Black Irish Dance Company. NCDF 2013-2014 Season. Photo by Brooke Meyer

The North Carolina Dance Festival (NCDF) comes to Charlotte this Friday and Saturday January 24-25, featuring eight touring artists/choreographers selected by Dance Project, Inc. as well as six local artists and choreographers. Dance Project Inc., a non-profit organization under the direction of Jan Van Dyke, began NCDF in 1991 in order to build the North Carolina dance community by training dancers, building audiences and setting standards for professionalism. NCDF will be performed at the University of North Carolina Charlotte in Robinson Hall at 7:30 p.m. both evenings.

The 2013-2014 Festival also stops in Raleigh, Boone, Wilmington and Greensboro. Touring artists include Renay Aumiller, Shaleigh Dance Works, Emily Daughtridge, Karola Lüttringhaus, Jen Guy Metcalf, Eleanor Smith, Jessi Knight Walker and Ronald West. The Charlotte NCDF promises to offer a diverse body of works from socially conscious choreography to African and hip hop influences and literary inspirations to aerial flights. To learn more about the artists, choreographers and companies, visit the Dance Project’s website. ShaLeigh Comerford. NCDF 2013-2014 Season. Photo by Steve Clarke

Tickets are available online or by calling 704-687-1849. Ticket prices range from $14 for the general public, $9 for seniors and $6 for students. Each evening of the NCDF will feature a different program with Emily Daughtridge, Rodrigo and Wendy Jimenez, Jessi Knight Walker, Baran Dance, Jen Guy Metcalf, Kim Jones and ShaLeigh Comerford on Friday night, while E.E. Balcos/Deep Water Collaborations, Renay Aumiller, Oneaka Dance Company, Karola Lüttringhaus, Eleanor Smith, Caroline Calouche & Co. and Ronald West will perform on Saturday.