The Vancouver International Flamenco Festival presents: Mercedes Amaya "La Winy" (Mexico); With ¡ARTE! Flamenco (Saskatoon) at the Playhouse.
Date/Time: Sep 16 2016, 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Vancouver, Vancouver PlayhouseCost: CA$60.00
Find tickets: here
MERCEDES LA WINY AMAYA was born in Mexico to Antonia Amaya and flamenco singer, Luis Algaba Chiquito de Triana. Her parents represent many of the Amaya clan who emigrated from Spain to find fame in the Americas. With talent in her blood, and a mother and father dedicated to this rich, poetic art, Mercedes adopted flamenco as her life passion. In the early 1990s,she formed Mercedes Amaya Company with husband, guitarist Santiago Aguilar. Upon gaining notoriety in Spain alongside artists such as dancer/film actor Antonio Canales, Mercedes took her company to the U.S. to take part in the National Institute of Flamencos festival in Alburquerque, New Mexico. Soon after, Mercedes Amaya Company was called upon by Japans prestigious tablao, El Flamenco to perform a successful six-month season. Through this various international exposure Mercedes solidified her role as a worldwide ambassador for flamenco. Spreading passion for flamenco is a tradition passed to Mercedes by Carmen Amaya (1918-1963).The Spanish Gitano dancer is largely credited for sparking North Americas love for this discipline. Carmens mesmerizing ability celebrated from Buenos Aires to Mexico City was famously praised by the great conductor Toscanini, who upon witnessing her cried, Never in my life have I seen such fire and rhythm! Carmen captured the mainstream imagination in 1941 during her Carnegie Hall debut.The Queen of the Gypsies thereafter rose to superstar status, performing for former President Theodore Roosevelt at the Whitehouse, appearing in eight Hollywood films, and gracing the cover of Life Magazine.
In Templanza, festival audiences will for the first time encounter the authentic Spanish Gypsy style of flamenco. Mercedes Amaya and her dancers will ignite the Vancouver Playhouse with their vigorous palmas (hand clapping) and frenetic footwork, driven by the gravelly voz afilla (Gypsy style vocals), and raw, guttural guitar. A fiery tribute to flamencos vibrant past, including the legacy of Carmen Amaya, Templanza was first presented in 2015 at Mexico Citys prestigious Palacio de Bellas Artes. This electrifying work traces the evolution of flamenco, while revealing the diverse ways, from sumptuous sway to fierce flourish, each member Mercedes Amaya (dancer), Nacho Blanco (dancer), Jose Diaz Cachito (singer), Santiago Aguilar (guitarist) embodies duende, the spirit of flamenco.
ARTE! FLAMENCO DE CAL, CANTO Y ARENA
Saskatoon celebrated flamenco instructor and performer, Kari Alba, joins forces with internationally renowned artists Celedonio Garrido (singer), Ricardo Diaz (guitarist), and Alejandro Sie (dancer). Together they will explore the interconnected significance of three of lifes most vital elements the salt, the song, the sand accompanied by a mix of percussive effects & illuminated projections.
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