Building the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company with Morgiana Celeste Varricchio & Samara Adell

Every dance company has its own unique journey and characteristics, from how it was founded to the style of dance it specializes in. Today, we’re joined by the Producing Artistic Director and Founder of the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company (MDTC), Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, and the Artistic Director for Dance and Choreographer, Samara Adell. MDTC showcases the vibrant dance and folkloric heritage of the Mediterranean, spanning North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. Through captivating performances and educational initiatives, MDTC brings to life the region’s music, myths, and traditions, preserving and sharing its cultural tapestry. In this conversation, Morgiana and Samara share how they discovered their affinity for Middle Eastern dance, why they felt it wasn’t adequately represented in the US, and how they formed the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company. We discuss the many shows they’ve produced, including their special upcoming 20th-anniversary show, Visions of the Near East, how they manage their creative partnership, and the challenges of running a nonprofit. Tune in to hear the full scope of Morgiana and Samara’s beautiful journey, from becoming friends to running a thriving company together!

Key Points From This Episode:

• An introduction to Morgiana Celeste Varricchio and her dance journey.
• How she became involved with Middle Eastern dance and met Samara Adell.
• The success of Morgiana’s production of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
• How Morgiana and Samara founded the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company in 2005.
• Their mission to ensure Middle Eastern Dance was properly represented in the US.
• An overview of their productions, including their original show, Caravan to Cairo.
• Their upcoming production, Visions of the Near East
• Some background on Samara and how she became interested in dance.
• Her time working in New York and the extensive global touring she did as a dancer.
• The inner workings of Samara and Morgiana’s creative partnership.
• How they prepare for, plan, rehearse, and arrange all the different elements of their shows.
• Standout experiences during their two decades with Mosaic.

“We both agreed that Middle Eastern Dance was not represented properly in the professional world of dance. It is a very legitimate dance form, but not looked upon that [way] here in the US. It was our mission, then, to bring this dance to the public.” — Morgiana Celeste Varricchio

Morgiana Celeste Varricchio is the Producing Artistic Director and Founder of Mosaic Dance Theater Company. 

Samara Adell is Artistic Director for Dance & Choreographer of Mosaic Dance Theater Company.

For more on this episode, Morgiana, and Samara: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

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