Center Stage Company Presents DANCE FEST: XY, 3/18

Centenary Stage Company launches the 2017 Dance Festival with the premiere of XY Dance Project on Saturday, March 18 at 8pm in the Lackland Performing Arts Center.

Under the artistic leadership of Nijawwon Matthews and managing director Lea Antolini - Lid, XY Dance Project is dedicated to changing lives by generating clear and deliberate connections between artists and audiences. By crafting thought provoking work, the XY Dance Project engages audiences to question and think about their own view on human experience through the lens of others. They are committed to presenting works that reflect on current social issues through a unique style of movement that blends contemporary dance through the spiritual rhythms of African dance, the grace and peace of Tai Chi and the heart of street dance. Their vision is believing in creating an inviting environment that highlights the versatility of each dancer by breaking gender stereotypes through performances and by fusing male and female qualities artistically, physically, emotionally as well as spiritually.

Nijawwon Matthews, artistic director of XY Dance Project is a resident teacher/choreographer for The Joffrey Ballet School based in New York City, as well as a resident teacher at Broadway Dance Center in NYC. Matthews is also a faculty member and dancer for TOKYOTHECOMPANY under the direction of Kevin "Tokyo" Inouye & Alisha Lorraine Captain. As a dance educator and choreographer, Matthews has travelled nationally and internationally to instruct master classes for a host of academic schools, dance studios, and professional companies, as well as, institutions in the British Virgin Islands, Germany, South Africa, China and Taiwan. Managing Director, Lea Antolini - Lidis an Assistant Professor of Theater/Dance at Centenary University where she curates the annual Centenary Stage Company Dance Festival. For CSC, Antolini-Lid is also the founder and director of the Young Audience Series and the Conservatory of Dance. In addition to her numerous on stage credits through NJ and NYC, Antolini - Lid has taught dance a Kunmig University in China with Nai Ni Chen Dance Company. Other collaborations include work with Artistic Directors Lynn Needle, Maureen Glennon and she is a current member of Blessed Unrest Theater, NYC.

Matthews will also be hosting a special workshop on March 18 from 10 - 11:30am. The workshop is open to all experience levels and is FREE with purchase of a ticket to the XY Dance Project concert that evening. Regular admission, without the purchase of a ticket to the evening's event, is $15.00.

Tickets for the XY Dance Project are $20.00 for adults and $15.00 for children under the age of 12 in advance and per performance. As with all concerts, jazz and special events ticket prices increase $5.00 on the day of the event. Centenary Stage Company is also offering a Dance Fest Flex Pass for $37.50 and grants entry to any three Dance Fest Events. Centenary Stage Company's 2017 Dance Fest continues on March 26 at 4pm with Moe-tion Dance Theater.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit centenarystageco.org or call the Centenary Stage Company box office at (908) 979-0900. The box office is open Monday- Friday from 1pm- 5pm, and opens two hours prior to every performance. The CSC box office is located in the Lackland Center, 715 Grand Avenue Hackettstown, NJ. Centenary Stage Company can also be found on social media platforms Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The 2016- 17 season of performing art events at the Centenary Stage Company is made possible through the generous support of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, the NJ Sate Council on the Arts, the Shubert Foundation, the Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, the Sandra Kupperman Foundation, and CSC corporate sponsors. These include Premier Season Sponsor Heath Village Retirement Community, Silver Sponsor Hackettstown Reginal Medical center, Home Instead Senior Care (Washington), The Holiday Inn in Budd Lake, Fulton Bank of New Jersey, as well as Centenary Stage Company members and supporters.