A photo from Viejitos, one of the four pieces the Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater will be performing at Wesleyan University on April 13th, 2007.

The Adelphic Educational Fund, a non-profit organization affiliated with the Middletown Chapter of the Alpha Delta Phi Society, is excited to bring the Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater (AGDT) to Wesleyan University on April 13th, 2007. The troupe, in its 30th year of performance and with over 60 original pieces in its repertoire, describes the work they do as Latin Classicism, an unusual mix of primarily European or American classical music with Hispanic elements including tango and merengue.

Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater will present a highly varied program with excellent dancers from its recent Spring Series at Lincoln Center Plaza: "Treinta," a multi-style group piece with modern classical music; "The Deer Dance," a struggle between a man and a deer based on a traditional Mexican dance; "Aluminum Frame," a woman bathing provocatively to Schubert music; and the comedic "Danza de los Viejitos". Some of the pieces display the Company's Latin Classicism or use of classical music, whether of the past or the present, with Latino dance styles and rhythms.

On Friday, April 13, prior to the performance, Annabella Gonzalez, the Director of Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater, will teach a two-part master class on "Traditional Mexican Dance": an informative lecture with a video on traditional dances from different parts of Mexico, many of which display the magic of masks, followed by a class concluding with a section of the famous "Danza de los Viejitos". Traditional Mexican dance is an extremely rich field with over 20,000 danzas that reflect Mexico's indigenous peoples' political, social, and dance culture. Ms. Gonzalez holds an M.A. in Dance Education from Columbia University Teachers College where she taught Traditionl Mexican Dance. The class will take place in the Chapter House of the Alpha Delta Phi Society, located at 185 High Street, Middletown, CT 06457, from 5:30 - 7:00 PM in the Greene Room.

The performance will take place on April 13 at 8:00 PM in the Greene Room of the Chapter House of the Alpha Delta Phi Society. The program is approximately an hour long, and it will be followed by a small reception.

Both the master class and the performance are free of charge and open to the public. Space is limited, and preference goes to members of the Wesleyan University community. Tickets will be available at the Wesleyan University Box Office, 222 Church Street, Middletown, CT 06457, on the day of the performance.

For additional information about the Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theater, visit their website at http://www.agdt.org. For further details surrounding their visit to Wesleyan University, contact Michael Edward Lavigne, Jr., Vice President of the Middletown Chapter of the Alpha Delta Phi Society, at mlavigne@wesleyan.edu or at (203) 889-8350.