Alborada to perform in 'The Celtic Connection'

The Ocean County Community College Fine Arts Center, College Drive, Toms River section of Dover, will present the Alborada Spanish Dance Theatre in a performance of "Spain Meets Ireland: The Celtic Connection" at 8 p.m. on Sept. 15.

Performers in the cross-cultural program will include the entire Alborada company, the Niall O'Leary Irish Dance Troupe, dancers and bagpipers from Centro Oresano and the Irish band Coolmagort.

The performance, which will celebrate northern Spain's Celtic heritage with Spanish and Irish dances and music in a colorful harvest-festival setting, will feature Celticinfluenced Spanish dances such as the jotas from Aragon, the Galician muniera (accompanied by the gaetas, the Spanish bagpipes), Irish jigs, reels, step-dancing and the flamenco. A fusion dance and music composition, "Zapateado," will combine Spanish and Irish footwork. Tickets cost $20 per person at door, $17 in advance. Group and senior discounts are available. For more information and to reserve, call the box office at (732) 255-0500. Funding for the performance is provided in part by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the American Music Center Live Music for Dance Program.