Encuentros

Passionate Percussive Dance Encounters

May 5, 2016 at 7:00pm

Vancouver Island Conference Center
101 Gordon St Nanaimo

Tickets $30 Advance $35 at the door

$70 with Buffet Dinner 5:30pm
Mt. Benson Ballroom D

Buy Tickets Online: https://tickets.porttheatre.com

Solwood Productions & Solera Performing Arts are proud to present Kasandra Flamenco’s Encuentros a percussive dance spectacular revealing passionate encounters by some of the world’s great dancers in Flamenco and Irish, Tap!

Led by master Flamenco dancer Kasandra “La China”, Encuentros presents Flamenco and dance artistry at the highest calibre with a combustible chemistry and musical energy that flows like water and skips like fire. Through the passionately dark to the delightfully playful, catch this amazing spectacular.

In a stunning display of romance, seduction, love and jealousy, Artistic Director Kasandra “La China” and International guest artists, Ricardo Lopez (Flamenco dancer, Madrid), and Joel Hanna (Irish Tap Dancer, Vancouver/New York), throw down the gauntlet and meet on the dance floor!

With powerhouse Flamenco singer, Vicente Griego, and live musicians playing Flamenco guitar and Cajon, the dance is showcased with profound musicality. The beauty of lyrical dance and the power of percussion result in a dazzling presentation, full of drama, intensity and bravado.

Kasandra “La China” explains:
“Encuentros is a rich exploration of human interaction and expression. As dancers encounter each other, each reveals a personal journey of joy and sorrow, jealousy and rage, loneliness and, hope. We are able to create rich, seductive dance duets with male dance partners of such star power…Ricardo Lopez from Madrid and Joel Hanna from New York’s Broadway…a rare treat in Vancouver!”

Highlights include:

  • a dramatic face off between the flamenco virtuosity of Ricardo Lopez and the potent athleticism of Irish dancer Joel Hanna
  • the alluring dance imagery of the Spanish bata de cola (long train dress)
  • rapid-fire footwork of epic proportions in a jealous love triangle

Dancers:
Kasandra “La China”, Artistic Director, Flamenco Dancer
Ricardo Lopez, Flamenco Dancer (Madrid)
Joel Hanna, Irish/Tap Dancer

Musicians:
Gareth Owen, Flamenco Guitar
Vicente Griego, Flamenco Singer (USA)
Davide Sampaolo, Cajon & Percussion

Encuentros-Nanaimo-Poster

Kasandra “La China” is one of Canada’s leading flamenco artists, renowned for her unrelenting drive to push the artistic envelope. Kasandra is always hungry for new sources of inspiration and knowledge, constantly pushing her musical and choreographic mastery to its limits. “Vancouver’s flamenco star who has embodied flamenco with her dynamic, precise style” Flamenco-World magazine.

Artists – Biographies

Kasandra-La-China-Flamenco-Dancer

Kasandra “La China” is one of Canada’s leading flamenco artists well-known for her unrelenting drive to push the artistic envelope. A tirelessly ambitious artistic director and soloist, Kasandra is always hungry for new sources of inspiration and knowledge, constantly pushing her musical and choreographic mastery to its limits. She has performed with international flamenco artists including Maria Bermudez & Sonidos Gitanos, Ricardo Lopez, Emilio Ochando, Gaspar Rodriguez and Danel Jurado and has appeared in prestigious events with the Vancouver International Dance Festival, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Victoria & Vancovuer Flamenco Festivals. She has recently toured with the Kasandra Flamenco Ensemble. “Kasandra is a powerhouse of one, and a notable icon in the world of Canadian flamenco dance and performance”. www.kasandraflamenco.com

Ricardo-Lopez-Flamenco-Dancer

Ricardo Lopez, Flamenco Dancer and Bailarin, has performed throughout Spain, North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East & Latin America with many of Spain’s most celebrated artists including Antonio Canales, Maria Pages, Rafael Amargo, Manuel Liñan, Rocio Molina & Olga Pericet to name a few. He has danced in the finest tablaos in Madrid including Casa Patas, El Corral de la Pacheca, El Corral de La Moreria & Café de Chinitas. He has been a soloist with Nuevo Ballet Español since 2002 & been with Compañia Rafaela Carrasco since 2004, one of the most contemporary flamenco companies today. He is the artistic director of “Art & Danza” based out of Madrid.

Joel-Hanna-Tap-Dancer

Joel Hanna, called “one of the most exciting dancers to ever step on the world stage”, is a renowned dancer and choreographer whose skill set is as impressive and diverse as his resume.  Known for his athletic and boundary-breaking mixture of tap dance, musical percussion, Irish dance and martial arts, he has toured the world including North America, Europe and Asia.  Joel began his dance training at age 9 in Vancouver and has never looked back. Since 1997 when he toured with Riverdance for two seasons, Joel’s performances include “On Dangerous Ground” and “Fire of Dance”, and his own production “Revolution:  Sweat, Dance, Rock & Roll”.  Joel has danced for such dignitaries as the President of Yugoslavia, the Papua New Guinea tribal king and delegates at the United Nations for the World Youth Assembly. He is the co-director and star of the “Vancouver Spring Show”.  www.joelhanna.com

Vicente Griego “El Cartucho”, Invited Guest Singer has devoted his life to the study of Cante Flamenco, the art of flamenco singing. In 1992, he began touring the US, Canada and Latin America with the Jose Greco II Flamenco Dance Company. He has extensively performed all over the USA from coast to coast in Festival Flamenco International de Albuquerque, Chicago World Music Festival, Santa Fe Opera and the flamenco festivals in Tuscon, Dallas, Santa Barbara, Las Vegas and LA. He is the instructor of Cante Flamenco at the National Institute of Flamenco, University of New Mexico and is the exclusive singer for Yjastros Flamenco Company. “El Cartucho is striking for his deep sonorous wails that seem to come from a cavern, someplace deep within his soul.” – Chicago Artist’s News www.vicentegriego.com

Gareth-Owen-Flamenco-Guitarist

Gareth Owen, Guitarist, is a world-class Flamenco Guitarist based in Victoria, BC who has shared the stage with international flamenco artists Jesus Alvarez, Gaspar Rodriguez, Coral de los Reyes, Miguel Rosendo, Luis de la Tota, Domingo Ortega to name a few. Gareth’s solo albums include Gareth Owen Flamenco Guitar in 2008 and El Cobre with Antonio de Jerez in 2010. He has played solo concerts at the Calgary International Flamenco Festival, in Victoria at the Alix Golden Hall and St Andrew’s Church, and in concerts presented by the Arts Council of Haida Gwaii. He has performed across Canada including University Theatre in Calgary, the Toronto & Vancouver International Flamenco Festivals. Gareth is the guitarist for Alma de Espana Company and collaborates with his mother, nationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Veronica Maguire, and had his beginnings with his father, renown flamenco guitarist, the late Harry Owen. www.flamencoguitar.ca

Davide-Sampaolo-Cajon-Percusion-Percussion

Davide Sampaolo, Cajon & percussion, was born into a musical family in Italy and studied piano, classical guitar and drums from a young age. He studied percussion at the “Scuola popolare di Musica di Testaccio” and Afro-Cuban drums (conga, Timbal, Bongò, Batà) at TIMBA drum school in Rome. He became steeped in Cuban folklore, the Rumba, the Son, Salsa and Latin Jazz. From 1998 to 2002 he was a member of the choral association “MUSICANOVA” and has toured Denmark, Sweden, Finland, France and Greece. His travels brought him to Spain to study flamenco in Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, Barcelona and eventually Madrid to learn more about the modern Cajon Flamenco with the great maestros José Ruiz “Bandolero”, Rafael Jimenez “el Chispas” and José Antonio Montaña.