Carbon Dance Theatre Appears at The Ware Center in Lancaster Tonight

Carbon Dance Theatre has been hailed by the Philadelphia Inquirer as "the new jewel in Philadelphia dance diadem." The company, whose artistic director Meredith Rainey is consider a rising star in the dance world. The Ware Center, Millersville University Lancaster will host Philadelphia-based Carbon Dance Theatre tonight, February 17 at 5:00 p.m.

CDT will present "Shorts," a program of intimate works that explores the themes of the human condition. "Shorts" features themes of love, longing, fear, joy, independence and co-dependence through artistic and beautiful dance. Included in the program will be "This is It/It is This," performed by the original dancers, Meredith Rainey (CDT Artistic Director) and Sun Mi Cho (Assistant Director) of Carbon Dance Theatre. This performance has not been presented since Meredith Rainey won Best Choreographer in "The A.W.A.R.D Show 2010! Philadelphia."

Meredith Rainey (artistic director/choreographer/dancer) began dancing at 15 in his hometown of Fort Lauderdale. In 1987 he was asked to join the newly formEd Pennsylvania-Milwaukee Ballet. When the joint venture ended, he remained with the Pennsylvania Ballet and was promoted to soloist in 1999 until his retirement in 2006.

He has performed as a demi-soloist with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, was a guest artist with Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre and has toured throughout North and South America, Europe and Seoul, Korea as a choreographer and dancer.

Meredith has been commissioned to create works for Pennsylvania Ballet, Brandywine Ballet, Ballet X, Delaware Ballet, Hubbard Street 2, Phrenic New Ballet.

Meredith has won numerous awards including the 1995 & 2002 PA Council on the Arts Fellowship Grant for Choreography, 2001 Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation Artist as Catalyst Grant, 2002 Independence Foundation Fellowship in the Arts, 2003 Pew Fellowship in the Arts Finalist, and most recently a 2010 Dance Advance Grant.

"Carbon Dance Theatre creates projects that empower performers and entertain audience members by creating works rooted in classical ballet and infused with the collaborative process of theater," Rainey explains. CDT is a resident dance company at Drexel University.

Ticket Information: All events are open to the public. Tickets cost $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $1 for all students. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Ticket Office at 717-872-3811 or 717-871-2308. Online, at millersville.edu/muarts. Or, in person at The Ware Center Box Office (42 N. Prince St., Lancaster). Ticket Offices are opened Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Tickets are also on sale - if still available - one hour prior to the performance. Seats are limited. Advance ticket reservations are strongly encouraged. Discount parking vouchers are available for nearby parking lots.

Get more information at www.carbondancetheatre.org.