This is my first Minnesota winter, and it’s very exciting to see how much everyone embraces the cold! And I was completely charmed to see this existing as a real thing – not some fevered too-much-cold-weather dream: a snowblower ballet.

Their slogan: The Drudgery of snow removal becomes performance art. Because it’s Minnesota.

“The beauty of falling snow has inspired artists ranging from poet Robert Frost to painter Pieter Bruegel.

But what about the aesthetic value in getting rid of the stuff?

Plowing, shoveling and blowing snow is a winter nuisance for those of us in the North.  We’re aiming to create a new perspective on that chilly chore with a joyful, fun and uniquely Minnesotan public art performance.

Imagine a snow-covered space on the banks of the Mississippi River with a view of the downtown St. Paul skyline. A live orchestra begins to play ballet music, punctuated by the sound of engines being started.

The dancers move onto the venue, pushing snowblowers in precise formations, pivoting and wheeling, describing symmetrical patterns in the snow, the white powder being thrown into the air in coordinated arcs. Shovelers join in by pitching the snow in time with the music.”

And if they can make shoveling snow look this exciting – just think what we can do in libraries to celebrate the necessary (and fun!) work that we do every day!!

Anyone out there up for celebrating our wonderfulness through song, dance, or other creative art? Tell us about it, and let’s see what we can make happen!