Minneapolis, Minn. March 8, 2012 The Cowles Center for Dance and Performing Arts is pleased to work with Shapiro & Smith Dance as they present a variety of pieces April 6-8 in The Goodale Theater. The centerpiece of the program is Voices, in which company founder and artistic director Joanie Smith (City Pages 2010 Artist of the Year) has invited five former Shapiro & Smith dancers and guest artists to create dance phrases or encounters that will be woven into a physically delirious new work for the company, with live music by the Orange Mighty Trio.

The program at The Cowles Center will also feature a new solo for Ms. Smith, created by Smith and long-time collaborators composer Scott Killian and writer David Greenspan. Personal and humorous, the work will reflect on a career spent performing. Shapiro & Smith Dance will also reprise last seasons favorites, Pat A Cake, a laugh out loud duet Star Tribune. The highlight of repertory favorites will be Family Shapiro & Smith Dances first ensemble work from 1988 and Killians first composition for the company, marking 24 years of collaboration and over 20 original works.

Celebrate twenty-five years of brilliant dance with Shapiro & Smith Dance. Tickets are $24 plus handling fees and can be purchased by call 612.206.3600 or going online to www.thecowlescenter.org.

About Shapiro & Smith Dance

Founded in New York City in 1987, Shapiro & Smith Dance moved to Minneapolis in 1995 because of the vibrant arts community and Smiths acceptance of an endowed chair position in dance at the University of Minnesota. The company immediately established itself as an important national voice in the Twin Cities contemporary dance scene.

About The Cowles Center

The Cowles Center for Dance and the Performing Arts is the Twin Cities' newest arts center and the flagship for dance in Minnesota. Centrally located in downtown Minneapolis, The Cowles Center includes the newly refurbished 500-seat Goodale Theater; the 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 Centers distance learning program; and the new U.S. Bank Atrium. The Cowles Center fills the need for a place that is a catalyst for the creation, presentation, education, enjoyment and celebration of dance and the performing arts in the Twin Cities. www.thecowlescenter.org.

Shapiro & Smith Dance

Voices

Friday, April 6 8pm (Opening Night)

Saturday, April 7 8pm

Sunday, April 8 7pm

Single tickets - $24

Location: The Cowles Center for Dance & the Performing Arts

528 Hennepin Avenue South at 6th Street, Minneapolis

Tickets: The Cowles Center Box Office

612.206.3600

11:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Tuesday Friday and Saturday & Sunday two hours prior to performances Online anytime at www.thecowlescenter.org Group discounts are available

APRIL AT THE COWLES CENTER

Shapiro & Smith

Voices

Friday, April 6 8pm (Opening Night)

Saturday, April 7 8pm

Sunday, April 8 7pm

Single tickets - $24

James Sewell Ballet

Spring Season

Friday, April 13-14 & Friday, 20-21 8pm Sunday, April 15 & Sunday, 22 2pm Single tickets - $16-32 Saturday, April 21 11am Single Tickets $10 Minnesota Dance Theatre Carmina Burana Thursday, April 26-28 8pm Sunday, April 29 2pm Single tickets $20-32

Contact: Andrea Tonsfeldt

612.206.3631

atonsfeldt@thecowlescenter.org

images available upon request

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