FOR MORE INFORMATION AND DIRECTIONS TO STUDIOS; EMAIL CAROLINA AT carolinalugo1@msn.com or visit at www.carolinalugo.com

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Experience flamenco dance with Rubina Valenzuela

The Flamenco Society of San Jose Ca. Dance Academy is proud to announce that Rubina Valenzuela
will be teaching Tuesday sessions June 26, at the Roundhill Studios, Santa Clara, CA.
For more information on classes and registration contact Rubina at:
e-mail: flamencarubina@aol.com
www.flamencarubina.com

FEATURE SHOW

SHOTGUN PLAYERS PRESENT

BLOOD WEDDING
BY FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA
TRANSLATED BY MICHAEL DEWELL & CARMAN ZAPATA
DIRECTED BY EVREN ODCIKIN
CHOREOGRAPHY BY YAELISA
ORIGINAL MUSIC BY DAVID MCLEAN AND YAELISA

EXTENED THROUGH TO APRIL 29!

Click here for the new
Interview with Yaelisa, Emmy Award-winning
dancer on the new production of "Blood Wedding".

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Inspired by a true story, Lorca's Blood Wedding is a tale of unrelenting passion. A young woman is set to marry a good, kind man. Yet her heart still yearns for another. Which is worse - to betray your heart or the one who loves you? Lorca's poetry exposes the raw, visceral nature of desire. Blood Wedding previews on Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22, opens on Friday, March 23, and runs Thursday – Sunday through April 22 at The Ashby Stage in Berkeley.

The crux of Blood Wedding hinges on disparities between personal desire and smart choices. The tragic aspects of the play unfold on many heart wrenching levels; young lovers who torture themselves by denying their desire, the sick reality of choosing to spend life with some one you don’t love, and the desperate pattern of gruesome revenge between families.

Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936) is remembered first and foremost as a poet, but he was also an accomplished musician and composer. Murdered by the Franco regime at the outset of the Spanish Civil War – Lorca’s legacy survives in the fact that he is now the most translated Spanish writer in history. A contemporary (and college friend at the renowned Residencia de Estudiantes in Madrid) of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali – Lorca was central to the avant guarde movement in Spain.

Lorca’s early childhood in the Andalucian countryside had a profound, life long effect on his work. The dry menacing landscape of Blood Wedding is one example of Lorca’s deep understanding of the land and its hold on the farming families who worked it. Gypsy culture and Flamenco traditions also had great impact on Lorca, and throughout his life he was inspired to preserve the traditional songs and culture of Spain, creating his own anthology of popular songs (many of which had gypsy and flamenco lyrics), and recording an album with celebrated cantadora La Argentinita. In the late 1930’s Franco banned all of Lorca’s work, and in 1936 he was arrested, shot, and buried in an unmarked mass grave outside Grenada. Lorca’s books were burned in the main public Plaza of the city, and this censorship remained in place until Franco’s death in 1975 – when Lorca’s life and work could finally be talked about publicly again in his own country.

In Shotgun’s production of Blood Wedding, directed by Evren Odcikin, Flamenco takes a primary role, both in style and structure. Flamenco guitarist David McLean performs his own compositions to accompany the production. The strong postures and passionate attitudes of the dance are further depicted in rich vocal work and choreography by Yaelisa. The flamenco inspired translation is by Michael Dewell and Carmen Zapata.

Known as one of the most gifted Flamenco artists of her generation, Yaelisa (choreography) and the exquisite passion of her flamenco performances have captured the attention of critics around the world. Heralded as a “luminary” among flamenco dancers by The Los Angeles Times, Yaelisa is the recipient of an Emmy Award for Choreography, and has been commissioned by several modern dance companies, as well as for San Jose Repertory, and for the ODC Café Flamenco Series, now entering its sixth successful year. In 2005, Yaelisa and her company were honored to receive an Isadora Duncan Dance Award in for excellence in the category of “Best Company Performance.”

Shotgun Players cast of Blood Wedding includes Shotgun Core Company members John Mercer and Ryan O’Donnell. The production also features performances by Anna Ishida (The Forest War, Bright Ideas), Jessica Kitchens (Love is a Dream House in Lorin, Cabaret), and newcomers to the Shotgun Stage Terry Boero, Erin Gilley, John-Paul Goorjian, Scarlett Hepworth, Robert Mercer, Patricia Miller, Baruch Porras-Hernandez and Dawn Scott. Kate Boyd will design the set with props by Kehren Barbour, costumes by Shotgun Company member Valera Coble, and light design by Jarrod Fischer. Local Flamenco phenomenon Yaelisa will create the choreography, with original music composed and performed by guitarist David McLean.


Inspired by a true story, Lorca's Blood Wedding is a tale of unrelenting passion and the desperate patterns of revenge. Murdered by the Franco regime at the outset of the Spanish Civil War, the legend of playwright Frederica Garcia Lorca survives in the fact that he is now the most translated Spanish writer in history. Known as one of the most gifted Flamenco artists of her generation, choreographer Yaelisa lends a passionate layer of music and dance to the production.

Blood Wedding previews on Wednesday, March 21 and Thursday, March 22, opens on Friday, March 23, and runs Thursday – Sunday through April 22 at The Ashby Stage in Berkeley. All Performances are at 8PM EXCEPT three Sunday matinees on April 15 & 22 at 5PM.

The Ashby Stage, 1901 Ashby Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703

TICKETS: Pay What You Can - $25. The first week of performances, March 21 - 25 are Pay-What-You-Can at the door for general seats. For March 29 – April 22, Tickets are $17 for Thursdays, $22 for Fridays and Sundays, and $25 for Saturdays. Reservations for all performances are strongly advised. For every performance there will be tickets released at the door. The waiting list for these tickets begins taking names one hour before the performance.

For more information go to www.shotgunplayers.org or call 510.841.6500

UPCOMING SHOWS

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SF Flamenco is an online community center and magazine working to support and showcase the entire flamenco community in the greater San Francisco Bay Area by providing a promotional media interface representing flamenco culture, arts and artists to facilitate public awareness and understanding. This California on-line flamenco magazine, includes event listings, an artist directory, flamenco artist support and resources, historical and education resources, art, nightlife and resources on local, U.S.A., Spanish and international flamenco art and culture. If you are a local flamenco performer, find out about the free Feature Articles, and Performer's Network. Site created as a community arts project by Jason Engelund, El Pintor.