MCA presents 2013 Summer Dance Intensive Showcase

The Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts will present the Summer Dance Intensive showcase at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at the Valéncia Arts Center Academy Theatre, 1164 West 10th St.

The showcase, which is free and open to the public, features works that the students participating in the Summer Dance Intensive have learned in their two-week dance camp.

A variety of dance forms will be presented, including classical and contemporary ballet, jazz, musical theatre dance, and modern dance. The works were choreographed by MCA guest artists Dustyn Martincich, Allan Kinzie, Jen TeBeest and Tammy Schmidt.

In addition to learning showcase pieces, students have been participating in comprehensive dance training including technique and theory classes throughout the two-week process. Class studies have included ballet, pointe, variations, pas de deux, repertory, jazz, hip hop, rhythm tap, modern, musical theatre dance, piyo, choreography and improvisation.

The students are from Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota and Iowa; the range in age from 12 to 18 and were selected for the program by audition.

Conservatory fall semester registration now open

The new fall semester 2013 brochure for the Minnesota Conservatory for the Arts is now available. The MCA offers programming in dance, music, visual art and theatre year-round. Classes, lessons, workshops and camps are offered for youth (beginning at age 3) through adults at the Valéncia Arts Center, located at 1164 West 10th St.

Registrations are now being accepted. Some of the offerings include:

• New art division classes including “Architecture for Kids” and “Drawing 101.”
• Dance programming in ballet, pointe, modern, jazz, hip-hop and tap with new course divisions.
• Private music lessons with talented teaching artists.
• New partner workshops with the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and Great River Shakespeare Festival.
• Advanced training for those serious about dance with an additional ballet V/VI/VII class.
• New adult wellness classes including folk music workshops, “Intro to Guitar,” “Self Portrait Workshop,” and “Belly Dancing for Beginners.”

Class days, times and tuition vary. Financial, need-based scholarships are available. For a brochure and a complete listing, visit www.mnconservatoryforthearts.org, e-mail mca@smumn.edu, “like” them on Facebook or call 453-5500.  Interested students may register online, by mail, or in person at MCA’s Valéncia Arts Center.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Public invited to play in Tom Farren Memorial Golf Classic

The public is invited to play in the fifth annual Tom Farren Memorial Golf Classic Sunday, July 21. The deadline to register has passed.

This outing honors former SMU golf coach Tom Farren and is a fundraiser for the men’s and women’s golf teams. For more information, contact Ryan Egan, SMU men’s and women’s golf coach at regan@smumn.edu or Ext. 6918.

Countdown to College to welcome 92 students

Cohorts 3 and 4 of Countdown to College

Countdown to College students will continue to be on campus through Aug. 3. The first two weeks (July 6-19), SMU welcomed cohorts 3 and 4 on campus (21 incoming high school seniors and 23 incoming juniors). This summer will mark the first C2C graduation ceremony today, July 19. Parents of the seniors are invited to join the celebration.

On July 20, C2C will welcome a new cohort of  25 freshmen, and on July 21, 23 returning sophomores will join them. These two cohorts will study on campus through Aug. 3.

This two-week program for students from under-resourced communities is offered each summer for four years, beginning just after they complete eighth grade and continuing until their senior year — helping to assure each student is prepared for a successful college experience.

The camp is free to student participants from San Miguel and Nativity middle schools and Cristo Rey and Lasallian high schools, their parents (who come the first weekend) and teachers from their schools, who co-teach with SMU instructors, and help prepare SMU instructors on how to effectively work with this growing population of students.

This is one portion of the First-Generation Initiative, which helps students prepare for and succeed at college.

Shives Road cleanup July 20

The SMU community is invited to participate in phase 2 of the Shives Creek cleanup Saturday, July 20, from 9 am to noon. The cleanup is sponsored by Saint Mary's GeoSpatial Services, the Will Dilg Chapter of the Izaak Walton League, and NorthPoint Supply. This is the second phase of a community cleanup started last fall. NorthPoint Supply is providing trash bags, safety vests, and gloves.

For more information, contact Mike Komp at Ext. 8728 or mrkomp09@smumn.edu or Barry Drazkowski at Ext. 6925 or bdrazkow@smumn.edu.

Ice cream social raises $224

The SMU Volunteer Committee announced that Thursday’s root beer float fundraiser raised $224.50 for our Nairobi students.

Thank you to everyone for attending, for the Office of Admissions for hosting and to Chartwells for supplying the ice cream.

NASM reaccredits Saint Mary’s

The National Association of Schools of Music Commission on Accreditation, at its June 2013 meetings, voted to continue SMU in good standing. The next NASM accreditation visit will be in 2020-2021. In addition to all of SMU’s curricular programs receiving approval, the Minnesota Conservatory of the Arts achieved approval for listing as well. Congratulations to everyone who was involved with this reaccreditation process.

SMU ‘In the News’

Here are just at few ways Saint Mary’s is making the news this summer:

• Minnesota Public Radio featured Saint Mary’s University for its classroom flipping and how this format has helped a student with a learning disability. The second portion of this report is pending. To read it, go to: http://bit.ly/12YyPaP.

• Brother William was interviewed by the Winona Post. To see the article, go to: http://bit.ly/15PyqIU.

• Brother William was interviewed on Winona Radio. To listen, go to: bit.ly/18qyOBt and click on the bottom link.

• Brother Robert Smith was interviewed on WCCO radio.  The 15-minute segment aired on Thursday, June 20. WCCO host Roshini Rajkumar will schedule a “back to school” segment with Brother Robert in August. To listen, go to: http://cbsloc.al/12LlSln.

• The Hendrickson Forum will be re-broadcast on TV. Keynote speaker Ian Bremmer’s presentation on global uncertainty from the April event will air on TPT this Sunday, July 21, at 7 p.m.  Bremmer’s speech will rebroadcast Sunday, July 28, at 1 a.m., 7 a.m., and 1 p.m.

• Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota congratulated alumnus and president and CEO of the Chicago Blackhawks John McDonough, class of 1975, on his team’s victory in the 2013 Stanley Cup Championship in a special video salute that aired during the rebroadcast of the Stanley Cup Series this past week on Comcast SportsNet. To watch, go to http://bit.ly/17ohVmp.

• The Chicago Tribune published a story about the Blackhawks’ McDonough, in which he mentions his time at Saint Mary’s. To read, go to http://trib.in/151IID6.

• Mike and Joette Gostomski were interviewed by the Winona Daily News prior to receiving their Heritage Award during the Red Carpet Centennial Gala. To read the article, go to: http://bit.ly/1452Tjd.

• The Winona Post highlighted the Centennial Gala in its June 26 edition in an editorial titled, “Saint Mary’s puts the ‘Gee!’ into Gala. Go to: http://bit.ly/1bsJoIn.

• The Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools printed highlights and photos from the  Red Carpet Centennial Gala and All-School Reunion online at LaSalle.org. Check it out at: http://bit.ly/112qrXa.

‘Campus Notes’ to continue August 2

The faculty/staff newsletter will come out periodically throughout the summer to update the SMU community on all the news and events that occur on campus June through August. The next edition will be Aug. 2.