By Kate Durnan, The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) 

The Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) will perform during the closing ceremonies of the 7^th Annual Dance Fest Skopje on April 11, 2012 at the Macedonian Opera and Ballet Theater in Skopje, Macedonia. PHILADANCO’s performance will mark the first-ever performance by a major American dance company at Dance Fest Skopje.

Artistic Director Risima Risimkin created Dance Fest Skopje in 2005 to bring the most innovative, excellent modern dance companies to Macedonia and Europe, increasing an appreciation for and knowledge of international contributions to modern dance. PHILADANCO was invited to perform at Dance Fest Skopje following its performance at the opening ceremonies of the prestigious Tanzmesse Festival in Dusseldorf, Germany in August 2010.

“This festival is a unique opportunity to share PHILADANCO’s American and African-American aesthetics with an entirely new international audience, opening the door to improved cultural relations between the two countries,” said Joan Myers Brown, Founder/Executive Artistic Director, PHILADANCO. “It is an honor to serve as the first-ever major American dance company to perform in Macedonia, as well as at the Dance Fest Skopje.”

PHILADANCO’s program will include ballets that demonstrate the company’s signature style as a premier, predominately African-American Modern Dance Company. The tentative program includes repertory favorites “By Way of the Funk,” a work created for PHILADANCO by contemporary choreographer Jawole Willa Jo Zollar; “Enemy Behind the Gate,” a piece by Christopher Huggins that has become the company’s signature work; “Violin Concerto,” by PHILADANCO resident choreographer Milton Myers; and “Cottonwool,” also by Christopher Huggins. The performance will include pre- and post-question and answer sessions with the artists and audience members.