The only professional dance company where the audience is invited to be part of the show!
Mission
DanceCo is a professional performance company creating original, interactive dance narratives for young people ages 3-103!
DanceCo is a sponsored project of Springboard for the Arts, a non-profit arts service organization.
Values
01.
Dance is a Visceral Experience
DanceCo uses interactivity in performances to connect the audience to their own movement potential.
02.
Dance Tells Stories That are Compelling for all Ages
DanceCo uses narration and storytelling to foster imagination and fun.
03.
professional dancers thrive when engaged with all ages
DanceCo artists enjoy connecting with audiences in real-time. Each performance is unique because the performance is an active experience.
04.
dance Is For all backgrounds, ABILITIES, and ages
Everyone dances and youth with or without disabilities can experience movement. It is never too late to enjoy moving.
Reviews and Testimonials
It’s a totally kid-friendly presentation with enough cleverness and humor to keep good-natured adults involved. These days, “charming” can be a code word for painfully twee, but here it fits. The performers are having a fun time, and it’s infectious. — NAT CASE, Pioneer Press
I knew about the mashup of fairy tales, and that kids would enjoy it, but I didn't realize we'd get great fun for all the adults, the beauty of classical ballet thrown and a super-engaging show!…See it if you can. — Audience Member
Fantastic! Great balance of skilled dancers/musicians and homegrown feel...history + storytelling Minneapolis needs this! — Audience Member
Loved the audience interaction! Great props! The time of the show is perfect for naps! — Audience Member
Best performance I've seen in years! — Audience Member
Loved the music! Amazed by the talent of the dancers! Love the encouragement of audience/child participation. — Audience Member
Photos by Stan Waldhauser
History
DanceCo was unveiled in the summer of 2016 at the Minnesota Fringe Festival with a re-staging of the production of Wolf Tales. Directors Matthew Keefe and Brittany Keefe shared the stage as dancers and divided the duties as co-directors -- Matthew directing the choreography, Brittany designing sets and costumes, as well as sharing the administrative responsibilities. The production sold out three out of five shows, with an overall attendance of 87% and a five-star rating at the Fringe.
DanceCo produced Expectation Station with live music by the Roe Family Singers the following year. Thus launching DanceCo as a regular producer of interactive dance narrative experiences for audiences of all ages. In 2018, DanceCo returned to the stage with Which Witch is Witch? and in 2019, Expectation Station returned and toured to Marshall, MN.
DanceCo remained dormant throughout the pandemic but returned in the summer of 2023 with a free touring show. Wolf Tales will be reimagined with a new cast use this freemium model in the summer of 2024.