NORWICH – The members of Phoenix Project Dance are on their way to Ottawa this weekend for the group’s first major out-of-country performance and Executive Director Michael Perkins said he and his fellow dancers are excited for the opportunity.

“Things are really taking off for us and this is a big jump,” added Perkins. “The community doesn’t really realize that this is where we come from, as we typically only perform twice a year locally. But it’s fun ... these are professional dancers, not students.”

While in Ottawa, the group will also spend some time teaching at various locations across the city, for aspiring dancers of all ages. The show itself, said Perkins, finds the talented group “really starting to do some new and artistic things,” even as the ensemble recently received what Perkins called a generally positive review in the NY Times. In April, Phoenix Project Dance will hold its very own, “Inside the Dancer” type event, taking a cue from the Bravo network’s “Inside the Actor” question and answer format.