Miami Beach Sister Cities Committee Celebrates International Artistic Exchange with Sister City Cascais, Portugal

Miami Beach, FL – The City of Miami Beach Sister Cities Committee will celebrate an international cultural exchange between Dance NOW! Miami and Sister City Cascais, Portugal on Monday, February 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. at The Venue located at 2100 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. This event is free and open to the public.

The celebration will feature an excerpt and sneak preview performance of Blue Pencil by Dance NOW! Miami (DNM) and applaud the ongoing cultural exchange between the Sister Cities and their commitment to utilize art and culture to connect people and traditions.

The innovative and emotional ballet, choreographed by DNM Co-Artistic Directors Diego Salterini and Hannah Baumgarten, alongside Portugal’s Dança em Diálogos’ Artistic Director Solange Melo, underscores the arts’ enduring power to challenge societal norms. The title of the performance was inspired by Portugal’s historic “Blue Pencil” censorship.

“Miami Beach is pleased to engage with our Sister City Cascais, Portugal and advance our mutual interest in economic development, education and culture with Miami Beach based Dance NOW! Miami,” shared Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.

Founding Co-Artistic Director Hannah Baumgarten shared “the Miami Beach event will feature an excerpt and sneak preview of Dance NOW! Miami’s portion of the ballet, which will make its world premiere in our Program II on February 28, 2025, at Miami Theater Center. The following week, the entire Dance NOW! Miami company will travel to Portugal for a residency, accompanied by the Miami Beach Sister Cities Delegation. The full piece will be performed by both ensembles in a blended cast on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, in the iconic Cruzeiro Building at the Vila das Artes de Cascais. The theater is a recent renovation of a historic venue, aligning with Miami Beach and historic preservation. This performance is part of a larger festival called RHI.”

“Dance NOW! Miami’s journey to Cascais, Portugal, with the Delegation, highlights the importance of the Miami Beach Sister Cities alliance,” added Miami Beach Commissioner Laura Dominguez.

Cascais, a Sister City since 2019, has become an invaluable partner, fostering cross-cultural exchange and collaboration. This alliance strengthens global ties and unlocks limitless opportunities, driving bold and visionary endeavors that push the boundaries of artistic innovation and cultural impact worldwide.

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Miami Beach Sister Cities is a diplomatic platform dedicated to promoting cooperation and direct engagement with global partners on issues including economic development, commerce, tourism, education, art, and culture. Appointed by the Miami Beach Mayor and City Commission, the Miami Beach Sister Cities Committee works to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding, and citizen diplomacy, benefiting both Miami Beach and its Sister Cities. For more information about the Miami Beach Sister Cities Program, please visit Sister Cities - City of Miami Beach.

Dance NOW! Miami was founded in 2000 by Artistic Directors Hannah Baumgarten and Diego Salterini. Voted “Best Dance Company” by the Miami New Times in 2022, and in residence at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, Sanctuary of the Arts and the Miami Beach Bandshell, they present several major projects annually, featuring original work from the Artistic Directors, created individually and collaboratively. In addition, the company's Masterpiece in Motion series honors the rich legacy of dance through the reconstruction of historic works of ballet and modern dance from the 20th and 21st Century. Dance NOW! also presents branded, immersive, site-specific performances that take place in museums, galleries and architectural sites called the Ekphrasis Project. The company has collaborated with over 250 artists and organizations nationally and internationally including New York’s Limón Dance Company, Dança em Diálogos from Portugal, Mexico City Ballet and Opus Ballet, from Florence, Italy.

Dance NOW! Miami also provides leadership for the South Florida dance community with initiatives such as the Daniel Lewis Dance Sampler. The company has been presented in sixteen states and on three continents, from Brazil to Mexico, Honduras to Italy and Portugal. With a strong commitment to education, Dance NOW! has reached over 50,000 children in South Florida alone through its in-school residencies, the World Dance Summer Intensive, the Dance NOW! Youth Ensemble, and performances throughout the community. www.dancenowmiami.org