Von Ussar Danceworks Hosts 8th Annual DANCE GALLERY FESTIVAL This Weekend

VON USSAR danceworks presents the 8th Annual The Dance Gallery Festival, featuring original works from emerging and renowned choreographers from around the country in three performance programs this weekend, October 24, 25, and 26, 2014 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W. 55th Street, NYC (at Ninth Avenue). The Dance Gallery will perform tonight, October 24 at 7:30pm and Sunday, October 26 at 3pm. The Dance Gallery UP Close will perform on Saturday, October 25 at 7:30pm. Level UP will perform on Sunday, October 26 at 7pm.

Tickets are $20 (general admission for Dance Gallery and Dance Gallery UP Close) and are available at www.smarttix.com or by phone at 212-868-4444. Tickets for Level UP are $25, wich includes pre-performance wine reception at 6pm. For discounted tickets to multiple shows, email Astrid von Ussar, info@vonussardanceworks.org.

The Dance Gallery Festival is the platform to present works by both national and international up and coming choreographers. Works presented are generally works with larger casts that push the boundaries of modern and contemporary dance. In response to the high volume of solo, duet and trio submissions that the Dance Gallery Festival receives every year, The Dance Gallery UP Close was created last year to showcase works with smaller casts. And as part of the Dance Gallery Festival's continued mission to find up-and-coming choreographic talent at the national level, the festival continues to present Level UP, whichserves as a performance showcase for three talented dance companies/choreographers that are ready to advance to the next level in the development and promotion of their work. Each company receives 25 minutes of performance time at the prestigious Ailey Citigroup Theater and a small stipend.

The Dance Gallery Festival:

• Abarukas
• Alessandra Giambelli
• Dante Brown
• JordanDanielsDance
• Mettin Movement
• Mike Esperanza
• Mojca Ussar
• NobleMotion Dance
• Omar Roman
• Robert J. Priore

The Dance Gallery UP Close:

• Adriane Fang and Colleen Thomas
• Amy Diane Morrow
• Angela Palladini and Steven Trumon Gray
• DAMANGEDANCE
• Ellenore Scott/ELSCO Dance
• Erin Cardinal
• Francesca Harper Project
• FLUSSO dance
• Jacksonville Dance Theatre
• NatalieInMotion
• NobleMotionDance
• Oliva Contemporary Dance Project
• Tiffany Rea-Fisher

This year's Level UP performance on Sunday, October 26 at 7pm will include 2014 Princess Grace Award recipient Gabrielle Lamb, Manuel Vignoulle, Joshua Peugh/Dark Circles Contemporary Dance. In 2013 Dance Gallery Festival implemented the AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD. The audience selects one choreographer they would like to see in the Level UP program in the next year.

For the fifth consecutive year, Dance Gallery Festival will also perform in Texas at Sam Houston State University on October 17 and October 18 at 8pm.

Choreographers and companies featured in the Texas festival include:

• Abarukas
• Adriane Fang and Colleen Thomas
• Amy Diane Morrow
• Astrid von Ussar
• Dark Circles Contemporary Dance
• Erin Cardinal
• Jacksonville Dance Theatre
• Mike Esperanza
• NobleMotion Dance
• Revolve Dance Company
• Robert J. Priore

The Dance Gallery Festival is produced and curated by VON USSAR danceworks under the artistic direction of Astrid von Ussar. In 2011, Andy Noble became Associate Artistic Director of The Dance Gallery Festival. Founded to address the scarcity of affordable venues available for presentation of modern dance, the festival showcases the works of both established and emerging choreographers in a state of the art theater. For more information, visit: www.dancegalleryfestival.com.