NORWICH – A home-grown dance company with an international reach will bring its artistry to the Norwich stage this weekend, with performances at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Chenango County Council of the Arts.

Phoenix Project Dance was founded in 2004 under the direction of Norwich natives Amber and Mike Perkins and is currently in its seventh season. “The idea that a bird is reborn from the ashes of its own demise was the inspiration for the company,” the Perkins state on the company’s website. “The re-invention of one’s self is the driving force behind the Phoenix Project’s artistic vision.”

The Phoenix Project has achieved great successes both at home and abroad. In 2005, the troupe was selected to perform at the prestigious award ceremony “The Elan Awards” in Manhattan. At the event, Amber Perkins was presented with the “Spirit of Elan Award” for her piece “The Firebird,” given to an emerging choreographer and company. The Phoenix Project also toured Bavaria, Germany in the winter of 2006, and received the honor of rehearsing with the Munich State Ballet in Munich. This opportunity opened the doors for the Phoenix Project in Germany and the company hopes to return to Europe in the near future.