‘Linked by Tradition,’ celebrating culture through dance

CALDWELL, NJ — Mosaic Dance Theater Company, in association with Mount St. Dominic Academy, presents a weekend celebration of dance from India, Spain and the Near East. The weekend schedule of events includes a community dance workshop on Saturday, March 21, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. and a theatrical concert on Sunday, March 22, at 3 p.m., with a post-show question-and-answer session with the artists. The programs will be presented at the Doris M. Byrne Performing Arts Center at Mount St. Dominic Academy, 3 Ryerson Ave., Caldwell. All events are free. Reservations for the performance, and registration for the workshops are strongly recommended, and can be made online at http://www.BrownPaperTickets.com/event/4498542, or call 1-800-838-3006. For additional information, visit www.MosaicDanceTheaterCo.org.

Dancers and non-dancers alike are encouraged to attend the 90-minute community workshop on March 21, where they will learn the very basics of Middle Eastern, flamenco and Indian dance, in three back-to-back mini-classes taught by three master dancers/teachers: Samara Adell, MDTC’s artistic director for dance, and world-renowned protege of the late master Ibrahim Farrah will teach Middle Eastern dance; Antonia Messina of Maplewood, international performer and founder of Viva FlamencoNJ heads the flamenco class; and Rimli Roy, founder of Jersey City’s Surati for Performing Arts and Indian dance visionary, conducts the class in Indian dance. A shorter, gentler workshop will be offered for seniors and persons with disabilities from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.

“Linked by Tradition,” the performance on March 22, features these three distinct yet related dance traditions in a theatrical concert. MDTC will present dances from Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Greece. Performing for MDTC are Adell, Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, Nina Brewton, Kaitlin Hines-Vargas and Danielle Hartman. The flamenco portion will include live guitar music and song, passionate dance, colorful costumes and audience participation for this fabulous gypsy art form from Southern Spain. Joining Messina are flamenco guitarist Ivan Max, dancer and singer Aurora Reyes, and dancer Krystina Cardenas. Roy and dancer Ashwin Kumar of Surati for Performing Arts will perform ancient Indian classical dance and a combination of traditional classical, folk and contemporary inspired creative dance choreographies.

  Mosaic Dance Theater Company, Mount Saint Dominic Academy