An Evening of Dance and Music with Maine Middle Eastern Ensemble, Josie Conte, and Josephina Gasca

Maine Middle Eastern Ensemble performs folk, classical, and art music from the Turkish, Arabic, Armenian, and Greek traditions. Led by oud player, Eric LaPerna, the group also features guitarist, Jeremey Zela; percussionist, Dorothy Barker, and clarinetist, Steve Gruverman.

Also featured will be Josie Conte, a dancer and performance artist who continues to be inspired by world dance tradition expressing the Divine Feminine: celebrating and expressing the body through exploration of internal landscapes and sensuality, serpentine curves, and moved by the tones and rhythms of the people of the Romany trail. She has been an active artist and teacher in the Portland area since 1993 and founded Baraka! Middle Eastern Ensemble, who have created wonderful spectacle wherever they have been invited.

She is a graduate of SUNY College at Brockport with a BA in Dance and a minor in Psychology. She is a graduate of the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and in her is faculty with CMMC Family Medicine Residency. Continuing to be deeply inspired by world traditions, she has become an Ayurvedic yoga Specialist and is presently studying Integrated Structural Acupuncture.

She is an inspiring instructor and brings deep body wisdom and stagecraft to her students. In 1999, Josie was accepted into The Maine Arts Commission Touring roster and she led classes and performed throughout New England. She was a twice-honored choreographer for Dance Portland and has enjoyed collaborative work with a terrific company of artists including Nance Parker and Shoestring Theater, Perennial Effects Dance Collective, Debi Irons, Magili Chapman, Tarpigh, Okbari, Alhan, and the late Al Gardiner,.

"Josie has a special gift to dance and magic to create the moment and seduce us to their realms." Morwenna Assaf, Shimmy Chronicles, 1993.