Our Performances
Original work for the Inner City Ensemble is initiated by Nicholas Rodriguez, and developed through improvisation with company members and collaborators. The pieces are performed by alumni, pre-professional teenagers, guest artists and other Paterson youth. Our dance-theatre presentations incorporate dance, poems, monologues, and music to dissect and depict issues facing our local communities. Performance topics address identify, belonging, social justice and racial and cultural equality.
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La Frontera: Stories of Migration in Movements
A New Music USA 2020 grant allowed the New Jersey Youth Symphony (NJYS) to commission an original score by Peruvian composer, Raul Abbad. His composition, “La Frontera,” which is realized in four movements, celebrates stories of immigrants through music. The score became the foundation for a new dance by the Inner City Ensemble.
The music utilizes string orchestra and percussions to depicts the journey, strength and courage of immigrants, who leave home to establish new roots. The score fuses classical music with Latin and folk motifs, as well as jazz elements. Nicholas Rodriguez and the Company developed a new dance that was started on Zoom and later filmed in person with the NJYS.
“La Frontera” premiered and was posted on YouTube.
Where Have You Gone Trayvon?
