EP - MEMORIAS FLAMENCAS Digital Program

Celebrating local dance, theatre and art in the

Dallas Arts District.

Memorias Flamencas presented by Flamenco Fever

September 11, 2020

MEMORIAS FLAMENCAS Presented by Flamenco Fever Julia Ancántara, Ancántara Artistic Director Chris Henry, Stage Manager; Charles Johnson, Musician Manager James Salem, Sound Tech; Marisio Salinas, Lighting Programmer; Selvin De Leon, Video Jockey

Musicians Kristopher Hill, Guitar; Christian Ortiz, Sax; Sylvia Garcia, Vocals; Christian Valdes, Piano; Lucas Reader, Bass; Luis Avila, Percussion; Manuel Gutierez, Vocals, Percussion, Dancer

Main Dancers Julia Alcántara; Sandy de Lara; Samantha Valdez; Virginia Malvido; Ray O’Connor; Chelsea Neiss

Student Dancers Elisa Arguello; Saritza Velilla-Jenkins; Chelsea Anderson; GianCarlo Lay; Athena Bender; Andrea Bender

Volunteers Dennis Courtney; Tom Sclar; Donna Miller; Donna Brown

MUSICAL NUMBERS Act One Sevillanas – Folk Mambo Influenciado – Jazz Lo Bueno Y Lo Malo – Popular Yo no Quiero – Jazz/Flamenco Borrachera – Bulerias de Jerez Fiesta – Chick – Jazz Solo Quiero Caminar – Tangos

INTERMISSION Act Two Silencio Rasgado – Jaz/Bulerias Alegrias – Flamenco Caravan – Jazz/Al Golpe Solea – Traditional Flamenco Spain – Chick – Jazz Guajira – Cuban/Flamenco Fin de Fiesta – Bulerias

Dedication Artistic Director Julia Alcántara recently lost her mother to cancer. This concert will be dedicated to her memory. The music and choreography will communicate a powerful message about how cancer affects us as a community.

About the Show Memorias Flamencas comes to us as part of Ida y Vuelta’s Flamenco Fusion Series. Since 2016, Julia Alcántara has been co-producing with various Series companies in an effort to expand and educate the flamenco fan base in DFW. Each concert was an enlightening and entertaining experience for the cast and audience alike. Memorias Flamencas will feature choreography to the compositions of the Grammy Award-winning father of flamenco jazz, Jorge Pardo, courtesy of the AT&T Performing Arts Center’s Elevator Project.

WHO’S WHO IN THE CAST Julia Alcántara – Julia has brought the best of flamenco music and dance to North Texas since 1998. She is a native Texan who has performed in more than 90 cities nationally.

Ms. Alcántara began studying the art of flamenco after graduating from Plano Senior High School. After studying for three years with Dallas flamenco matriarch, Conte De Loyo, she moved to New York to study with Antonio Del Castillo and Raquel Heredia. She finished her education at the National Institute of Flamenco where the curriculum included classes in flamenco history, choreography, improvisation, singing and classical Spanish dance with Eva Encinias and Pablo Rodarte. There she was able to study with some of the greatest dancers in the world including Eva ‘La Yerba Buena’, Antonio Canales, Juana Amaya, Alejandro Granados, Carmela Greco, Omayra Amaya, Belen Maya, Agueda Saavedra, Adrian Santana, among others.

With her company, Ida y Vuelta Flamenco Dance Company, Ms. Alcántara has hosted and performed with world-class dancers, singers and musicians from all over the world. Here authentic flamenco shows receive rave reviews appearing in D Magazine and The Dallas Morning News. She has also appeared in The Dallas Opera’s production of La Vida Breve, on Good Morning Texas and the World Cup opening ceremonies in the Cotton Bowl. She executed a 6-week residency at the University of Texas at Dallas setting a fusion piece for their modern dance ensemble and choreographed “Bolero” for the Irving Symphony’s “Dallas Treasures” concert. She has produced an array of events bringing flamenco to numerous restaurants, open air spaces, and performing arts venues across the Dallas-Fort Worth area including the Bishop Arts District and Deep Ellum where she hosted 4 festivals prior to moving to Oak Cliff. Her dance studio teaches beginner to professional level dance and offers classes in Flamenco Guitar and Singing in artist residencies twice a year.

Kristopher Hill – A graduate of Arizona State University, studying guitar and composition, Kris had the opportunity to study with Frank Kuntz, Chris Champion, renowned composer Daniel Lentz and performing artist Richard Lehrman. There he developed his skills playing in Jazz combos, composing for modern dance performances, and accompanying ballet and modern dance classes on piano, guitar and percussion at ASU for 10 years. It was during this time that he entered the world of flamenco, as a percussionist and touring with CALO Flamenco. After

years of performing, touring and teaching music at high schools and colleges around the country, a trip to Sevilla, Spain in 2011 led to a humbling experience.

Discovering the flamenco guitar and becoming a direct disciple of Juan del Gastor: master and teacher of the legendary Moron style. Studying so intensely with the Maestro turned into years in Andalucia, accompanying in the studios of Juana Amaya, Jose Galvan, El Lebrijano, Esperanza Fernandez, Concha Vargas and Los Farrucos to name a few. As a guitarist for Joes Galván’s Cuadro he has performed at la Peña Torres Macarena, El Teatro de la Alameda, Caja Negra and many other venues. He has accompanied dancers and singers such as Carmen Ledesma, Jose Mendez, Javier Heredia in Spain, and in the U.S., as well as touring and playing guitar for many U.S. flamenco companies.

Manuel Gutierrez – Manuel’s family came from Cordoba, Spain. He won his first flamenco award at 8 years old. He developed his unique style under the direction of Lita Peiro, José Galván, Joaquin Grilo and Javier Latorre. By age twenty, Gutierrez began producing works and dancing across Europe with legendary artists including Duquende, Chicuelo, Juan Carmona and Chispa Negra in London, Great Britain and France. Manuel was invited to teach at the top studios in Europe including L’Opera de Paris, among others. His choreography was nominated for an Isadora Duncan Dance Award.

Chelsea Rose Neiss – Comes to us from Phoenix, AZ, Chelsea trained at Cal State Fullerton and danced in the film Waiting in the Wings: Still Waiting. She has performed with Atlanta Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. She has a passion for arts education and sharing her love of dance, teaching at studios in Arizona, California and Ohio. In Arizona, she currently dances for Epik Dance Company, Scorpius Dance Theatre and others. Ms. Neiss’ choreography has been showcased at Beta Dance Festival, Breaking Ground Contemporary Dance Festival and the Desert Foothills Theatre’s production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In The Heights, Disaster: The Musical and Annie Get Your Gun. Most recently, she has choreographed for Southwest Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Look for her work under the tag #Neissmoves.

Sandy de Lara – This Texas artist continues to raise the bar in the performing arts community with her exotic look and unparalleled style. Her trademark style, a neo-fusion of Latin rhythms, draws from her mastery of more than 7 distinct global methods and techniques. In Dallas, she carves out her place in history as both a powerful performer and a balanced instructor.

Sandy’s performing career has led her across the country and back, appearing in venues such as China Club (New York), House of Blues (Hollywood), Rain Club (Las Vegas) and many more. She has been featured in several national tours, including Tuaca’s: Body Art Ball, Bud Light Invasion, X-Vodka Femme Fatales and Farouk Systems USA. She has also performed at different salsa congresses, including NYISC, TSC, DSC, DBF, SSC, HSC, UDF. The TV screen has also seen the magic of her movements on The Cristina Show, Telemundo, WFAA and Univision.

With over 20 years of performing excellence, Sandy’s career also extends to the stage of platinum recording artists Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente Jr., Frankie J, Jay Perez and Baby Bash.

Christian Ortiz – Christian is one of the most versatile musicians in DFW. Originally from California, Christian’s musical foundation started with his parents nourishing his love of song by investing in his extensive training in multiple instruments. He plays: saxophone, clarinet and flute studying with accomplished Stan Kenton alum, Mary Fettig. At the University of North Texas he has studied saxophone with Brad Leali, recorded with the renowned Two O’ Clock Lab Band and contributed to two Downbeat Award winning albums with the Latin Jazz Ensemble.

As the lead alto for America’s favorite big band musical, IN THE MOOD! Mr. Ortiz completed two U.S. and Australian tours. He has toured in Europe, performing at the North Sea, Montreaux, and Umbria Jazz Festivals and has performed and recorded with jazz greats James Morrison, Jon Faddis and Bob McChesney. In addition to teaching at Alliance Music Academy in Plano, he is currently the musical director of the Cumbia band Sabor Puro, and is an active performer/arranger with Idoljob, and King David Band. Christian and all of his musical projects can be found on Facebook and Instagram.

Christian Valdés – Born in Cali, Columbia, “Baby” comes from a family of renowned Salsa musicians, which led him to become an active musician in the Latin Scene in America.

By the age of 16 he was already touring with Salsa artists from Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico, among the list, Andy Montañez, Ismael Miranda, Tito Nieves, Guayacan, Luisto Carrion, Willie Gonzalez, Rey Ruiz and many more.

At the age of 19 Christian became part of the renowned band “Grupo Niche”, when on tour, in one of his visits to Dallas, he auditioned for the Jazz Piano program in the University of North Texas, which amazed by his talent, offered him a scholarship to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Jazz Studies. Christian moved to Texas in 2011 and since then, he has had the privilege of studying with different mentors such as Stefan Karlsson, Michael Palma and Sergio Pamies. He has performed with artists such as Diego “El Cigala”, Arturo Sandoval, Nestor Torres, Luis Conte, Karen Briggs, Brad Lealie, Lynn Seaton, Rich DeRosa, among many others.

Christian has also been awarded several Downbeat Awards in the category of Latin Jazz with his own Sextet, and as a best soloist with his own compositions.

Currently, Christian is part of the Jazz Faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington and remains an active pianist, arranger and composer in the Dallas/Ft. Worth scene.

Virginia Maria – Virginia is a native of Havana Cuba and started her dance training at age 5. She discovered Flamenco in 1990 and has been a devotee of the art form ever since.

She has studied with many flamenco legends like Concha Jareno, La Lupi, Adela Campallo and many others. Since 2001, Virginia has performed with Bailes Españoles, Conte de Loyo Flamenco Theatre, Casta Brava, Flamenco DNA and her own group Sabor Flamenco DFW. She has been dancing with Ida y Vuelta since 2014.

Samantha Valdez – Samantha was born and raised in Venezuela. Her passion for dance started at the age of three. In her native country of Venezuela, she trained various styles that include flamenco, jazz, tap and ballet. She attended the Borgar Dance Academy, Los Nisperos Dance Academy and the Escuela De Flamenco Camelia. During these years, she performed in various events throughout Venezuela.

Her passion for dancing continued in the United States when she was invited to participate on a Salsa team. This invitation eventually led to multiple dance performances with various dance teams. These teams included Rumba y Fuego, Mademoiselle Dance Company, Stillo Ardiente Dance Company and the Timba Tumbao Dance Company. With these teams, she performed at the Dallas Bachata Festival, Texas Salsa Congress, Los Angeles Bachata Festival, BIG Salsa Festival and several local events.

El Aberjorro – Luckie “El Abejorro” is an integral part of the Ida y Vuelta team. He is not only a versatile musician, dabbling in electric and acoustic guitar, bass and African percussion, but he is our sound tech and stage manager at show time. He has been dancing for 4 years under the careful instruction of Julia Alcántara.

In between set up and tear down, he sits in as our cajon player, carefully following both dancers and musicians through dozens of calls breaks, crescendos, the complicated 12 count rhythms and multiple time signatures that make up the endless diversity of the Flamenco Musical Genre.

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