Mina Fajardo & Chuscales to Return to Teatro Paraguas for Flamenco Fiesta 2017

Flamenco dancer & choreographer Mina Fajardo and legendary flamenco Guitarist Chuscales are coming back to Teatro Paraguas this Spring 2017!

Teatro Paraguas presents three days of flamenco dance and music in our Flamenco Fiesta 2017 entitled "Hito-Fude & Sumi-e: Calligraphy and Choreography - Illusions in Arts" by Compañia Mina Fajardo & Chuscales on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 31, April 1 & 2, 2017.

In Japanese, Hito-Fude describes a single brush stroke, and Sumi-e is the fully realized black ink painting built from those single strokes. Still, there is more. Sumi-e is the act of writing a painting, of painting a poem. This inspired performance combines the fluidity these visual acts with the elegance of flamenco dance and music. While these two traditional art forms are very different, the blend to show that all arts, passions, and spirits are a connecting path through the world.

Guest artists including flamenco guitarist Joaquin Gallegos, flamenco dancer Domino Martinez and Monze Diaz.

Over the past three years, Compañia Mina Fajardo & Chuscales has had seven sold out performances!

Tickets: $25 general admission, $20 Students and Seniors at FlamencoFiesta2017.brownpapertickets.com or by calling 505-424-1601. For more information, visit www.teatroparaguas.org.

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Flamenco Fiesta 2017:

"Hito-Fude & Sumi-e": Calligraphy and Choreography

Illusions in Arts

Friday, March 31, 2017 at 7pm

Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 7pm

Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 2pm

Artistic Director, Play Wright & Choreographer by Mina Fajardo

Music Director by Jose Valle "Chuscales"

Casts:

Mina Fajardo - Principal Dancer

Chuscales - Guitarist & Composer

Joaquin Gallegos - Guitarist

Alejandro Valle - Percussionist

Domino Martinez - Dancer

Monze Diaz - Dancer

Amanda Crocker - Dancer & Actress

Argos MacCallum - Actor

Zoe Whittle - Dancer

Xochitl Ehrl - Dancer & Actress

Charles Brunn

Fernando Lirola - Singer

Charles Brunn - Dancer

Joshua Vigil - Lighting Designer

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About Mina Fajardo - Artistic Director, Choreographer, Playwright and Dancer:

Mina Valle Fajardo, "Mina" has received extensive training in flamenco, Escuela bolera, jazz, Tap and ballet. Mina has received flamenco training from El Guito, Carmera Greco, Ciro, La Tati, La China, Alejandro Granados, Yolanda Heredia, Isabel Bayon, Rafaela Carrasco, Pastora Galvan, Jose Maya, Ursula Lopez, Adela Campallo, Rafael Campallo, Concha Vargas, Eva La Yerbabuena, Farruquito, La Lupi, Andres Marin, Joaquin Ruiz and Keiko Issiki.

She has taught in the Maria Benitez Institute for Spanish Arts, Northern New Mexico University, Santa Fe Community College, Eva Encinias Sandovals National Institute of Flamenco, Nava Elementary School, Sweeney Elementary School, The New Mexico Academy of International School, Santa Fe High School, Santa Fe Danceworks, Moving Arts Española, Maria Vazquez Flamenco Denver, The Spanish Institute of Dance in Houston, Texas, and Fazil Dance Studio & Japanese Chamber of Commerce in New York City.

Fajardo has performed in Japan, New York City, San Francisco, Boston, Denver, Houston, Maryland and Albuquerque and has made several appearances on television in Manhattan, New Mexico, Japan & Spain. In Santa Fe, She has performed at the Santa Fe Opera and in the Santa Fe Jazz and International Music Festival at the Lensic Theatre.

She has performed with many artists including Elena Andujar, El Pripi, La Tibu, Chuscales, YiYi, Silverio Heredia, Tequila de Jerez, Omayra Amaya, Jose Cortes, Manuel Gutierrez, Kina Mendez, Juan Siddi and Keiko Isshiki.

She choreographed and performed in many productions including Romance de la Luna (Santa Fe, NM 2016), Flamenco Fiesta - Una Nota de Lorca (Santa Fe, 2016), Gypsy Book (Santa Fe, 2015) "Flamenco Masters" (Denver, CO 2015), "Houston Spanish & Flamenco Festival 2015" (Houston, TX 2015), Flamenco X3 (2015), "Gypsy Passion"(2014), "Flamenco Fiesta!" (2015, 2014 & 2013), "Forever in My Heart" (Santa Fe, 2013 ), "My Gypsy Soul" (Santa Fe, 2012), "Chuscales at Old Main, Boulder" (CO, 2011), "Chuscales y Mina Fajardo con Las Tres Mujeres" (Las Vegas. NM, 2010), "Chuscales Live at MIT" (Boston, 2009), Telluride Jazz Festival (Telluride, 2008), "Chuscales at Tubac" (Tubac, AZ, 2007), "Soul del Arte Tradiciones e Innovaciones" (San Francisco, 2005), "Ainadamar, Landscapes and Impression" Santa Fe Opera (2005), "A Night of Flamenco Magic Lakewood Cultural Center (Denver, CO, 2005), "Santa Fe Jazz and International Music Festival" (2004 & 2001), The John E. Morlow Guitar Series Flamenco Night (Chevy Chase, MD, 2004), SJC Multicultural Arts Series Flamenco (San Juan Capistrano, CA, 2003).

She appeared in films "Flamenco Passion & Soul" (1999), "El Payo" (2010), "Españoles en el mundo - Nuevo Mexico" (2013).

She currently teaches flamenco dance classes at Santa Fe Community College, Northern New Mexico College, Santa Fe Danceworks & Moving Arts Española and performs with Chuscales, Juan Siddi & Kina Mendez at Local Tablao & Theater in Santa Fe, NM. For more, visit www.minafajardo.com.

About "Chuscales":

This was the name given to Jose Valle Fajardo by his Grandfather. Since then, the name Chusco has come to describe a guitarist of consummate skill and a profound understanding of the Flamenco traditions. A native of Antequera, Spain, Chuscales grew up in a traditional gypsy family well known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chuscales recalls, "There were shows, with Gypsies from Granada who grew up in families that lived there. I wish you could see it, the families in the caves and the singing and dancing. There might be seven, eight, maybe nine caves, all with singing and dancing, and there would be more singing and dancing on the streets every day. It was unbelievable. It was very formative time in all my life. It was like a dream. This is where I learned everything the rhythm, the beat, the guitar. I am still learning from those thousands of nights performing with my family, with my father, my grandfather, and my friends."

Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle Joaquín Fajardo as well as Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself frequently in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster and to answer his questions. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer an experience that provides him with a detailed understanding of flamenco's rhythmic nuances. Chusco elaborates as the accompanying guitarist, "I can understand and follow dancers. I can see where they are going before they take their next step. I know what the dancer is looking for, how much tension is in the music, the right rhythm, when to play strong or soft so if a dancer asks me for something, I know what they ask." Chuscales' affinity for dance is delightfully apparent in his artistry, blending music and movement as he does is no accident. "It's something we learn through life," he says. "A lot of people don't have my luck to grow up in the caves, learning flamenco in a Gypsy family where the music comes from tradition to tradition, from legend to legend. I thank God; I have been around such great musicians all my life.

Chuscales has played the guitar for prince and princes of Spain at Santa Fe in 2009 and he has appeared in the films "Camelamos Nauerar" (1976), "Gypsy Heart" (1998), "Flamenco Passion & Soul" (1999), "Viaje Al Duende" (2009),"The Spanish Table" (2010) and "El Payo" (2010). Go to www.chuscales.com for more information.

Photo by Morgan Smith

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