Welcome to Universal Dance Destiny website!
Universal Dance Destiny (UDD) is a premier Dance Performance Company and School based in Minnesota available for national and international bookings and tours. We are dedicated to serving our clients and advancing the art of dancing through our proven experience in this field. Here at Universal Dance Destiny, we offer many services from teaching you how to dance in many of today's styles, to event entertainment, theatrical exhibits, choreography, and back up dancers for your music video, concert, or tour. Today UDD has grown in popularity and has expanded into five divisions offering services for every entertainment and educational need. more...
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African Roads, American Streets
An energetic, heart-felt production filled with powerful movements. Be captivated by a strong mix of theater, street, and cultural performers unraveling a true story through spoken word, hip hop, live drumming and African dance.
"There's lots of kinetic joy and cultural pride in this family-friendly piece"
-Camille Lefevre, Star Tribune
"Many of the dancers in this large multicultural cast are still teenagers but they move with worldly intensity, rubber-band flexibility, and infectious joy."
-Quinton Skinner, City Pages
"Absolutely exhilarating" and "Incredibly uplifting and highly recommended for all ages."
-Lydia Howell, Pulse of the Twin Cities
Click here to see samples of our "African Roads, American Streets" show
Click here to download "African Roads, American Streets" Technical Rider
News & Upcoming Events
We are expanding for 2009!
Students in our performance company or part of our teen group, "Enfinity Dancers" will have the opportunity to rehearse for upcoming perfomances free of charge! This allows of of UDD company members to practice their dance pieces before a performance. Call us today to inquire about auditioning!
We are still taking registrations for our Fall/Winter classes!! Don't wait for the classes to fill up. Sign up today with our safe and secure PayPal link on our "Lessons" page! All students from elementary to high school will receive the Social West African class for half price. We will be in Studio 5B due to renovations in the building. See you all in class:)!
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Drop-in Policy:
Please be aware that we do allow drop-ins for all of our classes but strongly encourage pre-registrations! We are still accepting enrollments for our Fall/Winter classes (September 1st to February 1st). We accept all major credit/debit card securely via PayPal. You are also welcomed to mail in your tuition in a week before starting any of our classes. Our mailing address is on our "Contact us" page of our site. We will notify you of any schedule changes or closings when necessary.
Our two most popular Educational Presentations
1-"Connection of West African Dance into Modern American Hip hop" and
2-"History of Hip Hop" (new)
These two educational programs can be presented as a workshop, performance, or residency. In the first presentation, the audience will learn about traditional West African dances and it's influences and connections to modern day Hip Hop of America. Traditional songs, dance, and drums signifies the authentic historical component used to represent the cultural aspect of the presentation. "Breaks" in the drumming is compared to the first "Break" in the music that set off the Break dance movement. The second presentation concentrates on the Hip Hop era from the beginning to where it has become today. Using Spoken word, Beat-boxing, and Rapping to tie in all the elements, this presentation help audiences see Hip Hop as a true dance form. Performers focus on stripping away the negative stereotype that are sometimes associated with the culture . Both presentations allow audience participation and Q & A (question and answer) in the end.
View info on our upcoming events »
Recent Testimonial
"Edna and her troupe were fantastic and I would enthusiastically recommend them for any gathering of people who are twelve, and up to eighty-five. One aspect that I really liked about Edna and her team was that they listened to me. She put together a show that was educational, had a great combination of break dancing, beat boxing and popping, and had some breathtaking moves. She combined having her team perform stunning moves, with demonstrations with the kids. She even provided a historical context, which many of us found highly interesting."
Our 5th Annual Holiday Showcase and Fundraiser was a huge success this past Sunday, December 13th. This year the showcase sold out completely even with the added seating located at the newly renovated historic Capri Theater; 2027 West Broadway in Minneapolis. Huge thanks to all those involved that made this event a UDD Movement in the Community! See you next year!
Our 5th Annual Holiday Showcase was a great success, completely selling out! Seats were added to accommodate those standing in the back of the theater. This year, the showcase featured dance teams, groups, crews and company's from a local elementary school, four high schools, and other areas in the metro Twin Cities. The list of participants included Cooper H.S. Step Team, Hopkins H.S. "Deeply Royal" Dance Team, Champlin Park H.S. Step and Dance Team, Coon Rapids H. S. Cardinals Step and Dance Team, ASEAP Steppers from Alice Elementary/North H.S., Obtuse, and Complicity Dance Crews. Eugene Edwards, a Cooper High graduate, sang his heart out as J-Real and Tommy gave the audience a slice of their rap lyrics from their collection. Two Spoken Word pieces by Brittany Delaney added the extra spice to the night as she captivated the audience with her beauty and talent. The goal of UDD Annual Holiday Showcases has always been to inspire the youth and upcoming performing artist. It gives them hope while paving the way to more performing arts opportunities. Along with UDD African Coupe' Dancers led by UDD artistic director Edna Stevens, the showcase featured two other professional dance company's. Included were VOC "Voice of Culture" traditional West African drummers and dancers led by Kenna Sarge, and "Keane Sense of Rhythm Youth Tap Ensemble"; "T3 Crew" tappers (dance students from the University of Minnesota) both led by artistic director Ellen Keane.
Cooper H.S. Step Team has participated in the UDD Holiday Showcases every single year enabling new and seasoned steppers to get a shine in the spotlight. A special thanks to Ms. Pennwhite for a fabulous job heading the team for many years. In the past, the Holiday showcase featured dance teams/groups from North H.S., Jefferson H.S., Got Edge Dance Studio (Ferfus Falls), Plymonth Christian Youth Center/PYC H.S. students, PYC after-school kids, and a lyrical dancer from SPCPA.
Click on the link below in the far right to view the flyer. Much thanks to Saience Graphics for the great artistic work. http://www.saience.com
Click here to check out the video clips from our recent performance of "African Roads, American Streets" at Michigan Tech's African Student Organization African Celebration.
View info on our past events »
We hope that you enjoy our website, and please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.