BALAM Dance Theatre Adds Dancer Barbara Romero to Myths & Stars on November 15

BALAM Dance Theatre (BALAM) announces Barbara Romero will join the company in its debut of the new program Myths and Stars in Leonia, New Jersey. This marks the company's second performance in Bergen County in recent weeks. On October 18, BALAM's Romero and Carlos Fittante performed at the Bergen Performing Arts Center in the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera's production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

BALAM, a non-profit, professional dance theatre company, will premiere the new Out & About series program, Myths and Stars, with dance and song featuring Inma Heredia, the world's first Flamenco standup comedian. Romero will perform the rarely seen Spanish escuela bolero solo, La Cachucha. The performance will be presented at the Leonia Public Library in Leonia, New Jersey, located at 227 Fort Lee Road, on Sunday, November 15 from 2:00-3:00 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. The library is handicapped accessible. Parking is available in the back of the building, in the municipal lot located on Broad Avenue, and on the streets around the library. For further information, contact the Leonia Public Library at 201-592-5770.

The New York City-based company offers a new vision of contemporary dance by combining ballet, modern and diverse cultural dance styles from around the world and historic periods with Balinese theatre. This latest program from BALAM's community service Out & About series features the company's Artistic Director Carlos Fittante, Resident Guest Actor Inma Heredia, dancer Barbara Romero, and dancer Yumiko Niimi in her debut with the company.

The entertaining and diverse program features the charm of actor, comedian, and singer Inma Heredia performing excerpts from her acclaimed one-woman cabaret show, Divas de España. On the stage, Heredia will transform and become singer and actress Sara Montiel; singer, dancer and actress Lola Flores; and actress, comedian and flamenco guitarist Charo.

Two beloved myths will be represented through dance. The first, Rama and Sita, is an excerpt from the Hindu epic Ramayana, danced in a Balinese fusion style, with Fittante and Niimi. The second piece, Icarus, presents the Greek myth performed by artistic director Fittante in a Baroque contemporary dance movement style with three-foot hand carved Balinese wings. Romero will spotlight luminary Fanny Elssler, who originally performed the balletic solo La Cachucha in 1836, to round out the unique program. The family friendly show will include an audience participation segment.

About BALAM Dance Theatre

Founded as a contemporary dance company in 1979 by choreographer and movement researcher Islene Pinder, BALAM Dance Theatre (BALAM) joins diverse dances and historical periods from around the world with the dazzling opulence and magical aura of Balinese theatre. A New York City-based chamber company, BALAM creates an entertainment experience that appeals to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. The company's innovative artistry and movement fusion of athletic and detailed skills are enhanced by eclectic music, striking masks, vibrant costumes and fantasy stories.

Programs include customized choreographies, lectures, demonstrations, master classes and workshops that educate the community at the grassroots level. BALAM has been featured at numerous festivals and venues, including First Night New York, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, and Downtown Dance Festival and appeared throughout the United States and internationally. Praise has been received from the New York Times and Village Voice, the Governor and people of Bali and the Indonesian Consulate of New York, as well as others.

For further information, call 646-361-9183 or visit BALAM Dance Theatre on its blog, www.balamdancetheatre.blogspot.com, and follow the company on Facebook, www.facebook.com/balamdancetheatre, and Pinterest at http://www.pinterest.com/BALAMDance/. Check for updates on Twitter @BALAMDance https://twitter.com/BALAMDance and view the company's work at https://www.youtube.com/user/BalamDance.