Navidad Flamenca:
A Flamenco Nutcracker
December 6-8, 2019 | at Abrons Arts Center
Trade in the sugar plum fairy for a bullfighter: Create new holiday traditions & memories that will last a lifetime with this unique presentation that brings the rich holiday customs of the Spanish-speaking world to life: from Argentina and Mexico to Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico.
Directed by Emilio Ochando, this performance is perfect for families and incorporates live music, dance and traditional songs, all performed in the cozy Abrons Playhouse Theater. Tickets start at $19, half off for under 18 years old and seniors.
Abrons Arts Center 466 Grand Street (at Pitt Street), New York, NY
Starting at $19
Friday, December 6
8:00 PM
Abrons Arts Center | Henry Street Settlement
“A joyful celebration of music and dance”
–The New York Times
villancicos
Get into the spirit and learn more…
The villancico is a Spanish poetic and musical form that was popular from the late 15th to 18th century. In the 20th century, the term more commonly means “Christmas carol.” Today, in Spanish-speaking countries, the singing of villancicos is a favorite form of musical expression during Advent and Nativity.
Flamenco Vivo brings beloved villancicos to life during Navidad Flamenca, celebrating the holiday traditions from across the Spanish-speaking world!
MEET THE ARTISTS
Emilio Ochando
Emilio Ochando was born in Valencia and began his training at the age of nine. At 12 he collaborated with the National Ballet of Spain and at 16 moved to Madrid continuing his training and finishing his studies at the The Royal Professional Conservatory of Madrid “Mariemma.” He has performed with the Companies of Domingo Ortega, Inma Ortega, Malucos Danza, Nuevo Ballet Español (Rojas and Rodríguez), and Aida Gómez and performed in various tablaos, nationally and internationally. In 2013 he created his own Company and produced works such as: 3DEUNO and SIROCO. He has choreographed for the Rafael Aguilar Company and for the production of “Oh Cuba” in Granada at the Generalife. He choreographed Romeo and Juliet for the EBB Company, and "Sin Duda.” for the latest production of the Royal Professional Conservatory “Marienma.” He performs workshops and masterclasses traveling to the United States, Canada, London, and Europe. During his career he has received many awards: 1st prize in the international contest of Spanish dance and flamenco city of Almeria. First prize Talentmadrid 2016 and First prize in the Certamen de Baile Español y Flamenco in Madrid in 2016. In 2018, he was a candidate for the 2018 MAX awards for a best male performance and a best new show for SIROCO. Presently he is performing as guest artist and touring with his latest 3DEUNO and SIROCO shows. He has performed in festivals such as the Jerez Festival, Suzanne Dellal Festival, and Flamenco Madrid Festival, among others.
Isaac Tovar
Isaac Tovar is a former soloist of the Ballet Nacional de España, Nuevo Ballet Español, Compañía Antonio "El Pipa," Compañía Andaluza de Danza, among many other premier national and international companies including Flamenco en route (Switzerland) and Flamenco Vivo (NYC). Isaac performed as a semifinalist in the LIX Festival International del Cante de las Minas. He is the recipient of the 1st prizes at the renowned Concurso Nacional de la Perla de Cádiz, the IV Concurso Internacional de Danza in Almería, and the XXVII Concurso Nacional de Ubrique, as well as the 2nd prize for Solo Choreography in the XXV Certamen de Coreografía de Danza Española y Flamenco in Madrid. In 2018 Tovar debuted his first solo production “Añejo” at the Centro Cultural de la Villa in his hometown Seville. In 2019 his production “Generaciones” premiered at the prestigious Teatro Real in Madrid. Throughout his career he has danced in important theaters around the world, including: Place des Arts in Montreal, Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid, Teatro de la Maestranza in Sevilla, Teatro Villamarta in Jerez, Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Palace of Music in Moscow, Chaillot Theatre in Paris, Sadler’s Wells of London, Bunkamura Theatre in Tokyo, International Theater in Taipei, Peking Opera House, and the Joyce Theater in New York City.
Leslie Roybal
Leslie Roybal began her career at age 5 performing with a Mexican folkloric dance company in her hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. After receiving her BFA in Theater from Stephens College, she continued her dance education at the University of New Mexico studying contemporary dance and flamenco. Proficient in both dance forms, Leslie has throughout the U.S. with companies such as Murray Spalding Mandalas, Fred Darsow Dance, Neville Dance Company, The Metropolitan Opera, Pasion y Arte, A Palo Seco, and in the New York and New Jersey tablaos. She is the Program Director for Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana and spearheads such projects as the Annual Boros Tour and The Flamenco Certamen USA. As a teacher, Leslie leads lecture demonstrations, conducts workshops, master classes and professional development programs and gives lectures within the Contemporary Dance and Flamenco ideologies. She was a pioneering member of the Performers in Transition Fellowship – BAM Professional Development Program/DeVos Institute of Arts Management at the Kennedy Center, a NALAC Leadership Institute participant, a 2016 Coors Light Líderes Program honoree, and most recently was named a Hispanics in Philanthropy 2017 NGEN fellow.
Laura Peralta
Laura Peralta began her musical studies at the age of 8, attending the Manhattan School of Music and later the Johns Hopkins University, where she received her BA degrees. She began her formal dance studies with Omayra Amaya in New York City at the age of 23. In Spain, Laura has studied under artists including Úrsula López, Guadalupe Torres, José Maldonado, Isaac Tovar, Pilar Ogalla, Adela Campallo, Juan Ogalla, and Esperanza Fernandez. She was also a scholarship recipient for the Flamenco Program at the School at Jacob’s Pillow. Laura has danced for companies including Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana, A Palo Seco Flamenco, Soledad Barrio y Noche Flamenca, Pasión y Arte, Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre, and has had original work selected for festivals. She has performed in the NYC area and toured throughout the US, sharing the stage with renowned artists at venues including the National Museum of Dance, Wolftrap, WhiteBird, Shakespeare in the Park, the Rockefeller Estate, Kaatsbaan International Center for Dance, BAM Fisher Hall, Jacob’s Pillow Inside/Outside Festival and the Joyce Theater. Laura currently teaches, performs and continues her flamenco studies in New York City and Seville, Spain.
Elisabet Torras
Elisabet Torras was born and raised in Barcelona, earned her B.A. in Spanish Dance/Flamenco from the Conservatory of Dance and Theater and continued her studies in Madrid. She is trained in all forms of Spanish Dance, The Emma Maleras Castanet Method, Ballet and Contemporary Dance. Elisabet was a guest artist at Flamenco Festivals around the world, performed with Manolo Carrasco, Javier Latorre’s Somorrostro Dansa Flamenca and Rojas & Rodriguez Company and performed across the USA solo and with Flamenco companies such as Soledad Barrio & Noche Flamenca, Omayra Amaya Flamenco Dance Company, A Palo Seco Flamenco Company and Hernan Romero. In 2017 she was a guest artist/choreographer with Dance Heginbotham. Elisabet also ventured out into new territory appearing in the lead role in PALOMA, an award winning short film by Sophia Conger. Elisabet has taught Spanish Dance in Madrid, Barcelona and at Moscow’s Flamenqueria. She resides in New York City where she teaches and lectures Flamenco and Spanish Dance and for the last 4 years, being the featured dancer for the Annual Gala of Zarzuelas at Carnegie Hall.
Sol "La Argentinita"
Sol, “La Argentinita,” is a flamenco artist who over the past decade has established herself as one of the major dancers and choreographers in New York City. She has performed internationally as a soloist and with numerous renowned Flamenco artist from Spain. She has also performed at illustrious venues including Lincoln Center, Town Hall, Symphony Space, The New Victory, the Joyce and the Metropolitan Opera. In 2007, she founded Flamenco y Sol Flamenco Company, producing traditional flamenco performances and workshops. Sol was the principal dancer and choreographer for the Flamenco Fusion with Latin Grammy Raul Jaurena and prodigy, Diego Amador at the Thalia Theater. Sol is also a teaching artist conducting residencies with Flamenco Vivo, Alvin Ailey, Young Audiences and Brooklyn Arts Council. In addition, she is a member of the Mark Morris Group faculty.
Jose Moreno
Jose Moreno was born into a family of flamenco artists and has performed with artists such as: Manolete, Pastora Galván, Pedro Cortés, Omayra Amaya, Roberto Castellón, Chuscales, Jose Luis De La Paz, Carmen Ledesma, Jesús Montoya, Curro Cueto, Amparo Heredia, Raquel Heredia, Adrián Galia, Ángel Muñoz, Belén Maya, Chano Domínguez and Jorge Pardo. José choreographed for and/or performed with the New World Symphony Orquestra and the Boston Flamenco Ballet, the Panama Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Zorongo Flamenco, Zorro, The Musical, Flamenco Vivo, The Metropolitan Opera, and Kennedy Center/Washington National Opera. He also participated in a TV series called Los Descendientes de Andalucía, produced by Canal Sur (Spain).
Raphael Brunn
Raphael, a flamenco guitarist and composer, was born to a well-known family of jugglers, dancers and trapeze artists. Raphael started playing bass guitar at the age of ten and at fourteen, moved to Europe to join his father, a world renowned juggler and acrobat using live Flamenco music in his performances From a young age, Raphael was exposed to some of Spain’s finest Flamenco artists including El Manzanita, El Recortao, Pepe Marquez, El Carrete and many more. His public debut playing Flamenco guitar was in the opening festivities of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. In 2001 and 2003 he worked with El Farruquito and El Torombo in Frankfurt, Germany. Now in NYC Raphael performs with his own Flamenco Quintet including Oscar Vallero Sean Kupisz; Duane Eubanks; Karel Ruzika and various singers. He has recently released his debut album, “Puertas Abiertas”
Erick Perales
Erick Perales is from Pharr, Texas, where he began his dance training at 14 with Luis Canales. At the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), Erick joined the award-winning Ballet Folklorico UTRGV under the direction of Miguel Peña. With UTRGV he performed at Jacob’s Pillow, in Mexico, and in numerous places across the United States. Erick earned a BA in Dance performance from UTRGV in 2019 and gained formal training at Dancentre of Edinburg under the direction of Yvonne Guajardo and Yvette Iannelli. Erick is currently a member of the NYC based Folklorico and contemporary ballet fusion company, Ballet Nepantla.
Francesca Iannelli
Frances Iannelli was born and raised in McAllen, TX with Italian and Hispanic roots. She developed her talent at Dancentre of Edinburg and La Joya High School and in 2017 graduated from Texas State University, with her BFA in dance studies. Francesca has had the privilege of studying and working with world renowned names in dance such as Gelsey Kirlkand, Peter O’Brien, and Amalia Viviana Bastanta Hernandez. Francesca was a member of Texas State University’s pre-professional dance company, Merge, with whom she had the honor of performing at COCO Dance Festival in Trinidad and Tobago. She is currently a founding member of the NYC based folklorico and contemporary ballet fusion company, Ballet Nepantla.
