Fly Dance Company Takes Flight for Laredo Appearances

The Fly Dance Company, an all-male dance troupe from Houston, is in town this week, introducing Texas A&M International University students and the greater Laredo community to their unique dance style, which incorporates elements of hip-hop, house and break dancing.

A "Meet the Dancers" reception, free and open to the public, will be held Thursday, February 10 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Laredo Center for the Arts, and will be an opportunity to meet the talented young men and discuss their work.

"Fly in Concert" takes place on Friday, February 11 at 8 p.m. in the TAMIU Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Recital Hall. Tickets are $10. An anonymous donor has agreed to pay for the first 200 tickets at Friday night's performance.

As a collaborative effort between TAMIU, the Laredo Center for the Arts and Hecho en Encinal, the Company's visit offers a variety of ways to learn and experience something original, explained Dana Crabtree, TAMIU Center for the Fine and Performing Arts program coordinator.

"The Fly Dance Company is not just about performance. Through the support of the Texas Commission of the Arts and the Lamar Bruni Vergara Trust, we've been able to bring them here to offer an anti-drug program to our younger students, as well as a master class for TAMIU dance students and the VMT Magnet School dancers with the Nixon High School Golden Spurs," said Crabtree.

The anti-drug program was offered twice, once at TAMIU to area school children and once in Encinal at the Encinal Elementary School.

Crabtree said the program, entitled "Fly to the Rescue," uses humor to discuss serious issues such as peer pressure and drugs. In addition, it introduces the vocabulary and dance techniques that Fly uses in all of their performances.

"This dance troupe is not something you'd see in every recital hall, and certainly not something you would see in Laredo every day. We have a great opportunity to learn and enjoy a really exciting program. The dancers are energetic, athletic and very talented. They have performed across Texas, throughout the U.S., Mexico and abroad," said Crabtree.

For tickets or more information, please call 725.1715, 326.3040 or 326.2654. Information about Fly Dance Company can be found on their website at www.flydance.com.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.