Vox Medusa
Featuring original choreography, music composition, videography, songs, and more, Heartbeat’s professional multi-media dance company, Vox Medusa, directed/founded by Heartbeat’s Artistic Director, Kristin Freya, is an esteemed company in the Twin Cities area, winning the MN Fringe Festival’s Audience Choice Award two years in a row with their productions of Labyrinth (2014) and Casting Shadows (2015). Vox Medusa’s productions of Rune (2016) and Medusa (2017) played before sold-out MN Fringe Festival audiences. In addition to performing in several theaters around the Twin Cities, Vox Medusa engaged audiences overseas with performances in London (Leed’s Castle and Sadler’s Wells Theatre, 2007) and Barcelona (St. Andreu Teatre, 2008). Members of Vox Medusa are professional dancers and instructors at Heartbeat. By invitation only, participants in Heartbeat’s senior academy program may be placed in Vox Medusa at which time all rehearsals and performances for this company must take priority over all other activities and the selected academy dancers must also be enrollment in Heartbeat’s advance level modern class.
Beat Squad and Sweethearts
Heartbeat’s high-energy hip hop/break dance performance groups, Beat Squad and Sweethearts, are busy year-round, performing at major college athletic games (U of MN), high school basketball games, and at public and private corporate events such as Delta Airline’s annual MLK celebration. These dance crews have become fan favorites, exhilarating full-stadium audiences. Auditions for Beat Squad (ages 8-18) and Sweethearts (ages 5-10) are held during Heartbeat’s summer session for students in the intermediate to advance levels of hip hop and break dance. This gives students ample time to demonstrate their improving technical skill, dedication, attendance, respect for the performing arts and focus. Placement in either the Beat Squad or Sweethearts requires the monthly unlimited class pass fee plus enrollment in at least one other core class such as ballet, hip hop, break dance, jazz, leaps and turns, or modern. Crew members are also required to attend all rehearsals and performances.
Heart & Soul Choir
Under the direction of Emily Colay, Heartbeat’s elite choir, Heart & Soul, performs collegiate-level material around the Twin Cities in special events such as galas and benefits, in Heartbeat’s musical theater productions, and in the choir program’s winter and spring concerts. In the summer of 2016, Heart & Soul conducted a performance tour in Chicago. In addition to popular and seasonal music, Heart & Soul is noted for their challenging world music, from chants to folk songs in several languages. Placement in this choir is by audition with Ms. Colay. Members of Heart & Soul must attend all rehearsals and performances and also enroll in the junior or teen choir class.
Junior and Senior Level Dance and Acting Companies
Dance students must audition to be placed in our advance level dance classes which double as performance groups. The major audition period is during our summer session, giving students ample time to demonstrate their improving technical skill, dedication, attendance, respect for the performing arts and focus.
In both junior and senior levels, the list of dance companies includes: Ballet, jazz, modern, hip hop, break dance and tap. Heartbeat’s junior and senior acting companies follow the same summer audition period. Both dance and acting companies are featured performers in all of Heartbeat’s musical theater productions and in various events throughout the year. Membership in one of these companies requires enrollment in at least one other core class such as ballet, hip hop, break dance, jazz, tap, leaps & turns or modern. Company members are also required to attend all rehearsals and performances.