Best bets: Indigenous film, a mixtape, music and dance

Apr. 21—'The Body Remembers' opens indigenous film series

"The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open" is the story of two indigenous women whose worlds intersect on a sidewalk — one pregnant, bleeding and on the run, the other fresh from a doctor's appointment. The women end up spending an emotionally significant amount of time together in the Canadian film directed by Elle-Maija Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn and written by the latter.

Variety called it a "textbook case of the kind of movies that have been largely missing from the cinematic landscape, combating frivolous escapism with social relevance."

The Duluth Superior Film Festival and American Indian Community Housing Organization are joining together for a free monthly indigenous film series. Warning: This one has themes of domestic violence, though it doesn't show physical violence.

"The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open" will be available for virtual presentation at 6:30 p.m. via Zinema 2. April 21 and include, as an opener, artist Jonathan Thunder's short film "Maamawi." Khayman Goodsky will host a post-screening discussion with Thunder and the director of the Dabinoo'igan Emergency Domestic Violence Shelter.

Mix(tape) it up

Two new mixtapes, 6.0 and 7.0 in an ongoing series produced by DanSan Creatives, will be featured in a livestream album release at 5 p.m. April 25. The artists include Kwe Perry, Michael Barnes and Lamarquita Leach, Laythen Joseph, DaShiya Jackson, Mariah Roper, Elliot Alves and Serrano Robinson and, according to a news release, were built up from a prompt to reflect on a personal experience — ranging from human rights marches, to COVID-19, to the way poetry can mean freedom. Go to dansancreatives.org.

On pointe, on stage

The Minnesota Ballet is going to perform on a real-live stage in front of an audience (a masked audience in a room well-cleaned, well-spaced and at 50% capacity, but an audience nonetheless.)

"Dancing Through" is a collection of classical and contemporary works, including excerpts from "Sleeping Beauty," choreographed by artistic director Karl von Rabenau and Marius Petipa, in addition to pieces by Thom Dancy and Ashley McQueen, Petr Zharadincek, Isaac Sharratt and Nicole Teague.

There will also be a virtual option, which will include exclusive works by Paul Taylor.

The Minnesota Ballet's production of "Dancing Through" is at 7 p.m. April 24 and 5 p.m. April 25 on the Family Stage at the Depot. Tickets are $30. The ballet's production of "Billy's Dancing Dairy Farm" is at 1 p.m. April 25 at the Family Theatre. Tickets are $20. Go to minnesotaballet.org.

Sounds of the North

"Sounds Like Home" is a two-day virtual festival — it runs April 24-25 on YouTube and The Current's Facebook page — featuring artists from Greater Minnesota like JayGee, The Slamming Doors, and Rich Mattson and the Northstars. JayGee is a hop-hop artist who released "Can't Blame It" in 2020; The Slamming Doors are a rock band fronted by Adam Herman; and Rich Mattson and Germaine Gemberling are Northern Minnesota rock 'n' roll royalty. This is free. April 24: Noon, JayGee; 12:30 p.m. The Ultrasounds; 1 p.m. Jessica Vines; 1:30 p.m. Guytano; 2 p.m. Corey Medina & Brothers. Saturday: noon, Fires of Denmark; 12:30 p.m.: Jae Havoc; 1 p.m. The Slamming Doors; 1:30 p.m. Good Night Gold Dust; 2 p.m. Rich Mattson and the Northstars.

Students launch 'Spectacular'

The College of St. Scholastica's "Spring Student Spectacular" is a virtual variety show featuring five sketches, seven song parodies, two commercials and one three-part "Day in the Life of Zoom." Students wrote, directed and acted in the performances that take inspiration from the "24 Hour Plays." The production will be available from 12 a.m. April 22 until 11:55 p.m. April 25. Tickets are $5 at spotlight.css.edu, and patrons will be sent a code to watch the production.

Cupcakes and Cosmos

Zenith City Horror, a group that is described as the home of Duluth's premiere Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow cast, is offering its first staged production since the world shut down.

"Ms. Cupcake's Out of This World Cosmo Night" is a collection of drag, burlesque and dancing at 10 p.m. April 24 at The Main Club.

Tickets are $5 for general admission and $10 for preferred seating, which is in groups of either two or four.