dancEnlight to Present EMPTY SPACE 2016

DancEnlight, a professional not for profit modern dance company, is proud to present the 2016 world premiere of Empty Space in the Hartford, Connecticut area. Artistic Director Lorelei Chang and her dancers explore the potential of emptiness.

Saturday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m., Sunday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m.

University of Saint Joseph

Hoffman Auditorium in the Bruyette Athenaeum

1678 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT

Ticket Information: General Admission: Adult $25; Seniors and Students $15. Tickets are available online usj.secure.force.com/ticket; by phone 860.231.5555; by email, tickets@usj.edu and at the door.

Visit wtnh.com/2016/03/09/dancenlight-performs-empty-space to see coverage of the production on WTNH News Channel 8, New Haven, CT which aired March 9, 2016.

Empty space - a potter's vessel, an unfurnished room, a barren stage ... All are seemingly still, without meaning, anticipating a life of intention. In time, the vessel may hold water, the room become furnished and the stage embrace an ever-changing outpouring of artistic fantasies. Empty space can be as vast as the sky or clearly limited by its surroundings. Artistic Director Lorelei Chang and her dancers view emptiness, itself, as a vessel for both invention and practicality, and they invite you to join them on their creative exploration of an empty stage as they demonstrate its limitless potential.

For the first time, each piece of the show is choreographed by a dancEnlight professional dancer as well as a section by Lorelei. Each composition explores a way the word "Empty" can be described in movement. Original music for Lorelei's composition is performed by Jason Smeltzer on a Theremin, the only instrument which is not physically touched to be played. Dancers and choreographers are Leanne Baldwin, Lindsay Castonguay Hany, Shelley Collock, Tessa Grunwald, Meghan McDermott, Christine Perry, Hannah Welsh and Haley Zdebski.

In another first for dancEnlight, its pre-professional company members will perform dancEnlight repertoire during the show.

A reception to meet the dancers will occur after the Sunday matinee.

"Empty Space" has been made possible in part through the sponsorship of the Hoffman Auto Group.

dancEnlight is a professional 501(c)(3) modern dance company that is currently in residence at Connecticut Concert Ballet; it performs in the U.S. and Japan under the direction of Lorelei Chang. dancEnlight is dedicated to fostering the arts through excellence in dance, education and artistic collaboration. Lorelei draws her inspiration from her Asian background and creates cross-cultural works in a tapestry of Eastern and Western culture. dancEnlight strives to enrich the community, enlighten audiences of all ages, and inspire cultural development, both locally and globally.

Lorelei Chang's choreography has been presented at the Beijing International Dance Festival in China, American Dance Festival, International Dance Festival in Hong Kong, and Dance Festival in India, International Arts & Ideas in New Haven, 5x5 Dance Festival in Hartford, Rebound Dance Festival in New Haven, Reverb Dance Echoes Tour in Boston, and many other venues including Tokyo, Japan. Lorelei was honored to perform with her twin sister, Mai Nakanishi for the Grand Imperial Charity Banquet hosted by Indonesia's former president's wife in Tokyo on Oct 1st, 2011. Lorelei most recently performed with her sister Mai at the Metropolis Museum in Auckland, New Zealand in February, 2016.

For more information on dancEnlight, please visit www.dancenlight.org or call 860-558-6146.

For more information on modern dance classes with Lorelei Chang please visit www.ctconcertballet.org or call 860-643-4796.

For more information on the work of the Chang Sisters, visit www.facebook.com/ChangSisters.