Kasandra Flamenco is thrilled to present “FLAMENCUBANA!”, fiery Flamenco with a Cuban twist starring guest guitarist from Havana, Josue Otero Tacoronte, with cantaora Jafelin Helten and percussionist Davide Sampaolo. Experience the Kasandra Flamenco Ensemble, a group that has been dubbed “a feast for the eyes and ears with an energy that flows like water and skips like fire”. World music fans will enjoy a fresh blend of Spanish Flamenco infused with groovy Cuban rhythms with magical dance!
“FLAMENCUBANA!” is a virtuosic showcase showcasing world class, multicultural music influenced by cool Cuban grooves in a breathtaking fusion with Flamenco. With talent to rival any jazz festival headliner, we present guitar solos and songs, and integrate the show with fiery flamenco dance, as Kasandra brings music to life with the mesmerizing “Manton de Manila” silk shawl, twirling of Spanish fans, Cordobes sombrero and rapid-fire footwork. The group transports the audience like magic! Kasandra explains, “We are a a four-piece jazz group speaking the language of Flamenco. The beauty of the cuadro is that it allows for unlimited individual expression in a spontaneous chemical interaction that can only be captured in the moment. With our guitarist from Cuba and singer from Venuzuela, it is very natural to add a Latin jazz element to our Spanish Flamenco and create this Cuban Fusion.”
With emotional and musical chemistry, soniquete and power, the Kasandra Flamenco Ensemble ignites the audience to an uproar with guest guitarist and award-winning composer, Josue Otero Tacoronte from Havana, Cuba whose music has been critically acclaimed in Cuba, Mexico and now, Canada. On the program are two songs composed for Jafelin Helten, who first coined the term “Flamencubana”, on their future CD including an epic Rumba and Alegrias fusion!
Kasandra is also pleased to present singer-songwriter, Farnaz Ohadi, to present her Persian Flamenco fusion and soulful expressive song. Enjoy spontaneity, passion and emotion as the artists torch the stage! One weekend only at The Presentation House, Saturday and Sunday April 18-19 for a unique one of a kind experience! Sunday Matinee at 3pm for families and seniors!
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. She elicits combustible chemistry among artists and has forged collaborations with national and international flamenco artists to critical acclaim. “Vancouver’s flamenco star who has embodied flamenco with her dynamic, precise style.” Flamenco-World magazine.
