Queensboro Dance Festival Presents New York Debut Of Inner Mongolian Performing Arts Troupe 0Today

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Queensboro Dance Festival presents New York debut of Inner Mongolian Performing Arts Troupe Sept 13 at Hunter's Point Park, Long Island City

August 28, 2018, Long Island City, Queens-In a special 5th season, the Queensboro Dance Festival returns to the Hunter's Point Park waterfront with free performances by an array of Queens dance companies Thursday and Friday, September 13-14, 5:00 PM, with a special international guest performance on opening night by the Inner Mongolian Performing Arts Troupe. This is the troupe's first visit to New York City. Their performance will include Mongolian long tone and of khoomei (Mongolian throat singing), masters of the traditional horse-head fiddle, and dance forms that represent their culture of the grasslands. The Queensboro Dance Festival also offers a VIP preshow reception each night along the waterfront starting at 4:00 PM, with open bar, raffle prizes, and refreshments featuring LIC businesses. VIP tickets are $25 via Eventbrite ($30 at the door) and includes reception, exclusive seating area, prizes, and gift bag.

Hunter's Point Parks Performances: free

VIP Open Bar+Prizes direct ticket link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dance-performances-vip-open-bar-at-hunters-point-park-ft-impat-tickets-46551336300

Festival schedule and info: www.queensborodancefestival.com

"In the spirit of representing dance in the World's Borough, we are so honored to welcome the Inner Mongolian Performing Arts Troupe to Queens, especially as their first visit to New York," says Karesia Batan, festival director. "It will truly be a special performance to show Queens audiences a rare glimpse into Inner Mongolian arts and culture, alongside our wonderful Queens company premieres!"

Scheduled Companies: September 13

Rastro Dance Company (from Long Island City)

Flamenco Latino (from Jackson Heights)

The Rogue Dancers (from Briarwood)

Q&A Productions (Woodside)

Gotham Dance Theater (Sunnyside)

Dana Mazurowski (Astoria)

Inner Mongolian Performing Arts Troupe (international guest, Inner Mongolia)

September 14

Sector Dance (Astoria)

Dugal Dance Projects (Woodside)

SUNPROJECT (Astoria)

Sheep Meadow Dance Theater (LIC)

Spaces of Fontana (Astoria)

The Kingdom Dance Company (Rosedale)

Tango for All (Astoria)

Nicole Kadar & Dancers, a movement company (Astoria)

The 2018 Queensboro Dance Festival has been touring 26 Queens companies across the borough's theaters, parks, libraries, plazas, and streets since May. Their run at Hunter's Point Park marks their return to their home neighborhood of Long Island City. The festival's season will culminate in October at Queens Theatre.

About guest company Inner Mongolian Performing Arts Troupe:

Celebrating the Inner Mongolian culture of the grasslands, dancers and musicians bring their evocative and energetic performing arts to the stage. The performances include amazing vocal presentations of Mongolian long tone and of khoomei (Mongolian throat singing). The instrumental ensemble includes masters of the traditional horse-head fiddle. The dancers show the colorful and athletic dance forms and traditions that developed in the grasslands.

The Inner Mongolia Performing Arts Troupe is a selected touring ensemble of top performers-singers, dancers and instrumental musicians-from China's Inner Mongolia Bureau of National Art Troupes, which is the only comprehensive artistic institution directly supported by the government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Since 2014, the Bureau has integrated nine performing art troupes representing the broad range of regional artistry in Inner Mongolia and is a fully state-supported non-profit cultural institution. Today's performers are the beneficiaries of a long history and a profound cultural heritage. Well-known artists who preserve and expand the Mongolian traditions in music and dance are supported and encouraged, and young artists are given an opportunity for creativity and development. These groups of artists have won more than 200 international and domestic awards for their performances. The singers, dancers and instrumental musicians coming to North America in 2018 have been selected to represent the richness and beauty of the artistic traditions of grassland culture.

Now in its 5th season, the Queensboro Dance Festival's mission is to strengthen the dance community in Queens and garner a greater appreciation for Queens dance. QDF 2018 features 26 dance companies of all cultures and styles, representing 11 Queens neighborhoods and boasting a season of 15 Queens dance premieres and 6 world premieres. QDF tours Queens theaters, parks, libraries, plazas, and streets from May to October, bringing vibrant dance performances and audience engagement activities to neighborhoods across the borough. The festival also offers dance career support by offering free master classes, teaching opportunities, artist meet-ups, and access to free rehearsal space. QDF strives to represent a slice of Queens dance, and make dance programming more accessible especially in underinvested Queens communities. Programming at Hunter's Point Parks is presented in partnership with the Hunter's Point Parks Conservancy and COFFEED. For more information about the Queensboro Dance Festival, visit www.queensborodancefestival.com.

***