Mosaic Dances in NJ: Celebrating 15 Years of Mediterranean Magic

To celebrate its 15th anniversary, Mosaic Dance Theater Company (MDTC), in association with Mount St. Dominic Academy, presents two performances of original dance works from the repertory, highlighting the diverse dance styles and folklore of the Mediterranean countries of North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. The program will be presented at the Doris M. Byrne Performing Arts Center at Mount St. Dominic Academy, 3 Ryerson Ave., Caldwell, NJ 07006. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, December 1, 2018 at 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and are free to the general public. Join the artists after the show for a Q&A. The program is presented free of charge, and reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations can be made online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com/event/3575684 or call 1-800-838-3006. For additional information, visit www.MosaicDanceTheaterCo.org/eventdetail.html

In the 15 years since MDTC’s inaugural performance in 2003, Artistic Director for Dance and Choreographer, Samara Adell, has created an expansive dance repertory featuring the distinct folkloric traditions found throughout the Near East. This anniversary concert offers the audience a variety of these individual dance styles: karsilama (Turkey), dabke (Lebanon), khaleegi (Saudi Arabia), Nubian (Southern Egypt/Sudan), and raks sharki (Egypt). In addition, the program includes:

· “Raks al-Sai’idi,” a joyous folkloric dance of Upper Egypt, and one of MDTC’s signature dance works, featuring the traditionally used props: sagat (finger cymbals), assaya (cane), and balas (water jug);

· “Enheduanna” an excerpt from Fo(u)r Women, created and directed by Ms. Adell and singer/songwriter Gary Kupper, a theatrical multi-media work celebrating the life of this first non-anonymous author of the ancient Mesopotamian civilization of Sumer;

· “La Lettera d’Isabella,” an original scenario for the commedia dell’arte, created and directed by Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, portrayed through movement and dance to an underscore of traditional Italian folk music.

Performing in the concert are Mosaic Company dancers Samara Adell, Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, Nina Brewton, Kendra Dushac McCarthy, and guest dancers Heather Panikkar, Carlos Fittante, Michael Feigenbaum, Danielle Hartman, and Kaitlin Hines.