DP hosts Santana, Flamenco Vivo

At most dance performances, a loud, emphatic “Olé!” from the audience is not usually condoned, but Carlota Santana, Artistic Director of Flamenco Vivo, actually encourages it.

On Feb. 11, Duke Performances, in conjunction with the Duke Dance Program, will present “Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana,” a flamenco dance performance choreographed by Santana, a guest dance instructor at Duke. Characterized by flowing, vibrant costumes and an energetic atmosphere, flamenco dance originates from Spain and has evolved into an international sensation. Unlike many other dance forms, flamenco is accompanied by live musicians on stage, a presence that Aaron Greenwald, Director of Duke Performances, believes contributes to the style of the performance.

“Any time you can have dancers responding to live music makes for real excitement,” says Greenwald. The performance will feature two guitar players, two singers and five dancers, with the first part of the show focusing on the Latino influences on flamenco while the second part will be performed in the pure flamenco tradition.

In an effort to increase the international performances after a heavy American lineup last semester, Aaron Greenwald chose Flamenco Vivo because of Santana’s contemporary, forward-thinking approach to the Spanish dance as well flamenco’s ability to consistently deliver vibrant performances that attract a sizeable audience.

“There’s a sense of virtuosity [to flamenco],” Greenwald says. “I think people decide to come to a flamenco show because they have a sense, reliably, that it will be fun and exciting and also have some depth to it.”

Founded in New York in 1983, Flamenco Vivo soon added another branch in Durham as a response to the growing Hispanic community, looking to expand the company as well as bridge cultural barriers through dance. Santana’s goal, she says, is to attract more interest to the art form and make it part of American mainstream dance culture.

Santana believes that flamenco has a specific appeal to a younger audience on a college campus, as opposed to other forms of traditional dance.

“Flamenco is an art form of emotion and expressing emotion,” she said. “Younger people are more out there with their emotions—those things are seen on stage and I think it’s easier to identify with.”