Dance Theater Company's TALES FROM THE ARABIAN NIGHTS Comes to Westminster Arts Center

Four magical tales adapted from Scheherazade's thousand and one Arabian nights will be presented in a special holiday engagement of the award-winning Mosaic Dance Theater Company's production of Tales from The Arabian Nights. The program will be presented at Westminster Arts Center at Bloomfield College, 449 Franklin Street, Bloomfield, NJ 07003. Performances are scheduled for Saturday, December 3, 2016 at 3:00 PM and 8:00 PM and Sunday, December 4, 2016 at 3:00 PM, and are free to the general public. Advance reservations are recommended.

Retold and directed by Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, MDTC's Producing Artistic Director, with choreography by Samara Adell, the Company's Artistic Director for Dance, Tales from The Arabian Nights is presented in the Company's signature style of dance/story theater. The Fisherman and The Djinni tells of an unsuspecting fisherman who uncorks a brass bottle and releases a djinni bent on revenge. The Queen of The Serpents follows a young ne'er-do-well and the fatal chain of events which occur after his meeting with the title character. Ubar, The Lost City of Brass, a dark and unusual tale full of timely symbolism, poses as an eerie parable for our current times. The Ebony Horse is full of derring-do, with an heroic prince, a beautiful princess and a magical, mechanical, flying horse. The production features MDTC Company members Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, Samara Adell, Nina Brewton, Kendra Dushac, with Guest Dancers Heather Panikkar, Jazmin Nelson, and Allan McCormick.

Based in Glen Ridge, N.J., MDTC is dedicated to the dance and folkloric traditions of the Mediterranean region. The Company's original dance, theater, and educational programs celebrate the rich diversity of cultures of the lands of North Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Greece, Italy and Spain. The dances and music, the stories and myths, and the history and legends of this fascinating area form the wellspring of inspiration for MDTC's creative vision. Founded in 2003, this critically acclaimed company is known for its artistry and authenticity, not only in creating the original works that comprise its repertory, but also in faithfully researching their origins to ensure cultural integrity. Touring nationally to performing arts venues, universities, and educational facilities, the Company has been presented under the auspices of Lincoln Center's Meet The Artist Program, Young Audiences of New Jersey/Eastern Pennsylvania, Arts Horizons, and is on the roster of Arts-in-Education artists for Hartford Performs (Ct.) and Morris Arts (N.J.). MDTC is the recipient of the 2013 Sunshine Award for its contribution to the performing arts, recognized by NARAS (National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences) and the United Nations.

The program is presented free of charge, and reservations are strongly recommended. Reservations can be made online at www.BrownPaperTickets.com/event/2571556, or call 1-800-838-3006. For additional information, visit www.MosaicDanceTheaterCo.org.

This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.

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