Andrea Williams Flamenco company presents their 3rd instalment of “Raices y Alas” (Roots and Wings): this instalment is entitled “El Color de la Pasion”, featuring 5 dance soloists, 5 more company dancers, and 7 live musicians.
Taking inspiration from the relationships between music, colours and emotions, this work explores both the roots of flamenco and the contemporary evolution of the art, pushing the boundaries of the current expression of flamenco in Canada.
Artists
Dancers (in alphabetical order): Andrea Williams (Vancouver), Kasandra “La China” (Vancouver), Michelle Harding (Vancouver), Oscar Nieto (Vancouver), Rosanna Terraciano (Calgary) and members of Mozaico Flamenco Dance Theatre.
Musicians (in alphabetical order): Farnaz Ohadi (flamenco/persian cante). Jafelin Helten (flamenco cante), Juan de Marias (flamenco guitar), Liam MacDonald (percussion), Maria Avila (flamenco cante), Mehlinda Heartt (harp), Pat Earnst (violin/fiddle).
About Artist Director Andrea Williams
Andrea is the innovator, the madness, and the driving force behind the “Raices y Alas” series. Originally debuted in September 2010, “Raíces y Alas” (Roots and Wings) was conceived as a full-length show depicting the interaction between traditional flamenco, its varying cultural influences, and its contemporary evolution.
Andrea has been a member of Mozaico Flamenco Dance Theatre since 2004 and has performed in its productions “Espiritu sin Nombre” (2004), “Poemas de Alegria” (2005), “Café de Chinitas” (2006), & “Café de Chintas Imagines del Oriente” (2007), Feria de la Costa (2007), and Café de Chinitas Vignettes (2010). She has been featured with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver International Dance Festival, the Dance Centre’s Discover Danceseries, Flamenco del Mar Festival, North Shore Folk Festival, Latin Festival and the West Coast Harp Society Tribute Concert to Jurgen Gothe. Andrea’s credits also extend to numerous performances in Vancouver & the Lower Mainland, 100 Mile House, Squamish & St. John’s, Newfoundland. She performs regularly in the Lower Mainland at the Kino Café and within the community.
Thanks to the generous support from the Canada Council for the Arts Professional Development Program, Andrea spent three exciting months in Jerez de la Frontera and Seville, Spain in 2010. She had the wonderful opportunity to enhance her traditional Sevillan bata de cola, mantón, and castañuelas technique and choreography at Escuela Matilde Coral. She also immersed herself in the exploration of a more contemporary styling with the innovative bailaora, Ángeles Gabaldón.
Andrea has trained extensively in Vancouver with Oscar Nieto and Kasandra La China at Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy. She has also studied with renowned flamenco artists such as Rosario Ancer, Rafaela Carrasco, Isabel Bayón, Ángeles Gabaldón, Maria “Cha-Cha” Bermudez, Andres Marin and Sara de Luis.