wish to engage in exchange around themselves and their creative process. These artists form a temporary community of practice, around a shared commitment to questioning artistic form and challenging dominant culture.

WIP participants receive modest technical and production support, rehearsal space as available, and participate in showings, where work is engaged with the cohort. The program involves critical reflection on making, as well as how we walk with making. Each artist in the WIP cohort presents 10-15 minutes of work as part of a shared evening in the first weekend of Red Eye’s celebrated annual Festival, now called the Red Eye Festival.

The RFP is now open.
Due Sunday, November 8 at 11:59pm.

You can click here for more information.