Chicago Music and Dance International Sets Lineup for 2014 World Dance Day

Chicago Music and Dance International, Inc. has announced that more than 20 dance groups, including 13 different ethnic dance groups, will participate in this year's third annual 2014 World Dance Day. The event is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27, 2014, at the Auditorium at Northeastern Illinois University, 5500 N. St. Louis Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Tickets for 2014 World Dance Day are $20 for adults and $10 for seniors, children and students with identification and are available at the door or by calling 773-463-1619,

Headed by artistic director Altin Naska, 2014 World Dance Day is a celebration of movement, expression and culture that features professional dancers as well as elite dance students from some of Chicago's top dance organizations. From ballroom to Balkan, flamenco to foxtrot, hip-hop to the Hora, 2014 World Dance Day takes audiences on a world tour without having to board a plane or leave their seat. The event is held in honor of International World Dance Day, an annual occurrence which was introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute.

Performers for 2014 World Dance Day include Ensemble Espanol, Spanish Dance Theatre, Mexican Dance Ensemble, Mulhern Irish Dancers, Peruvian Folk Dance, Tatry Polish Folkloric Ensemble, Bulta (traditional Korean dance), Ellas (Greece), Bharatam (India), TACA (Turkey), Miorita (Romania), Arberia (Albania) and traditional African dance performed by Agatha's African Dance. Other performers include Chicago Dance Crash, Nomi Dance Company, Hip Hop ConnXion HQ, Joffrey Ballet's Exelon Strobel Step-Up Project, The Happiness Club, Brandon & Serena (ballroom), SPA Tap Dance Ensemble, State Street Dance and SPACE Conservatory.

About International Dance Day: Introduced in 1982 by the International Dance Committee of the UNESCO International Theatre Institute, International Dance Day is held every April 29th. The date was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre, born in 1727, a French dancer and ballet master and a great reformer of dance. International Dance Day was created to increase the awareness of the importance of dance among the general public as well as to persuade governments around the world to provide a proper place for dance in all systems of education.

About Chicago Music and Dance International: Chicago Music and Dance International is 501-(c)-3 organization that promotes the many ethnic dance and music traditions that are a vital part of Chicago's rich cultural tapestry. CMDI's mission is to foster understanding and awareness of world cultures through the re-creation and presentation of traditional ethnic dance and music.

CMDI actively cultivates and nurtures relationships between a variety of ethnic artistic groups to provide a platform for their artistic endeavors to reach beyond neighborhoods or ethnic boundaries. CMDI hopes to preserve age-old customs, educate wider audiences on these rich traditions while acknowledging the inherent beauty and dignity of all peoples.

The majority of the performers that participate in CMDI events are active in the wider arts community and/or in various ethnic communities in the Chicago area. Their involvement in the wider community is crucial to the many bridges built between CMDI and the arts and ethnic communities in our region and beyond.

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