The staff at Northrop joins with our colleagues in the Minnesota arts community and the broader universe of dance to grieve the passing of TU Dance Founder and Artistic Director Toni Pierce-Sands. As an organization and as individuals, we at Northrop had a longstanding relationship with Toni, in her capacities as an artist, an artistic director, a community partner, a Northrop advisory board member, and as a friend. Her joyful spirit and incredible impact on the dance community will be deeply missed.
Kristen Brogdon, Northrop’s director of artistic and community programs, reflected on Toni’s dedication to dance and dance education, and Northrop’s most recent work with Toni in October 2025.
“When I met Toni, shortly after moving to Minnesota to join the Northrop staff in 2019, the first story she shared was about dancing Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker with Minnesota Dance Theatre on the Northrop stage. During our first meeting, Toni embraced me both literally and figuratively as a member of the Twin Cities dance community. Our first cups of coffee and tea turned into an annual session of pre-season dreaming and planning, leading into numerous projects over the past six seasons.
During the time that I knew her, Toni and her colleagues at TU Dance created CULTIVATE as a mode of transition for dancers between their studies and their professional careers. CULTIVATE and the school at TU Dance have hosted Northrop artists and Toni gave her heart to ensuring the residencies, community classes, career talks, and performances for CULTIVATE dancers were enriching and impactful experiences for all. She has shaped generations of dancers.
A few years ago, in one of our annual dreaming sessions, Toni mentioned that she would like to celebrate TU Dance’s 20th Anniversary (in part) by hosting an “EVIDENCE Takeover” at TU Dance. Over time, that dream evolved into an October 2025 EVIDENCE residency co-hosted by Northrop and TU Dance, including rehearsals and teaching at the TU Dance studios, a recorded Performance Preview with Toni, in-school K–12 community engagement, and time at Northrop that culminated in a school matinee and an evening performance where TU Dance performed with EVIDENCE on our stage.
I will be forever grateful that Toni was able to be instrumental in making her dream a reality, take a bow on the Northrop stage, and be honored at our ENCORE gala. I’m also grateful to Arcell Cabuag of EVIDENCE who convinced Toni to join him onstage during the student matinee, reminding her, “Those students need to see you, Toni.” The last time I saw Toni, we were watching Arcell and Ron Brown teach class to UMN Dance students at the Barker Center. Both of us were beaming—basking in the energy of joy and connection and enjoying one more afternoon spent in the presence of Ron and Arcell, alongside Laurel Keen of TU Dance. I’m glad for the memory of the glow on Toni’s face, the stretch of her body when she joined the students at the closing of the class, and for one last embrace afterward. I miss you, Toni. Dance on.”
All of us at Northrop will miss Toni greatly and are so thankful for her presence in our lives and on our stages.
