The past few months have been a time for reflection, in the wake of COVID-19 and the murder of George Floyd here in our community. The classical arts have long been complicit in the oppression of people of color and are ripe for change.
The Art of Change is a virtual panel discussion with classical artists of color who will share their lived experiences and calls to action for arts communities. This conversation will invite us to consider the ways that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) artists have been excluded and silenced, and what actions we as organizations, teachers, students, artists, and administrators can take to make the classical arts more equitable, diverse, and reflective of our community.
Virtual via YouTube
Panel Artists
Jayson Douglas is a black queer ballet dancer who moved to the Twin Cities 2 years ago and has most recently danced with James Sewell Ballet (JSB). He now currently freelances throughout the Twin Cities and the country; he is also a Teaching Artist for Ballet Co. Laboratory and a few other local centers for dance education.
Gabrielle Glass is a versatile and accomplished violist that holds degrees from the Cleveland Institute of Music and Rice University. She has played with Atlanta Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, The Orchestra Now, New Haven Symphony and Albany Symphony.
Emilia Mettenbrink is an African American violinist native to the twin cities. She is a member of the Minnesota Opera Orchestra and serves as the Principal Second violin of the Sphinx Virtuosi, a professional string ensemble of African American and Latinx performers working to increase diversity and provide first rate representation of POC within classical music.
Darrius Morton is an operatic tenor based in Minneapolis, MN. Morton, a student of Russell Thomas, was most recently engaged as Rodolfo in La Bohème. Darrius has worked with the Minnesota Opera.
Rachel Seeholzer, born and raised in Los Angeles, California, is a mixed race professional ballerina who has danced with ballet companies in Virginia, Washington DC, North Carolina, and California and will be joining Ballet Co. Laboratory in the fall of 2020. Rachel is a founding member of the recently created Digital Dance Project to help employ dancers and choreographers during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is excited to start her journey in the Twin Cities to continue representing women of color in ballet.
Christian Warner, a Houston-native, is a multidisciplinary performing artist with a career that spans over musical theatre, concert dance, and film. He most recently completed his third year as a company member and choreographer with TU Dance as well as a choreographic residency at James Madison University. Christian is a Teaching Artist and Guest Artist with Ballet Co.Laboratory.
Panel Moderator
Dee Baskin (she/her or they/them) is a Black and queer communicator, educator, and advocate living in South Minneapolis. Dee is committed to creating space for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging--especially within nonprofit and arts communities--and does this work as a Ballet Co.Laboratory Board Member, a Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Grant Review Panelist, and a Nonprofit Technology Network (NTEN) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee Member. Dee will moderate the panel discussion.