Mosaic Dance Theater Company:

Mission Statement:
Mosaic Dance Theater Company (MDTC), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public benefit organization based in Essex County, New Jersey, develops and presents original dance, theater, and educational programs celebrating the rich diversity of cultures and folkloric traditions of the Mediterranean, including the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, Greece, Italy and Spain. The dances and music, the stories and myths, and the history and legends of this fascinating area of the world form the wellspring of inspiration for MDTC’s creative vision.”

Founded in 2003 by Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, MDTC’s Producing Artistic Director, the company evolved out of the dance and theater productions originally developed by Ms. Varricchio for New York Performing Artist Company (NYPACo). Touring since 1992, NYPACo productions have been presented in schools, universities, and at such venues as Lincoln Center, the Brooklyn Museum, Paper Mill Playhouse, the Caramoor Center for Music and the Arts, the Nashville Institute for the Arts, and the NY International Fringe Festival. Samara Adell, MDTC’s Choreographer and Artistic Director for Dance, began her collaboration with Ms. Varricchio in 2000, and since MDTC’s inception, the company has premiered original full-length dance works which include: A Celebration of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Dance (2003), a dance travelogue through the countries of Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Greece, Turkey and Italy featuring diverse ethnic and interpretive dance pieces; Visions of the Near East (2005), a presentation of folkloric and contemporary oriental dance that included an Egyptian trance dance, the Khaleegi from Saudi Arabia, a Tunisian scarf dance, and a folk tale from Morocco; Dances of North Africa and The Middle East (2007), featuring ethnic dances from Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Turkey; The Fisherman and The Djinni and The King of the Ebony Isles, an original dance/story theater adaptation of two Arabian Nights’ tales adapted by Ms. Varricchio (2006), and Dances of Time and Tradition, (2008), which premiered a modern interpretive piece, and a dance of Ancient Egypt. MDTC was featured in the Guest Artist Series at 12 Miles West Theatre Company (NJ), and has appeared at venues, schools and universities in the New York metropolitan area and the Northeast, including the University of Rhode Island, Bloomfield College (NJ), and Reinhardt College (GA). The repertoire of programs for arts-in-education and family programming includes: Caravan to Cairo; Mediterranean Mosaic; Mediterranean Storybook; and Land of the Pharaohs, currently in development. MDTC is on the roster of arts-in-education touring artists for Young Audiences of New Jersey, and has received support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

MDTC is known for its artistry and authenticity, not only in creating the original works that comprise its repertoire, but also in faithfully researching their origins to ensure cultural integrity. In a world engulfed by popular culture, MDTC embraces the historical treasures of the past, the ways of tradition, and the sensibilities of the present in its goal to celebrate the remarkable varieties and similarities of the Mediterranean cultures.

Mosaic Dance Theater Company
Glen Ridge, New Jersey
(973)783-2395

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