Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Presents CONTRA-TIEMPO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Jessica Petrie
651-282-3113
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Presents CONTRA-TIEMPO
Urban Latin dance company to perform newest piece,
Full Still Hungry, in one-night-only special event
ST. PAUL, Minn. (Jan. 5, 2015) The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts announced today that it will present urban Latin dance company CONTRA-TIEMPO for a one-night-only performance on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015. The company will perform its work, Full Still Hungry, as part of the Ordways World Music and Dance Series. Tickets start at $20 and can be purchased online at www.ordway.org, by phone at 651-224-4222 or in person at the Ordway ticket office.
L.A.-based CONTRA-TIEMPO fuses elements of Salsa, Afro-Cuban, hip-hop, urban and contemporary dance to create an invigorating performance. Founded and directed by Cuban-American choreographer and artistic director, Ana Maria Alvarez, CONTRA-TIEMPO pushes the boundaries of Latin dance as an expressive cultural and contemporary form, using dance to communicate the struggles of the working class.
CONTRA-TIEMPO is known for their dynamic and expressive dance pieces, but what really sets them apart is their dedication to using dance as a tool to reach communities and bring to life voices not traditionally heard on the stage, said Dayna Martinez, Ordways artistic director of World Music & Dance. CONTRA-TIEMPO excels at using physical movement to inspire social movement, and that is very evident in the piece theyll be performing at the Ordway.
Full Still Hungry is a powerful full-evening performance that explores how food, race, privilege and overconsumption impact our everyday lives. Set to an original score by Cesar Alvarez, the piece features a live five-piece band, eight dancers, vibrant costumes and dynamic, high-energy choreography. Alvarez stated about the piece, Food is not just the material I put in my body to sustain life, but a web of relationships, histories, choices and decisions that all impact the world around us." Full Still Hungry premiered to a sold-out crowd at the Ford Amphitheatre in Los Angeles in Sept. 2011, and has been captivating audiences since.
CONTRA-TIEMPOs performance will also be a part of Raíces y Sueños: the Artistry of Cuba, a series of arts-based learning and community engagement events hosted by the Ordway. Translated as Roots and Dreams, Raíces y Sueños celebrates the rich cultural heritage of Cuba through master classes, cultural conversations, workshops, lecture demonstrations and a visual arts exhibit that will open new doors for artists and audiences alike. Raíces y Sueños began in Oct. 2014 with the performances of Nachito Herrera and His Cuban Orchestra and the Creole Choir of Cuba, and will conclude on Feb. 7.
The Ordways World Music and Dance Series is sponsored by Target. For tickets and more information, visit www.ordway.org.
ABOUT THE ORDWAY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
The Ordway is widely recognized as one of the nations leading nonprofit performing arts centers and Saint Pauls most elegant and inviting performance space. The Ordways Music Theater and soon-to-be completed Concert Hall attract diverse audiences with an array of productions showcasing the finest in American musical theater, world music, dance and vocal performance. Education and community engagement are integral to the Ordways mission, with major initiatives including the annual Flint Hills International Childrens Festival and Ordway Education programs that serve more than 50,000 students annually. The Ordway also sponsors the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists, a charter high school with a professionally guided academic and artistic environment that trains aspiring pre-professional performing artists. Together with the Minnesota Opera, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra and The Schubert Club, the Ordway is a member of the Arts Partnership and serves as the principal venue for their performances. For more information, visit www.ordway.org.
