Alanna brings sixteen Minneapolis years of teaching experience in variety of settings—dance schools, church ministries, street festivals, public schools, community centers, youth shelters, non profit organizations, corporations, community arts programs, colleges and universities—providing world-class, wholistic dance education that is culturally rich, intellectually inquisitive, and spiritually sensitive for children, youth, and adults.
Youth Dance Education
A trauma-informed youth dance specialist, Alanna utilizes the creative arts, imagination and play as a springboard to provide experiences for children that facilitate learning.
Youth Residency and Workshop Offerings
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Through interdisciplinary arts activities and structured improvisation, we build movement skills–balance, coordination, flexibility and strength—and vocabulary, while exploring our 5 senses and imaginations. Students gain mastery in critical problem-solving through a methodology built on the Elements of Dance. All the while joyfully connecting with others through playful curiosity. When provided with live drumming, classes integrate music education and music-making.
Note: this workshop can also be offered as a residency with live drum accompaniment. -
This series takes participants through a range of structured improvisation and creative exercises that combine language, movement, voice and writing to build creative agency and community. Students will be led through a methodology grounded in mindful practice and pleasure to become more observant of their mind-states, cultural histories and the function of the creative arts in their lives.
Note: this residency can be offered as a workshop as well. Preferred class size limit is 12 participants.
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Art takes inspiration from the natural world in this environmental learning-centered environment. Students are asked to dive into deep listening, observation, reflection and critical thinking skills through a series that explores what grows in their backyard! Through dance technique and guided improvisation, we utilize the Elements of Dance to cultivate balance, coordination, flexibility and strength as they grow confidence in embodying nature’s wisdom. This series is a perfect compliment to environmental science studies.
Note: this residency requires outdoor access and can be offered as a workshop as well.
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Highlighting the contributions Black people have made to the development of popular dance in the United States–known as American social dance, is the theme of this series. Dancing through American history embodies the cultural influences of interdisciplinary art-making and learning. This series ends in a culminating performance where students showcase the embodied wisdom of the originators of some of our most beloved social dances. From the ring shout to the jitterbug to break dance to the Cha cha slide, this series brings people together in celebration of the spirit of innovation that unites us all.
Note: this residency is recommended to be offered over multiple weeks.
Dance Technique for Pre-Professional Students
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A deep and sensual exploration of classical technique. Students are grounded in the history of ballet and distinctions between various “schools” (Ceccheti, French, Vaganova). Classical technique is approached through the frame of functional movement. Students practice healthy alignment of the bones through energetic direction. The body is conditioned to support the mechanics of ballet vocabulary so the dancer can access the grace, precision, and theatricality ballet is known for while growing their musical ear. Gain joyful, honest expression, and a love of the art form through mastery of ballet technique!
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An introduction to modern and contemporary dance forms via foundation is functional movement and somatics. This class is grounded in vocabulary and philosophy from classical American modern dance techniques—Graham, Limón, Taylor and Horton. Students achieve self awareness through physical and emotional space and learn how to approach the body through ritual. This class will help you strengthen muscles, support joint mobility, help you find breath support, enhance your coordination, and encourage embodied learning.
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This class introduces you to West African culture through foundations of rhythmic melody and rhythmic harmony. Classes are carried by the rich tradition of the djembe orchestra, transporting knowledge from the Malinké / Manding societies. The body awakens, acquiring the fundamentals of weight shift, timing, and groove as you practice dances that accompany rites of passage, work and worship in a joyful community of friends!
To bring a nourishing, creative experience to the youth in your community, fill out the form below and a staff member will contact you!
Birthday Parties and Events for Children
Alanna offers custom-designed, learning-centered creative arts experiences for children.
Video courtesy of the Newby and Pierce families
Give your little ones an experience they will never forget and memories your family will cherish forever!
Dance Classes and Movement Practice for Adults and Community Organizations
Breath and Boogie
“Breath and Boogie” is a dance class / movement practice centers the divinity of the human expression and honours the movement traditions of African Diaspora. "Breath and Boogie" is my offering to you. It is YOUR practice and healing space.
This class begins in meditation, guided by the use of the breath, incorporating mantra to ritualize Self actualization. We continue via a flowing and dynamic warm up and culminate in contemporary phrase work that frees the body and spirit. We end with guided stretches.
This is a queer-friendly, community-oriented space.
ALL bodies, ages and movement experiences are welcome and encouraged.
2 hours. (1.5 hour practice / 30 min discussion)
Contemporary Dance Technique for Intermediate/Advanced and Professional Dancers
Alanna’s take on contemporary dance forms is designed to build community and encourage confidence in a dancer’s creative expression. Expect citations from African diasporic movement, music and philosophy–specifically Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Cuba, and the Malinke signatures of West Africa. Also citations from Classical Ballet (Cecchetti), American Modern Dance techniques (Graham and Limón), Yoga, Somatics, and Postural Restoration®.
Note: this residency can be offered as a workshop as well.
Performance Studies for Advanced and Professional Contemporary Dancers
Paired with a choreographic residency, this workshop extrapolates from Alanna’s praxis and methodology, Black Light Research, and further reinforces the themes, values and movement explorations that are influencing the choreography she is developing with your artists. This process invites artists to build mastery by analyzing their relationship to our bodies and observing the mind’s habits. Artists work from the inside-out to uncover the birthings of emotions and place emotional recall within a performative context.
This is ritual performance, performance studies, and ritual theater.
Note: this workshop is suitable for a dancer of any style who has obtained proficiency in at least one dance style or technique. It is best offered as a series.
To access the Black Light Research Portal, click on the button below and enter the password: BLRS2023
Dance Classes On-Demand
Recording #1: Celebrate our Interdependence!
A 30-minute dance workshop you can do at home with your family, presented by the Walker Art Center’s Free First Saturdays program on July 4, 2020
Alanna takes a different approach to the idea of “independence” and instead centers “interdependence” using the Bantu concept of UBUNTU.
Includes dance and song
Suitable for ages 5-10 years old!
Creative Movement with Alanna at
The Walker Art Center’s Free First Saturdays, Feb 4, 2023
Photos by Carina Lofgren
Have you worked with Alanna as an educator recently?
Please do us a favor and send her your feedback! Thank you!
“I feel like I’ve become more confident while dancing after this process and have more understanding of the dance and the meaning.”
“Wingspan serves adults with developmental disabilities and our 7-week dance residency with Alanna was one of our enrichment highlights of the year. Alanna brought amazing enthusiasm and energy to the group and was joyful, respectful and inclusive. Despite a wide range of mental and physical challenges, including clients who are blind or deaf or have cerebral palsy. etc., she engaged with each and got them involved to the extent of their ability. The staff participated and had just as much fun as the clients and every night felt like a celebration.
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“I’ve really appreciated the care and intentionality of your teaching, and your class was especially instrumental to me in getting through a stressful term! As a gender non-conforming individual and someone who’s had difficulty feeling at home in my own body, being able to discover and explore new forms of movement in such a supportive space was incredibly joyful and rewarding.”
“I really appreciate the way you’ve helped me grow as a person in terms of tuning my spiritual and physical aspects of daily life.”
““Thank you for teaching me how to let go and dance. At first, I didn’t like your class but you helped me to enjoy dance and I thank you for that.” ”
“Alanna’s Breath and Boogie Series was an incredibly generous and introspective experience for me. During the pandemic time, the circle of people gathered together through movements and intentional sharing, was a blessing to my needs to understand Mni Sota Makoce, my new home. There, in the spaces Alanna created, it felt safe to be moved, to open up and be vulnerable, to be a child, to receive and to offer. Healing was resonated with and still is part of the courageous continuation of exploring, I’m grateful.
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““Alanna Morris-Van Tassel brings world class dancing ability—and a global sensibility—to every classroom she visits. She’s great at directing the energy of either individual kids or a rambunctious group into productive learning and deepened curriculum connections.”
-Daniel Gabriel, former Arts Program Director, COMPAS”
““Alanna has the “it” factor when it comes to teaching and working with youth. Her passion for dance is evidenced when you see her interact with the young people taking her classes. Somehow she is able to take their fear, and through movement, turn it into fearlessness. Alanna not only teaches movement, but life skills.”
-Kristy Pierce,
Cultural Specialist, Battle Creek Middle School”
““Miss Alanna holds a pivotal role in my son’s life. He was diagnosed with blindness in his left eye when he was three years-old and has been through various therapies to help him move through and explore the world. Despite regaining the vision in his eye, he continues to struggle with balance, coordination and stamina and lacks depth perception and peripheral vision. Amazingly, after only one semester of dance with Miss Alanna, he has increased his bodily awareness and is one of the first students to explore three dimensional space. His occupational therapist noticed his advancement during his annual evaluation and she was extremely impressed with his ability to balance and move his body smoothly. The only thing that had changed in his life was the addition of dance and Miss Alanna’s unique teaching style. She is constantly pushing the kids to explore the physical space with their bodies in interesting and creative ways. She has definitely given my son the confidence and motivation he needs to explore his world. I am so thankful to have her in our lives and look forward to the progress my son will make this year.”
-Parent, TU Dance Center”
““Alanna builds community when teaching her dance classes. Everyone is welcome and included, no matter your age, level of experience, shape, size, whatever ! Her enthusiasm and energy is very infectious.”
-Adult student, African-based Movement, Saint Paul Community Education”
““I have always been thrilled by the way Alanna teaches children dance using abundant creativity and commitment to her work. She connects with children of all ages cognitively, socially and emotionally meeting them where they are at that time in their lives. Alanna challenges them to imagine, create and learn stretching them to succeed. I’m excited by the energy and joy she brings into the classroom as well as ability to plan lessons that are creative and challenging. She is a masterful teacher!””
“I believe that by tapping into individual learning strengths, children will develop confidence in their own voice and gifts and the competence to share those gifts with the world.”
