Minneapolis, Oct. 19, 2015 – Current SAGE Award honoree for Outstanding Dance Performer, Shohei Iwahama is now entering his second season with James Sewell Ballet. This has been a banner year for Shohei— a year that brought accolades for his solo performance in Suspicious Fisherman (performed in JSB’s Ballet Works), new and exciting challenges in his work in Silk Roads and, in September, approval for a green card under the Extraordinary Ability category.

Originally from Japan, Shohei was raised by two professional musicians and grew up watching his sisters dance. Though his training didn’t begin seriously until his middle school years, Shohei began winning national recognition in Japan during high school and was encouraged to apply for government grants that would allow him to travel abroad. After studying at The Ailey School in New York City for a year, Shohei returned to Japan, but eventually made his way back to the States and to Sam Houston State University in Texas. After earning a BFA in Dance in 2012, Shohei began dancing professionally in Houston until encountering an opportunity to work with JSB.

Shohei’s dance journey, which started in Japan and has taken him to New York, Wyoming, Texas, and now Minnesota, has brought him to JSB, where the work has been “a blast”, “challenging”, and “memorable”. As signified by his recent recognition at the SAGE Awards, Shohei’s presence in the company and the Twin Cities dance community, though new, is already creating quite an impact. Shohei can be seen performing with James Sewell Ballet at The Cowles Center from October 23 – 25. Tickets are available by calling the Box Office at 612.206.3600 or visiting thecowlescenter.org.

About James Sewell Ballet

James Sewell Ballet was founded in New York City by James Sewell and Sally Rousse and brought to Minnesota in 1993. Combining their expertise, vision and chutzpah they envisioned a close-knit company of dance artists willing to both challenge their physical limits and expand their notions about ballet. Nearly two decades later, critically acclaimed JSB performances move and delight audiences across the country. The embodiment of the original vision is a professional company of nine dancers performing innovative work that explores the technical boundaries of ballet.

Based in the Twin Cities, James Sewell Ballet studios are located at The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts in Downtown Minneapolis. Annual spring and fall JSB performances are currently presented at The Goodale Theater in The Cowles Center. JSB's annual cutting edge "Ballet Works Project," featuring new works by emerging and established choreographers, is presented at the JSB TEK BOX on the second floor of The Cowles Center.

About The Cowles Center

The Cowles Center for Dance & The Performing Arts is the Twin Cities’ flagship for dance in Minnesota. Centrally located in downtown Minneapolis, The Cowles Center includes the refurbished 500-seat Goodale Theater; the former Hennepin Center for the Arts, home to 20 leading dance and performing arts organizations; the state-of-the-art Target Education Studio, housing The Cowles Center’s innovative distance learning program; the Illusion Theater; the James Sewell TEK Box; and the U.S. Bank Atrium. The Cowles Center is a catalyst for the creation, presentation, education, enjoyment and celebration of dance and the performing arts in the Twin Cities.

James Sewell Ballet

Fall Season // $20 - $36

The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

October 23 @ 8:00pm

October 24 @ 8:00pm

October 25 @ 2:00pm

Dana Munson

Marketing Director

The Cowles Center for Dance

& The Performing Arts

O: 612.206.3630

C: 612.363.0322

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