Koresh Dance Company full ensemble featuring Sage DeAgro-Ruopp. Photo by Contigo Photos + Films
The Koresh Dance Company will perform at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts on Friday and Saturday, March 21 and 22, at 8 p.m. Their contemporary, operatic dance performance Masquerade features live vocals by American soprano Sage DeAgro-Ruopp and blends electronic symphonic music with dynamic choreography.
“I’ve always been fascinated with the idea that when people wore masks they became more truthful and more open to express their true feelings and intentions—there is a sense of freedom to it,” says artistic director Ronen “Roni” Koresh. “In Masquerade, the line between reality and fiction is blurred and it forces the viewer to engage with the characters on the stage and to try to figure out what actually is real and what isn’t.”
Koresh’s diverse background includes early dance training in Israel, studies with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York and performances with Shimon Braun’s Waves Dance Company in Philadelphia. He founded his Philadelphia-based company in 1991 and produced Masquerade in 2023.
“I’m hoping that Masquerade will connect with the viewer and create multiple realities that allow them to experience a fascinating, dramatic and meaningful journey,” says Koresh.
In addition to the evening performances, the company will perform a matinee at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 21, as part of the Wortham’s Student Series.
This show is recommended for students in grade six and older and is open to the public. Additionally, a dance master class will be hosted in the Henry LaBrun Studio.
“The Koresh Dance Company deals with the human condition and shares that the idea of community is one of the most important keys to our ability to experience happiness, support and longevity,” says Koresh. “Together we celebrate life, love, relationships and creativity.”
The Wortham Center for the Performing Arts is located at 18 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. To learn more and purchase tickets, visit WorthamArts.org or call 828.257.4530.
