Moquette Volante, a Pittsburgh-based theatrical Middle Eastern dance company founded by and under the direction of former Victor/Canandaigua resident, Kristin Ward, will bring its unique blend of dance, music, and spoken word to the Finger Lakes in a performance hosted by All Things Art in Canandaigua on Friday evening, September 25.
The company's first tour outside of Pennsylvania also includes appearances at Nazareth College, Kristin's alma mater, on Sunday, September 27, as part of the arts center grand reopening and Community Days celebration.
"I am thrilled to share this landmark tour in Moquette Volante's history with the community and with my college," Ward states, "and I appreciate the support and efforts of the Ontario County Arts Council as well as Nazareth College in helping to make this happen."
Joining Ward on stage will be Norm Papernick, Pittsburgh's premiere male belly dancer, and Sean Miller, well-known spinner of regional Pennsylvania folk tales.  At the All Things Art performance, the trio will bring to life the tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, as well as lesser-known stories "Rescuing the Moon", "The Anklet" and "The Dragon Prince."  An infusion of Moquette Volante's own unique style of Middle Eastern dance adds dimension beyond what is present in the spoken word alone.
"Adding dance to the tales is like adding full-color artwork to a book," Ward explains.  "The emotion and beauty of it reach out to the audience, drawing them in and making the world of the folklore much more real."
The performance will be held at All Things Art, 65 South Main Street, Canandaigua, NY on Friday, September 25, 2009.  Doors open at 7:00pm, show begins at 7:30.  For more information, visit www.pittsburghartistregistry.org/mv
                         About Moquette Volante
Moquette Volante is a theatrical Middle Eastern dance company dedicated to opening the minds and imaginations of Western audiences to Middle Eastern folklore and dance, bridging cultural gaps through exploring common archetypes, and promoting the tradition of live storytelling through dance, music, and spoken word.
     Artistic Director Kristin Ward founded Moquette Volante in Spring 2008 with the idea of bringing Middle-Eastern folklore to life in new and captivating ways.  Since then, Moquette Volante has intrigued and entertained audiences in many Pittsburgh venues, including Allegheny County Libraries, the Silk Screen Film Festival Gala, Community College of Allegheny County, and Pittsburgh International Children's Festival.  New tales are continually added as the company grows and reaches out to new audiences.