Flamenco a las 8 (Sold out)
$ $27 General; $40 Angel (helps support full cost of production)
8:00 pm
Saturday, April 8, 2023

BUY TICKETS This event is sold out.

An Evening of Music and Dance with Melissa Cruz and Guest Artists

The dynamism and allure of flamenco come alive on stage in an evening of dance and music with Melissa Cruz. Joined by her cast of seasoned professionals and dedicated studio dancers, Cruz presents a diverse program of dances, expressing the full spectrum of human emotion.

Deep cante jondo juxtaposes with light-hearted cante chico. The pulse of the cajón drum and the stirring poly-rhythms of heelwork weave and unravel to create tension and release so emblematic of flamenco. A guitar’s rapid picado and thundering rasgueado meet articulating arms and fingers of bailaoras as they bring forth other-worldly inspirations.

Be moved by an intense and passionate evening of Bay Area flamenco culture with its zeal for community, respect for the art form, and deep emotion, hallmarks of this beautiful tradition that continue to generate new inspiration for itself and its audiences.

Doors open at 7:00pm with sangria, cocktails and paella from Lola’s Spanish Cuisine for purchase.

“Any dancer could make pained faces. But Cruz is clearly possessed by the duende — the spirit that drives this deeply introspective art.” -Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle

Schedule

7:00pm – Doors open with paella, sangria and cocktails for purchase.

8:00 – 10:00pm – Performance

Artist Bio

Melissa Cruz is a Bay Area-based flamenco professional and has been a full-time flamenco artist and instructor for the past 20 years. She teaches a full schedule of classes and mentors her students in their development of flamenco knowledge and interpretation culminating in formal annual recitals. Enjoying a concurrent musical career, she is percussionist/drummer/dancer with several active musical projects. She has collaborated with many flamenco groups nationwide, most recently with the National Institute of Flamenco’s 2021 Festival Flamenco Albuquerque. From 2020 to 2022, she was a producer for Arts in the Basin, a featured presenter for World Arts West’s Presidio Tunnel Tops program and a featured soloist in the first annual Peninsula International Dance Festival. In addition to her accomplished artistic career, Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts from UC Berkeley and a Juris Doctor degree from University of San Francisco.

Banner Photo by Stefan Cohen.