The fiery Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, the most renowned flamenco dance company in the United States, brings its floor-shaking dance and music to the Heymann Center at 7:30 p.m. on March 10. Tickets are available at heymanncenter.com .
"Flamenco Vivo, a spectacular roundup of Spain’s spirit, lights the stage with irrepressible energy, intricate footwork, and colorful costuming. For more than 40 years, Flamenco Vivo has been revered as America’s premier flamenco company, creating a grand yet intimate experience that is rich in emotion and movement. The New York Times has proclaimed a Flamenco Vivo performance as “An uncommonly deft balancing of the individual and the group in flamenco, and solid entertainment to boot," a release from PASA states.
Carlota Santana, the company’s founder and director, has been hailed as “The Keeper of Flamenco” by Dance Magazine and honored by the King and Government of Spain with La Cruz de la Orden al Mérito Civil for “all the years of passion, excellence and dedication to the flamenco art,” Carlota Santana is an internationally renowned flamenco and Spanish dance artist and educator. In 1983, she co-founded Flamenco Vivo with Roberto Lorca; following his death from AIDS in 1987, she was determined to continue their work. In the decades since, she has led Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana’s growth with a mission to promote flamenco as a living art form and a vital part of Hispanic heritage. Ms. Santana created the company’s innovative arts-in-education program, integrating Spanish dance and culture with academic curricula, and has pioneered bilingual education initiatives.
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The company includes choreographer Patricia Guerrero, who won Spain’s 2021 National Dance Award, and its Grammy-nominated composers, who add exceptional music to the ensemble.
The nine performers—dancers, musicians, and singers—hail from Spain, South America, and the United States—and are led by founder and artistic director Carlota Santana and Emilio Ochando, a dancer who is also the company’s associate artistic director.
Its deep roots in Spanish, Roma, and multicultural traditions led Dance Magazine to proclaim Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana as “The Keepers of Flamenco.”
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana will spend the better part of a week in Lafayette, performing and leading workshops. Their residency includes the public performance on March 10, performances for students, a flamenco workshop for dancers, and an unforgettable Spanish dinner.
At 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 8, Flamenco Vivo will lead a free public masterclass, open to intermediate and advanced dancers. The masterclass will focus on the fundamentals of flamenco, such as rhythmic clapping, posture, and footwork, giving participants a hands-on introduction to this passionate and expressive dance form. Whether a dancer or an observer, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the intricate movements and deep cultural roots of flamenco, guided by expert instructors. Registration for and more information about this event can be made through pasaonline.org
That same night, the company will be featured at La Noche Flamenca, a four-course Spanish meal paired with wines at the City Club at River Ranch. The gala dinner Tickets are available on pasaonline.org [pasaonline.org]
On Monday, March 9, Flamenco Vivo will appear at Baranco Elementary in PASA’s On Stage Afternoons series in a performance for Baranco students, their families, and the school’s faculty.
Tuesday, March 10, is a full day, with a daytime performance for eighth graders enrolled in Lafayette Parish Schools. PASA is expecting more than 1,800 students to attend.
Students at both performances are prepared in advance with the vocabulary, history, and rhythms of flamenco.
PASA’s season-long sponsors and grant givers include LFT Fiber, the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development, the National Endowment for the Arts, Love Our Schools, an Enterprise Fund grant from the Lafayette Convention & Visitors Commission, and External Agency support from Lafayette Consolidated Government, administered by the Acadiana Center for the Arts.
For more information about PASA, the Flamenco Vivo Carlotta Santana activities, or to learn more about how to volunteer and support PASA, contact PASA at 337-769-3231, visit the pasaaonline.org, or email info@pasaonline.org.
