The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center tackles an international project that culminates in a big show this weekend. I went recently to watch six members of the Guadalupe Dance Company tap out an intense selection. I spoke to a pair of them afterwards.
"My name is Jeannette Chavez and I am the Dance Program Director here at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts center.”
I asked her to tell me about the program entitled Pisando Fuerte.
“It’s a flamenco production that we’re doing this year and we actually invited a guest artist from Seville, from Spain. And his name is Miguel Vargas.”
To help understand this work better, she revealed this little piece of Flamenco history.
"Women were the ones who did all the beautiful arm work and shawl work, and the hand work, and the intense footwork was saved for the males.”
Not so in this production, as dancer Belinda Menchaca says.
“Pisando Fuerte, which means stomping strong. But it incorporates so many other elements—your body, your arms, your hand, your skirt work. And all of that combined with lots of expressive movements, and being able to synchronize that with live music.”
That music is provided by a percussionist, a singer, a flamenco guitarist and those pounding sounds made by seven dancers. As to when it all goes down, here’s Jeannette.
"It’s this Friday and Saturday at 8PM at the Guadalupe Theater, and Sunday we have a matinee performance at 3PM.
We've more on their performance here.
