Alabama Dance Festival to Take Place at Wright Center, 1/20 - 1/31

The 2012 Alabama Dance Festival will feature two high-powered dance companies whose work fuses cultures and continents. It will take place at Samford University's Wright Center and run from January 20 - 31, 2011.

On January 27, Miami-based Brazz Dance Theater will present two performances featuring their mix of Afro-Brazilian and contemporary choreography. Director Augusto Soledad has united dancers Caribbean, Brazilian and North American dancers for the culturally diverse repertory.

Choreographer Ronald K. Brown brings Evidence, A Dance Company, on January 28. The Brooklyn, N.Y., company integrates traditional African and contemporary dance with spoken worD. Brown's work has been set on companies such as Alvin Ailey, Dayton Contemporary and Philadanco.

The 15-year-old festival, which regularly attracts hundreds of dancers to several Birmingham venues, features dance classes, teacher workshops, professional and pre-professional master classes, school residency programs by the featured companies, a showcase of Alabama dance companies and a free "Dance Across Birmingham" event for dancers of all ages. Festival dates are Jan. 20-31. Online registration begins Sept. 6 for master classes, and Nov. 1 for Dance Across Birmingham.

For further information, visit: www.alabamadancecouncil.org, call 602-3599 or e-mail info@alabamadancecouncil.org. For Brazz and Evidence tickets, see www.samford.edu/wrightcenter or call 726-2853.