March 17, 2015

Pasion y Arte (PyA) has been presenting original and innovative work in our region and beyond for the past fifteen years, including presenting the two recent Philadelphia Flamenco Festivals. Led by founder and Artistic Director Elba Hevia y Vaca, PyA presents contemporary feminist flamenco dance through a multidisciplinary approach that engages with other dance forms and artistic mediums. The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote in January that this “innovative company is Philly-based and world-class. It modernizes traditional flamenco, often incorporating a narrative…” Pasion y Arte will present the world premiere of their new work “Cosas de Mujeres,” or “Women’s Things,” in the Pearlstein Gallery (3401 Filbert Street) on April 10, 11 and 12. The work merges modern flamenco with post-modern dance, to the accompaniment of live world-class flamenco music, set against the background of Ray Bartkus’ large scale paintings currently on view in the Gallery. Click here to buy tickets.

On Friday and Saturday, April 10 and 11 at 8:00pm and on Sunday, April 12 at 3:00pm, company dancers will be joined by modern dance artist KC Chun-Manning (FreshBlood) to challenge themselves and the audience to investigate beyond the surface of gender constructions. The collaboration reflects a continuing cross-disciplinary conversation between Chun-Manning and PyA. “Cosas de Mujeres” uses feminine objects that are distinctively present in the flamenco language—the “manton” (shawl), “abanico” (fan), and “bata de cola” (long train)—to explore the significance that “women’s things” hold for contemporary women and how women are strengthened by their femininity.

Performances will feature original compositions and live music by Ricardo Diaz, a noted San Francisco-based flamenco artist whose guitar playing has taken him around the world from gypsy neighborhoods in Spain to London and Tokyo, cante (singing) by Barbara Martinez, and the percussion of the gifted Francois Zayas. Tickets are $20 General Admission and $16 for students and seniors. Click here to read more about Pasion y Arte.