The Performing Arts Exchange (PAE), the annual performing arts booking, showcasing and professional development conference, is already in progress but there’s time to catch the juried showcase performance scheduled for this Thursday and Friday, September 20th – 21st at the Colony Theatre. The juried showcase performances, which are free and open to the public, will feature companies from across the United States, including the Ballet Memphis, Sybarite5, Oyu Oro Afro-Cuban Dance Ensemble, Vox Dance Theatre among others.

Melody Life during Dance NOW! Miami.

In addition to the juried showcase performances, there are several independent showcases taking place across the bay at the Little Haiti Cultural Center and Miami Light Project. The independent showcases are smaller, self-produced performances that bring the PAE experience to the broader South Florida community.

This Thursday and Friday night, Dance NOW! and the Little Haiti Cultural Center will present and produce one of the main independent showcases as part of PAE. Presenters will be shuttled from their nests at the Fontainebleau Hotel and Lincoln Road for a showcase featuring seven companies per night for short 15-minute productions. The showcases, which begin at 9:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, will feature 15 performances including by Dance NOW! Miami, CONTRA-TIEMPO, DanceTactics, Las Vegas Contemporary Dance Theater, blue 13 dance company and others.

If you head to the independent showcase on Friday night, get there early so you can enjoy the festivities of “Big Night in Little Haiti,” which will run simultaneously. And, if you have time tonight, head over to the Colony or the Little Haiti Cultural Center for the PAE performances which are free and open to the public.

For more information and times for the juried PAE showcases, visit the PAE website here. For information on the independent showcases taking place at the Little Haiti Cultural Center, visit www.rivercityartists.com.