Experience jazz and American social dance and music – and enhance learning in music, physical education, art and history – through a performance from Rhythmically Speaking (RS)!
RS is a Twin Cities-based 501(c)3 nonprofit dance organization with a mission to spark vibrancy and connectedness through jazz and American social dance ideas. Using the rhythm that is at our shared human core to groove together, the vision of our work – since our founding in 2008 – has been cultivating vibrant, embodied human connection in the Twin Cities and beyond. Our creative work emphasizes the concepts of groove, interaction and improvisation – key among jazz and American social dance forms including hip-hop styles and tap – and is inspired by both social and concert dance movement and driven by classic and contemporary jazz music alike.
We | VALUE |:
– Access: Everyone can groove to a beat, and should have opportunities to do so with others
– Inclusiveness: Grooving together socially builds community
– Diversity: We are committed to engaging people in the ongoing conversation around redefining jazz and American social dance styles, and in this unity in difference, which makes for vibrant art and relationships
– Equity: We prioritize rooted innovation in jazz that centers and celebrates its African diasporic roots, and position this in relationship to equity-building measures
– Resourcefulness: Improvising with the tools at hand
– Playfulness: Not just for kids!
– Joy: An important human emotion we feel is far too underrated in capital A Art
Touted by Dance Magazine as “revitalizing jazz dance in the Twin Cities area,” we are the only organization in Minnesota and one of few in the nation dedicated to creating, presenting and conducting outreach work inspired by jazz and other American social dance ideas including tap, hip-hop styles, and many others. We produce two evening-length productions per year, one in the Winter featuring the work of Artistic and Executive Director Erinn Liebhard – who is also a COMPAS Teaching Artist – and the other in the Summer, which offers a presenting platform to local and visiting choreographers creating jazz and American social dance-inspired works for the stage and the screen. We also conduct quite a bit of education and performance-based outreach work with K-12, older adult, professional dance and general learners, and are excited to be working with COMPAS to further our reach in enriching lives through dance!
Program Offerings
Performances
Groove On! Jazz Dance with Rhythmically Speaking
This interactive performance welcomes folks to learn about how jazz music and dance sprung from the meeting of African and European movement and music styles to create uniquely American approaches to dance. Led by members of Twin Cities-based jazz dance company Rhythmically Speaking, this show centers around three pillars of jazz – groove, interaction and improvisation – and provides the opportunity to learn about jazz dance and music while watching and moving with professional dancers.
Experience Jazz Dance with Rhythmically Speaking
This offering is a professional concert dance performance by Twin Cities-based jazz dance company Rhythmically Speaking, featuring favorite company repertoire works that show a breadth of what jazz dance can be. As jazz dance is a spirited form rooted in social dance ideas familiar to many, this performance is an excellent opportunity to expose people to concert dance – or dance as art – in a way that feels joyful and accessible.
“I thought the material was both entertaining and challenging – clearly the work of master choreographers and dancers at a level both critics in the field and entry level novices to dance could enjoy.”
Keith Koehlmoos, 2025 Summer show audience member and Director of Bands at Prior Lake High School
“Just wanted to thank the Centennial Library, the MN Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund and especially Rhythmically Speaking for the great event yesterday. It was so fun, they were so energetic and enthusiastic, and I learned so much about jazz and jazz dancing. What really stuck with me was when they said ‘the medium for the art of jazz dance is people!’ The dancing interaction was delightful. Thanks so much!”
– Program Attendee, February 2024 program for Centennial Library in Circle Pines MN
