After 30 years of visionary leadership under founder and choreographer Mathew Janczewski, ARENA DANCES boldly enters a new era. This fall marks the official DEBUT of the company’s transformation into a contemporary repertory dance company, dedicated to uplifting a new generation of dance voices while honoring the artistry that shaped its foundation.
Friday, September 19 at 7:30pm
Saturday, September 20 at 2:00pm — pay-as-able matinee.
Saturday, September 20 at 7:30pm
Tickets: $20-$27 General Admission
Box Office: 612-333-6669 (Monday-Friday, 10:00am-5:00pm)
This inaugural repertory concert will feature world premieres by three bold choreographic voices:
Elayna Waxse (she/they): Acclaimed Minneapolis-based choreographer whose work bridges contemporary dance and mental health. They have created works for Minnesota Dance Theatre, Carleton College, the University of Minnesota Dance Department, Threads Dance Project, and St. Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, among others. Their choreography has been recognized nationally, including selection for the 2023 American College Dance Association National Festival Gala and a feature in The Minnesota Star Tribune’s Top Ten Dance Performances of 2022.
Julia Antinozzi: A rising New York City–based choreographer named one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” Her dances work at the intersection between postmodern dance and ballet. In addition to receiving a Fresh Tracks residency from New York Live Arts and the inaugural Trisk Fellowship from Triskelion Arts, Julia has held residencies at The Floor, Little by little, New Dance Alliance, Motive Brooklyn, and the New York Choreographic Institute, an affiliate of the New York City Ballet.
Jordan Demetrius Lloyd: A Brooklyn-based dance artist originally from Albany, NY. He is a 2025 graduate of the DAS Choreography master’s program in Amsterdam, ND. As a performer, he has worked with David Dorfman Dance, Jonathan Gonzalez, Beth Gill, Tere O’Connor, Netta Yerushalmy, Donna Uchizono, Monica Bill Barnes, Joanna Kotze, and more. His teaching practice has brought him to The American Dance Festival, Rutgers University, New York University, University of the Arts, Sarah Lawrence College, Gibney Dance Center, and Mark Morris Dance Center. His work has been produced by Danspace Project, New York Live Arts, BRIC, ISSUE Project Room, LaMama, BAAD!, Movement Research at the Judson Church, and The Center for Performance Research. Lloyd received the 2021 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, two New York Dance and Performance Bessie Award nominations, the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts dance research fellowship, and was listed on Dance Magazine’s 2023 “25 to Watch” list. For more, head to jordandlloyd.com.
These artists were commissioned to create new works for the company’s debut season—each one amplifying ARENA’s mission to foster risk-taking, emotional storytelling, and artistic excellence.
Meet the Dancers: The ARENA DANCES Repertory Company is a powerhouse ensemble of Minnesota-based talent. Learn more about the dancers here.