Can you hear your heartbeat? Vietnamese American choreographer debuts film on finding stillness

The Twin Cities art scene this weekend invites you to listen as dancers improvise their way through self-discovery, visual artists capture Somali Minnesotan experiences through portrait photography, and a playwright brings the stories of South Asian domestic abuse survivors to the stage.

Dance film explores identity through quiet movement

Art Shelf will screen “Re: Synthesis,” a short dance film by graduating University of Minnesota senior and choreographer Vy Nguyen . The film tackles themes of post-collegiate self-discovery and the exploration of personal and collective identities through improvisational dance.

Nguyen began dancing at age 4, after immigrating to the United States from Vietnam.

“My parents were kind of looking at things for me to get involved in, and things to help me better connect with other people,” Nguyen said. “I was having a hard time with English being my second language and also being a shy kid with a lot of anxiety.”

Though she started with the rigid structure of competitive dance in her early years, Nguyen’s artistic expression evolved during her time at the U. Dance transformed from a series of steps and routines into a language for navigating her Vietnamese-American identity.

“My choreography always starts with a question or imagery for me,” she said. “I try to conjure up dreams I’ve had in the past or deep internal feelings that I could make into something tangible.”

Inspired by the concept of “quietness” explored in Kevin Everod Quashie’s book “The Sovereignty of Quiet,” the film encourages introspection in a world filled with noise.

“How can you get yourself to a point where you can hear your heartbeat and your blood flow?” Nguyen said.

But quiet doesn’t mean stagnant. Alongside dancers Isaiah Langowski , Hina Sasaki , and Claire Wilcox , Nguyen shaped group meditations into expressive and improvised dance sequences. The dancers’ movements explore the nuances of intersectional identities and how they relate to the natural world.

Biomimicry, the imitation of nature in design, also influenced the film’s creation. Nguyen and videographer Olivia Smith studied repetitive patterns in nature, such as swirling water or flocking birds, which informed the dancers’ movements. “You kind of start to realize that nothing is ever really still,” Nguyen said.

“Slowing down and making space to hear the things you need to hear about yourself in a world that’s just so noisy is crucial, especially for an artist of color,” she said.

Date: Sunday, April 28.

Time: 5 p.m.

Location: Art Shelf, 1415 W. 35th St., Minneapolis

Cost: Free

For more information: Visit instagram.com/p/C56SkspRh-y/?img_index=2

Somali artists celebrate healing, community

The Soomaal House of Art is hosting “Art as Liberation: A Journey Towards Collective Healing,” a series of three exhibits featuring seven Somali artists.

Documentary photographer Tariq Tarey’s “Dunta Taxan ” exhibit uses black-and-white photographs to explore the intersection of culture, commerce, and community through the lens of Somali entrepreneurship.

“Start-Us One,” a collaborative effort by Abdurahman Ali, Aesha Mohamed , Khadija Charif , and Yasmin Yassin , examines the experiences of Somali Minnesotans through portrait photography.

“Xididnimo” features a series of paintings by Mohamed Hersi and Ifrah Mansour’s “The Healing Aqual” hut, an installation inspired by traditional Somali weaving techniques.

The Soomaal House of Art will host an artist talk featuring Hersi and Mansour at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 27. The exhibition concludes with an open mic night at the closing reception at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 4.

Date: Saturday, April 27 to Saturday, May 4

Time: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday

Location: Soomaal House of Art, 2200 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis

Cost: Free

For more information: Visit soomaalhouse.com .

Play gives voice to domestic abuse survivors

Pangea World Theater, in collaboration with SEWA-AIFW , a Twin Cities-based nonprofit promoting family wellness within the South Asian community, is presenting “I’m Enough” a play by Meena Natarajan .

Directed by Dipankar Mukherjee , “I’m Enough” explores themes of gender-based and domestic violence through the narratives of South Asian diaspora members. The production celebrates the strength of survivors and aims to spark community discussion on healing.

Following the performance, a panel discussion will offer insight from the actors, playwright, director and SEWA-AIFW’s team.

Date: Saturday, April 27.

Time: 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Location: Park Square Theater, 408 St. Peter St., St. Paul

Cost: Free

For more information: Visit sewa-aifw.org .

Correction: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect address for Art Shelf.

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