New York City Dance Performance VOICES TRANSPOSED Addresses Refugee Crisis

VOICES TRANSPOSED: THE REFUGEE CRISIS, a benefit performance concert, is the collective response of 12 dance companies to the ongoing plight of displaced persons worldwide. Two nights of groundbreaking performances will raise awareness of the refugee humanitarian crisis, currently occurring in Syria and elsewhere, and raise charitable funds for USA for UNHCR and the Refugee Immigrant Fund (RIF).

The UNHCR was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. USA for UNHCR supports UNHCR - the UN Refugee Agency - and its partners to help refugees survive, recover and build a better future. All proceeds from the performance will go directly to USA for UNHCR. The Refugee Immigrant Fund (RIF) serves as an entry-point for refugees seeking asylum in NYC by offering legal and psychosocial support.

Voices Transposed's Executive Producer, Ho-Shia Aaron Thao, is a son of Hmong refugees who were displaced during the Vietnam War. "The images and stories of the Syrian refugee crisis resonates with the experiences of my parents and their generation of Vietnam War diaspora in America. As a dancer and musician, I fully believe that art is a universal language and has the ability to bring individuals of all backgrounds together."

Twelve dance companies, including Gallim Dance, Exit12 Dance Company, and Mook Dance Company, communicate stories of conflict and transcendence through the art of dance. Their collected efforts voice support for organizations that are directly impacting those lives of refugees who are escaping conflict and disaster, while bridging the gap that separates the experiences of refugees with those who are removed from the crisis.

Voices Transposed: The Refugee Crisis. Friday, June 10th at 7pm and Saturday, June 11th at 6pm at the Manhattan Movement and Arts Center. 248 W. 60th Street. New York, NY. 10023. Voicestransposed.org