Monday, August 09, 2010

The University of North Carolina Wilmington Office of Cultural Arts has been awarded $15,000 from the North Carolina Arts Council for an upcoming educational and community residency with acclaimed Latin dance company, CONTRA-TIEMPO. The two-week residency will take place Sept. 20–Oct. 2, and will feature live performances, master classes, free Salsa workshops, films, lectures and an in-school artist residency at Bradley Creek Elementary School.

CONTRA-TIEMPO is a Los Angeles-based dance company fusing Salsa, Afro-Cuban, West African and Hip-Hop to create an invigorating blend of physically intense and politically astute dance-theater. The ensemble has a passionate commitment to educational outreach, generating wide acclaim for their powerful and unique connection with audiences throughout North, South and Latin America. During their two-week residency, members of the campus and community will have the opportunity to interact with the artists through a series of free outreach events. The residency will culminate with a performance on Saturday, Oct. 2 at UNCW's Kenan Auditorium. The performance will feature three critically acclaimed works by CONTRA-TIEMPO as well as a new work by students from New Hanover County schools.

"We're grateful for the continued support of the North Carolina Arts Council and the N.C. General Assembly in our community. Without that support, we could not provide access to artists of this caliber," said Norman Bemelmans, UNCW's director of Cultural Arts. "CONTRA-TIEMPO brings to our community and campus artistry of extraordinary energy and vitality, and will serve as a pivotal springboard for discussion, lecture, film and educational outreach, in addition to providing a unique opportunity to experience one of the nation's most talked-about contemporary dance ensembles."

The CONTRA-TIEMPO residency is presented by the Office of Cultural Arts in partnership with the UNCW Office of Institutional Diversity & Inclusion, Centro Hispano and the Latino Alliance. Additional support provided by an Arts & Culture grant from Target.

The Office of Cultural Arts at UNCW was created in July 2005 in order to (1) strengthen the university's mission to deepen and enrich the learning experience of its students; (2) devise creative and effective partnerships between UNCW and the many dynamic arts groups of our community; (3) develop opportunities for UNCW to play a leadership role in enhancing the growth of the arts within the region. Throughout the past five years, it has developed a successful Masters Series featuring artists and works of cultural and historic significance, typically inaccessible to the region. The office has also become a pivotal force in educational and community engagement throughout southeastern North Carolina, forming partnerships with academic departments on campus, local arts organizations and school systems throughout the region to present artist residencies that benefit audiences of all ages. Most recently, UNCW Cultural Arts joined New Hanover County Schools as a member of the prestigious Kennedy Center Partners in Education Program.

For more information about the Office of Cultural Arts and the CONTRA-TIEMPO residency, visit www.uncw.edu/arts or contact Courtney Reilly, UNCW assistant director of Cultural Arts, at 910.962.2082 or reillyce@uncw.edu.