Stories are among our most potent tools. We need to unearth old stories that live in a place and begin to create new ones. We are story makers, not just story tellers. All stories are connected, new ones woven from threads of the old. (Paraphrased – Robin Wall Kimmerer)

Join ARENA DANCES every Thursday lunch break for new podcasts, hosted by Artistic Director Mathew Janczewski. This series will share the histories of notable Twin Cities dance artists and the evolution of the industry’s landscape through time. Each week will feature a new guest of honor, sharing their story and impact on this gem of an arts town.

This week’s special guest: Annika Hansen and Abigail Whitmore
A part of the CANDY BOX Dance Festival Special Series

Abigail Whitmore (she/her) and Annika Hansen (they/them, she/her) are dance artists and partners invested in collaborative efforts, performative events, and dance as embodied research. Both graduates of the University of Minnesota Dance Program, they draw inspiration from somatic practices, improvisation, post-modern, and contemporary dance forms.

Next episode airs on this page on June 29th
Studio Stories with Berit Ahlgren
Join us the next few weeks for a SPECIAL MINI SERIES featuring the artists of this year’s CANDY BOX Dance Festival! Podcasts will air Tuesdays & Thursdays during this series.

To listen to previous episodes, click here!

More about today’s special guest –

Abigail Whitmore (she/her) and Annika Hansen (they/them, she/her) are dance artists and partners invested in collaborative efforts, performative events, and dance as embodied research. Both graduates of the University of Minnesota Dance Program, they draw inspiration from somatic practices, improvisation, post-modern, and contemporary dance forms.

In their work together, they have partnered with Glam Doll Donuts with the support of a UROP grant (You’re Invited, 2016), the Casket Arts Building (Casket Dances, 2018), and the Walker Art Center (SculpTour, 2018/2019) to produce public dance events and experiment with audience engagement. Most recently, they were collaborating artists on a piece (To and From:) for the Red Eye Theater’s Works in Progress 2019 program. This year they are also planning another SculpTour event in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. 

Photo Credit: Isabel Fajardo

Missed last week’s episode? You can find all our previous interviews by clicking here!