Motorco Music Hall
January 17-19, 2019
Each year Flamenco Vivo brings the pride, power and passion of flamenco to Durham in an authentic tablao experience.
Experience flamenco in an authentic and powerful setting at Motorco Music Hall.
Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana returns to Durham January 17-19th with a dynamic cast of world-renowned dancers and musicians from Spain and the US. Experience the dazzling footwork, sensual lyricism and intricate rhythms of this critically-acclaimed company in an intimate tablao (cafe-style) setting. Each performance promises to be spectacular, but join us on January 17th for a special appearance by guest artist Jose Maldonado, heralded by the New York Times for his “bursts of brilliance and uncommon invention.”
Table seating is assigned based on date of purchase. If you wish to reserve a group table (up to 6 seats), please contact hanaah@flamenco-vivo.org/flamenco/ or call 212-736-4499. Seating requests not made by January 5th cannot be guaranteed. If you are purchasing your tickets under one order, you do not need to request a table as you will automatically be seated as one party.
Motorco Music Hall
723 Rigsbee Avenue, Durham, NC 27701
Photo: Alec Himwich
Meet the Artists
Jose Maldonado
Guest Artist (Jan 17th only)
José Maldonado has worked with some of the most revered artists and companies in Spain including Javier Latorre, Antonio Canales, María Pagés, Carmen Cortés, El Guito, Rocío Molina, Rafaela Carrasco, Marcos Flores, and Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía. He often appears in Madrid’s finest tablaos, including Casa Patas, Corral de la Morería, Café de Chinitas, Villa Rosa and Las Carboneras. A Barcelona native, Maldonado moved to Madrid at 18 to study with María Magdalena, Paco Romero, and La China. Over the span of his career, he has earned numerous awards, including the first prize for Spanish dance at the competition in Castellón, best solo choreography (2013) and first prize for group choreography (2015) at the Madrid Certamen de Coreografía de Danza Española y Flamenco. In addition to his work as a dancer, Maldonado has a passion for painting and his work, as well as costume designs, has been featured on a variety of programs.
Isaac Tovar
Dancer
Isaac Tovar was born in Valladolid and finished his studies at the Professional Conservatory of Dance in Seville in 2001. He began his career in the Taller de la Compañía Andaluza de Danza and in May 2004 became a member of Centro Andaluz de Danza under the direction of José Antonio. He performed in the Festival de Peralada and was an artist in the film Iberia by Carlos Saura. Isaac toured as soloist with the Company of Rafael Aguilar and then went on to become a member of the Company Antonio Gades. In 2005, he became a soloist in the National Ballet of Spain. In August he was a member of the Company that received the first prize in the Certamen de Choreography in the Teatro Albeniz with a choreography entitled “XY.” Upon leaving the Ballet National in 2010, Isaac became a member of the Company of Aída Gómez and also presently performs with Ursula López and the Nuevo Ballet Español. Most recently, he was awarded the first place prize for Dance in the renowned La Perla de Cádiz competition in May 2015 and second prize for Solo Choreography in the 2016 Certamen de Coreografia de Danza Española y Flamenco.
Emilio Ochando
Dancer
Emilio was born in Valencia, began studying dance at age 9 and by the next year he is seen performing in various dance festivals in Valencia and in competitions of classical dance and flamenco. In 1995, he performed with the National Ballet of Spain at the Teatro Principal in "Medea” sharing the stage with Lola Greco, and Luis Ortega. At age 12 Emilio appeared as soloist on national TV winning the Performing Arts award Valencia. In 2001 he joined the company of "Domingo Ortega” and in 2006 received his degree from the Madrid’s Royal Conservatory of Dance "Mariemma." He has been a member of the companies of: Nuevo Ballet Español, Ballet Theatre of Rafael Aguilar and the Company of Aida Gomez. In 2011, he won the second prize as soloist in the XX Certamen of Spanish Dance and Flamenco in Madrid and in 2013 formed his own company and in 2015 was awarded a one year contract with Universal Studios in Japan. In 2016 Emilio won the first prize for Choreography in the Certamen of Spanish Dance and Flamenco in Madrid and received Flamenco Vivo’s prize bringing him to New York to choreograph.
Fanny Ara
Dancer
Fanny Ara began her dance studies at age three, studying ballet and Contemporary dance at the Irene Popard school in St. Jean de Luz in the French Basque country. In 1991 she began training in Spanish classical dance with Catalina Gommes and in Madrid with Isabel Quintero and Antonio Najarro. She relocated to Spain pursuing flamenco studies with Juana Amaya, El Torombo, Manolo Soler, Hiniesta Cortes, was accepted into the academy of Mario Maya, and worked in tablaos in Madrid. As a member of Caminos Flamencos, she has shared the stage with Antonio de la Malena, Juan Ogalla, and Domingo Ortega. From 2006-2011 she was nominated in the category of Most Outstanding Individual Dancer from the Isadora Duncan Dance Awards, presented "Magia Flamenca" in Washington DC, created "A traves de sus ojos" and presented, "Garlochi," at the Montalvo Center of Art. In 2012 her project "Juncal Street" was nominated in 3 categories by the Isadora Duncan Awards.
Elisabet Torras
Dancer
Elisabet Torras was born and raised in Barcelona, earned her B.A. in Spanish Dance/Flamenco from the Conservatory of Dance and Theater continuing her studies in Madrid. Her training is based on Flamenco, Classical Spanish Dance, Escuela Bolera, Spanish Folklore, The Emma Maleras Castanet Method, Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Elisabet has toured Europe and Asia with Flamenco, Classical Spanish Dance and Zarzuela companies. In 2009, she was guest artist at the Flamenco Festival “Viva España” in Moscow and the “Presidence Belge” Festival in Brussels. With pianist Manolo Carrasco she toured Spain and China and performed with Javier Latorre’s Somorrostro Dansa Flamenca and worked with Rojas & Rodriguez Company in 2011. Since 2013 Elisabet has been performing across the USA as a solo artist and with NY based Flamenco companies such as A Palo Seco, American Bolero Dance Company, Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca and Latin Grammy Award Winner Hernan Romero. She performed as solo castanet artist at Dance Heginbotham, with opera singers Anna Tonna and Larissa Martinez and with classical orchestras. Elisabet has taught Spanish Dance in Madrid, Barcelona and at Moscow’s Flamenqueria – a Russian institute dedicated to Spanish traditions. She currently resides in New York City where she teaches and lectures on Spanish Dance.
Laura Peralta
Dancer
Laura Peralta started her classical music and dance studies at the age of eight. She studied at the Manhattan School of Music for ten years as a piano major and graduated with honors from Johns Hopkins University, beginning her flamenco studies with Omayra Amaya upon returning to New York. Laura has performed in New York City and throughout the U.S. with companies including A Palo Seco Flamenco, Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company in New Mexico, Pasión y Arte in Rosario Toledo’s Cómplices at Jacob’s Pillow, Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana in their national tours and seasons at BAM and the Joyce Theater, and with Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca in their national tour and production of Antigona. Laura also co-choreographed and performed a piece selected for the 2015 Queensboro Dance Festival.
Gaspar Rodriguez
Guitarist, Musical Director
Gaspar Rodriguez was born in Estepona, Málaga, and has had an extensive career as a Flamenco guitarist and composer. His music is deeply rooted in the traditional while also embodying a modern-day sensibility in its expressive, avant-garde sound. He has won several prestigious awards including the “Sabicas Prize” and was a finalist of “La Union” in flamenco guitar. An accomplished composer of music for dance, his music has been featured in dozens of works for celebrated companies such as El Nuevo Ballet Español under the direction of Angel Rojas, the company of Cecilia Gómez, and in the contemporary flamenco group Cañadú. As a composer, guitarist and music director, he has graced the stage at many acclaimed theaters throughout the world and collaborated on numerous discographic productions and soundtracks. Gaspar has accompanied some of the most renowned figures in the art form today such as Antonio Canales, Juan Andrés Maya, Rocío Molina, David Morales, Angel Rojas and Angel Muñoz as well as singers Rocío Marquez, Maite Maya, Antonio de Canillas, and Rocio Bazán. Gaspar performs regularly in the famed Madrid tablaos El Corral de La Moreria, Tablao Villarosa, Casa Patas and Las Carboneras. He teaches workshops in technique and accompaniment throughout Europe and the Americas and currently serves as guitarist and Music Director for companies in the US, Canada and Spain.
Francisco "Yiyi" Orozco
Singer, Percussionist
Francisco "Yiyi" Orozco of an Andalusia family, born in Barcelona, was introduced to Flamenco rhythms at the tender age of four. Yiyi was trained by flamenco singer and father-- “Joselón de Jerez” in his Spanish peña named “Peña Fosforito”. Considered a “child prodigy” of percussion Yiyi began his professional career at the age of twelve. By age seventeen, and one CD later, he became more involved with singing, and left Spain for Germany on a long-term contract with the company “Flamenco Rubio”. Since that time he has performed with “Compañia Flamenca Alhama” throughout Europe and Japan; with María Benitez “Teatro Flamenco” and Domingo Ortega as well as at “Casa Patas” in Madrid; with Jose Greco II; and with world-renowned guitarist Serranito. He has also performed with Alejandro Granados, Yolanda Heredia, El Toleo, El Pelao, María Serrano, La Tania and Antonio Granjero.
Jesus de Utrera
Singer
Jesus de Utrera was born in Utrera in 1974 and at a very young age began performing and learned under the tutelage of Enrique El Extremeño. Jesus began his artistic career working with the Company of Angela Españadero "El Flamenco" and in 2000 was a member of the Company Tres al Compas with whom he toured Costa Rica. The years 2001-2002 saw him performing with the Company of Maria Benitez Estampa Flamenca throughout the United States. In 2003 he was featured with Juan Ogalla in New York City. He toured Holland, Germany and Belgium with the Company of Pilar Tabora He then spent a number of years performing in Tokyo sharing the stage with such famous artists as Extremeño, La Moneta, Pedro Sierra, La Tobala, Oscar de los Reyes, Mara Martinez, Maria Jose Franco, and Claudia Criz among others. Jesus has worked in various tablaos such as Casa Patas in Madrid and the famous Los Gallos en Seville. In 2008 he toured Japan with the company of Angela Españadero and toured Croatia and Slovenia with Flamenco Puro and toured with the Company of La Truco to Moscow. And performed in Buenos Aires in 2011 at the Bienal de Arte Flamenco. Most recently Jesus performed with the CUMBRE FLAMENCA Compañía Carmen la Talegona.
