originally published: 01/23/2024

(JERSEY CITY, NJ) -- Jersey City Theater Center presents the International Arts Exchange Project (IAEP) on Thursday, February 15 at 7:00pm as a part of the Voices International Theater Festival. This captivating cultural experience featuring Los Escultores del Aire/Danza, Abend/Catalonia-USA/Costa Rica transcends borders through the universal language of the arts. After the performances, the audience is invited to engage in a unique networking experience, fostering connections and conversations that go beyond geographical boundaries.

Escultores del Aire/Danza, Abend/Catalonia-USA/Costa Rica performance will take place at Jersey City Theater Center (165 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 073011 /Entrance from Barrow Street). Tickets are available at www.JCTCenter.org and start at just $15.00.

“JCTC’s mission is to foster unity among diverse communities through the arts, both locally and globally. Join us as we bring together two outstanding performing arts companies, offering the community and professionals the opportunity to witness exceptional talent from around the globe. At JCTC, we firmly believe in the power of the arts to unite people, and our goal is to break down barriers by crossing cultural divides,” stated Olga Levina, Executive Director at JCTC. "In addition, we are excited to welcome partners from Barcelona from Nau Ivanow Performing Arts Center for working sessions, to exchange the best practices in arts management and discuss new collaborative projects.”

Los Escultores del Aire is an international company based in Barcelona that seeks to mix different performing arts, such as dance and mime. Founded in 2014, the company has seven shows in its repertoire and a notable international tour and awards. Their particular way of understanding the art of movement has led them to make several important collaborations, including Cirque du Soleil and Catalan public television. In 2020, they launched their Lab Project pedagogical offer, training related artists in the arts of movement in both its Online and In-Person versions. Each body has stories to tell, and Los Escultores del Aire offers a space for meeting and exchange that lives and breathes between the performer and the spectator.

Danza Abend is an independent dance company that was founded in 1983. It is the independent dance group with the most years of activity in Costa Rica. Danza Abend is a concept of its founder and creator, Cristina Gigirey, who was a fundamental pillar of dance in Costa Rica, both as a teacher and as a choreographer and dancer. Gigirey was the group's director until 2006 when she died. Since then, her daughter, Gabriela Dörries, has assumed the company's director role. The dance company maintains its own style of work in its stagings, which have come to obtain recognition nationally and internationally. It won several awards, such as the Award for Best Choreography of the National Theater of Costa Rica. Danza Abend remains constantly creative, bringing current topics to the stage and supporting the choreographic creation of new creative talents.

Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) arts organization committed to inspiring conversations about important issues of our times through the arts. Co-founded by Executive Producer Olga Levina, an immigrant from Belarus, Jersey City Theater Center (JCTC) produces and presents universal yet locally relevant works, emphasizing social justice and human rights. Since 2006, JCTC has provided a platform for all artistic voices to be heard in Jersey City, with the aim of sparking meaningful cross-cultural dialogue that helps build a greater understanding, mutual respect and better communities in New Jersey.

Programming made possible by numerous supporters, including the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, Hudson County, the City of Jersey City, and the Office of Cultural Affairs. For those who are interested in attending any of the performances, sponsoring any of the upcoming productions, or purchasing tickets for large groups, please email [email protected].