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Programs & Repertoire
| Pasión y Arte Repertory |
Original Works |
| Pasión y Arte’s dances exemplify women’s
physical strength and express their personal triumphs and tragedies.
Most flamenco choreography in the U.S. casts men as the center of
attention, while women are confined to the role of subservient romantic
partners. Our work focuses on women and their physical and emotional
strengths. |
 Geografia Intima (Intimate
Geography) – explores
stereotypical representations of three different historical-religious
female archetypes – the witch, the virgin, and the dreamer.
Though deeply embedded in traditional flamenco language, the
work will weave in an out of non-traditional recorded music.
The images embedded in the visual landscape further develop
the story. The characters dance in dialogue with parallel-world
projected versions of themselves and with each other, moving
in and out of one another’s mirrors, space, and time.
Through their movement, the dancers invite the audience to
explore their intimate spaces and include us in their interdisciplinary
journey through a profoundly feminized spirit world. |
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| La Luna de Par en Par (The Moon Wide Open) – Conceptually, this
trilogy explores the female psyche through our experience
of dance. It represents woman’s journey: Part I –
Loss of Innocence-Awareness, Part II – Duality-Masculinity,
and Part III – Evolution-Woman. Each section of the
trilogy has a theme and consequent choice of choreography,
cast, music, video set, and costume. This piece is firmly
rooted in flamenco traditions, but introduces multi-disciplinary
elements through various musical genres, cross-disciplinary
choreography, and video images that create a visual landscape
and set. |
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| El Cuerpo Recuerda (The Body
Remembers) – The Body Remembers
features six female dancers of multi-cultural and multi-generational
backgrounds who use the language of flamenco to investigate
the shared collective experience stored in their bodies as
historical memories. Choreographically this work explores
Hevia y Vaca’s continued interest in using contemporary
forms of dance along with traditional flamenco styles. |
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| Poder de Una Mujer (Strength
of a Woman) - Rooted
in the flamenco art form’s cante (deep song), toque
(guitar), and baile (dance), this work nevertheless challenges
tradition through its choreography and staging. It is a thorough
exploration of women’s differences and how these differences
have the ability to unite rather than divide. One of the group
pieces in this full-length work is danced with pants. Its
choreography explores a new vocabulary by using rigid, primal,
instinctual references and aggressive demeanor, which creates
an uncharacteristic aesthetic for women in flamenco. We collaborated
with artist Adal Maldonado to incorporate a visual landscape
for this work that further explores the environment. |
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Tablao |
| Flamenco performance originates from “tablao,”
which Gypsies performed in restaurants or “cafes del cante”
(singing cafes). Spanning from early 1800s to early 1900s, this
type of performance allowed flamenco to grow both in range and aesthetically
by providing non-Gypsy audiences with the opportunity to view the
art form. Eventually, small stages was erected in these popular
“cafes del cante” and highly acclaimed flamenco artists
performed in these intimate settings before the introduction of
flamenco’s theatrical period. Pasión y Arte often performs
tablao at restaurants, weddings, and in non-theatre venues. |
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Lecture/Demonstrations |
We have given lecture/demonstrations to students
at the Walt Whitman Cultural Center (Camden, NJ), the CORA Summer
Camp (both in Camden, NJ), the Russell
H. Conwell Middle Magnet School, the Latin American Guild
for Arts, the
Catholic Institute for Evangelization, West
Philadelphia Catholic High School, Chataqua Cultural Center
(Chester County), Charter
School Alliance for Progress (Philadelphia), Frankford Style
Community Arts Center (Philadelphia), Moorestown
Friends School (Moorestown, NJ ), Community
Education Center (Philadelphia), Branches
of the Philadelphia Public Library, including Rittenhouse
Square, Girard Avenue, and Fox Chase.
During our lecture demonstrations, students are invited to ask
questions and meet the dancers following performances.
We also perform at private parties and weddings, on occasion. |
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Pasion y Arte has showcased performances
at: |
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