Kasandra Flamenco is thrilled to present “ROJO Y SOMBRA”, “Red and Shadows”, a contemporary-flamenco exploration into the energies of the root chakra in two shows at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby on May 26-27, 8pm.
Kasandra Flamenco is thrilled to present “ROJO Y SOMBRA”, “Red and Shadows”, a contemporary-flamenco exploration into the energies of the root chakra in two shows at the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts in Burnaby on May 26-27, 8pm.
Through evocative dance with red silk, the dance intelligently weaves the spectrum of traditional, fiery Flamenco & avant-garde contemporary dance genres. The finale is a trio between Kasandra “La China” bailaora, contemporary dancers Alvin Tolentino & Andreana Karogiannis where they explore the yin and yang textures of the fabric. Sometimes soft and flowing, other times elastic and violent, this represents the ebb and flow, dynamic tension and balancing of feminine and masculine energies.
The show features the inspirational music of composer and flamenco guitarist, Josue Tacoronte, whose imagination is not bound by linear time or space. Josue brings the show to life with virtuosic classical, flamenco and contemporary guitar with electronic soundscape and percussion.
Kasandra “La China”, Artistic Director and Flamenco Dancer
Alvin Tolentino, Contemporary Dancer
Andreana Karogiannis, Contemporary and Flamenco Dancer
Josue Otero Tacoronte, Composer-Guitarist
6450 Deer Lake Ave, Burnaby, BC V5G 2J3
Tickets In Advance
$35 adult, $30 student/senior
Online: tickets.shadboltcentre.com
Chakra means “wheel of energy” and the Root resides at the base of our spine, representing human feelings about safety and security, primal animal self, physical embodiment on this Earth and our connection to ancestors. “ROJO Y SOMBRA” means “red and shadows” which depicts our passion, blood, primal instincts when confronted by the darkness of fear. This dance spectacular is a visceral expression of our emotions in a world turned upside down and the dance delves into our shadows, exploring ego and fear. This is contemporary and flamenco dance imagined with the textures of rich, exquisite red silk fabric that spans the stage. Like the imagery of the silk fabric spinning in circles and infinity symbols, the dance spirals into emotional complexity.
Experience a fresh theatrical look at flamenco with 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”. 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 and “ROJO Y SOMBRA” is her first full length show featuring contemporary-flamenco, as she has spent years researching the essences of red aerial silk fabric and it has been a journey to discover connecting and being at one with the fabric.
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.
Kasandra is one of Canada’s leading flamenco artists well-known for her unrelenting drive to push the artistic envelope. She has dedicated and contributed 25+ years to the development and promotion of flamenco dance in Vancouver as a bailaora, artistic director, choreographer, mentor and teacher to many.
As Canada’s Chinese-Canadian flamenco dancer, she has created colourful Asian artistic fusions in theatre production “Cafe de Chinitas” 2006-2015 and its informal tablao cousin “Flamenco Dim Sum” 2022-3.
She is the artistic director of Kasandra Flamenco, known for high calibre shows with international guest artists including productions “Solo Flamenco”, “Encuentros”, “La Tarara” and “Ritmo y Soniquete”.
She founded Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy in 2002 with her mentor, Oscar Nieto, and has produced shows for the professional group Mozaico Flamenco Dance Theatre, managed Mozaico Flamenco cuadro performances and community group “Los Mozaicos”.
Kasandra is currently promoting the flamenco art form as director of the Mozaico Flamenco Sunday Salon Series and outdoor Pop Up Series. She continues to educate audiences in this digital pandemic age through “Flamenco Café” online intercultural, educational series on youtube and she is currently documenting the History of Vancouver Flamenco.
This is the premier of “ROJO Y SOMBRA” and the culmination of years of exploration and research dancing with red aerial silk fabric and her first full length flamenco-contemporary show.
Alvin Erasga Tolentino is one of the most active Asian/Canadian dance artists, whose work continues to provoke, fascinate and bring a fresh voice to the national and international dance scene. He has contributed close to 30 years to Canada’s dance milieu and internationally as a choreographer and dancer. He is the founding and artistic director of Vancouver based Co.ERASGA.
Exploring issues of gender, identity, hybridity and cross-cultural collaborations, Tolentino’s choreography in works such as SOLA, BATO/stone, MINORI, VOLT, FIELD, SHE SAID, OrienTik/Portrait, BODYGlass, PARADIS/PARADISE, ADAMEVE, SHADOW MACHINE, Expose, Shifting Geography, Colonial, Unwrapping Culture and Collected Traces and Still Here, as well with his award winning explorations of dance on film, have made him an ambassador for dance in Canada.
In recognition of his achievements and contributions to the field of dance, he was the recipient of the 2010 Vancouver Mayor’s Arts Award in Dance and 2018 EXPLOREASIAN Pan Asian award for cultural contribution.
Tolentino’s body of work has reached international flat forms in festivals and venues that included countries as France, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Venezuela, Uruguay, Singapore, China, United State, Scotland, Thailand and Philippines.
Josué Otero Tacoronte, is a highly acclaimed guitarist, composer and musical arranger originally from Havana, Cuba. He began his musical studies at the age of six and trained in classical piano and guitar, winning numerous national competitions. In 1997 he ventured out into playing Spanish flamenco guitar working as a composer, music director and musical arranger for the Spanish Ballet of Cuba, and Aires Flamenco Company in Havana, and also the Ballet Español Proart, Cale Bari, and Mexico Flamenco in Mexico. He has studied flamenco guitar with many maestros including Antonio Rodriguez, Pedro Sierra, Paco Jarana, Jesus Torres, José Luís Rodriguez, Eduardo Rebollar, Pedro Sanchez and Antonio Rey.
One of his most important musical achievements has been his consistent contribution on research, musical arrangements, performance and recording of the Cuban guitar repertoire that includes pieces by composers such as Leo Brouwer, Ernesto Lecuona, amongst others, crossing over into other genres such as flamenco without losing Cuban essence. He has recorded several albums including “Josué Tacoronte y Skpao”, “Mexico Flamenco “ and “Brouwer Flamenco” for which he was awarded “Best Concert Interpreter” at the International Festival CUBADISCO Awards, in May 2013. He toured all over Cuba, Spain, Argentina, USA, Switzerland, Austria, Morocco, France, Dominican Republic, Peru and Mexico. http://www.josuetacoronte.com
Andreana Karogiannis is a first generation Canadian of mixed European ancestry that has explored dance in its many forms and expressions. Her journey to find belonging and community in Canada has been closely tied to and expressed through dance.
Through her youth she explored her Scottish-English heritage through intense training in ballet and highland. Competing and completing exams in both forms, Andreana went on to focus mainly on ballet, completing her Advanced Level Royal Academy of Dance exams and training at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and National Ballet School.
Andreana added tap, jazz, and contemporary to her dance training and attended the Goh Ballet’s Pre-Professional Program, where she took her very first flamenco class. Andreana has performed with University of Calgary dance program and La Caravan Dance Theatre in Alberta and with “MOVETHECOMPANY”, “the response”, and “Sentio Dance” in BC.
Andreana’s dance journey led her back to flamenco in 2017, where her Greek roots flourished in this dance form’s intensely expressive essence. She has extensively trained and performed during the pandemic with Mozaico Flamenco and “Los Mozaicos”. Performances have included Mozaico Flamenco Pop Up Series, Sunday Salon Series, “Flamenco Dim Sum”, “La Cueva”, Iranian/Korean/Asian Festivals, Latincouver Carnaval and Latin American Heritage Month, Lumiere Festival and the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival with mentor Kasandra “La China”.
Canada Council for the Arts
BC Arts Council
Shadbolt Centre for the Arts residency
Explorasian Asian Heritage Month
Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy Ltd.
Kasandra Lea 604-671-9182
kasandraflamenco@gmail.com
