Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco To Host 16th Annual Showcase

Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco has announced its 16th Annual Showcase. Featuring a cast of 40 professional and student dancers, performances will highlight any array of "palos" forms, each with its own rhythm, mood, and structure, with live music performed by guitarist Jesse Torre and cantaor (flamenco singer) Azriel "El Moreno."

Founded in 1966, Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco produces richly imaginative and thematic shows in collaboration with local and International Artists, offering classes with world famous flamenco artists to students of all ages and abilities, and maintaining strong ties to flamenco artists around the world.

Carola Zertuche, Artistic Director since 2007, has been celebrated for revitalizing Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco, "toggling between experimentation and tradition, forging deep ties with flamenco's most celebrated artists while continuing to bring new performers into the fold." according to SF Classical Voice. The Annual Showcase is an opportunity for the students and professional dancers of Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco to share the stage in Zertuche's choreography.

On the program will be any array of "palos" which in flamenco refers to specific styles or forms, each with its own rhythm, mood, and structure, such as alegrías, soleá, bulerías, and seguiriyas:

• Sevillanas are a popular flamenco dance from Seville, known for their joyful rhythm and set choreography.

• Rumba flamenca is an upbeat, danceable style with Latin rhythms.

• Seguiriyas center around the cante (singing), a cry from the soul, expressing the deepest pain and truth of flamenco.

• Guajiras are lively and rhythmic, with Cuban influence, evoking the traditions of southern Spain. The dance will feature the elegance of the bata de cola and the delicacy of the mantón, blending grace with flamenco's power.

• Alegrías are festive, joyful, and fast-paced, originating from Cádiz - perfect for celebrations.

• Soleá por bulerías combines the melancholic feel of the soleá with the faster, more joyful rhythm of the bulerías, using the 12-beat compás shared by soleá and alegrías.

Performances are Saturday, May 31 at 8pm and Sunday, June 1 at 4pm. Tickets $25-$30. For tickets and information: https://www.theatreflamenco.org/annual-showcase-2025

ABOUT THEATRE FLAMENCO OF SAN FRANCISCO

Founded in 1966, Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco is one of the longest, continually running flamenco performance groups outside of Spain. Theatre Flamenco of San Francisco exists to support the cultural enrichment of the San Francisco Bay Area through the presentation and promotion of flamenco, an art form that sprang from an international and rich mix of cultural and ethnic influences that converged in southern Spain.

The company is the second oldest dance company in San Francisco and one of the longest continually running flamenco performance groups outside of Spain. For 59 years Theatre Flamenco has been producing richly imaginative and thematic shows in collaboration with local and International Artists, offering classes with world famous flamenco artists to students of all ages and abilities, and maintaining strong ties to flamenco artists around the world.

Located in the vibrant Mission district of San Francisco, the company hosts monthly shows in its/studio performance space featuring world class local and international guest artists, and it also produces one annual home season in San Francisco.

ABOUT CAROLA ZERTUCHE

As artistic director of Theatre Flamenco, Carola Zertuche has worked to forge artistic collaborations with international and local artists in productions that pay homage to traditional styles of flamenco while also embracing and showcasing new, modern and avant-garde approaches to the art form. The results have been some of the most innovative, intriguing, and professional flamenco productions ever staged in the Bay Area, along with a growing profile for the company nationally and abroad.

Born in Torreón, Mexico, Zertuche began her career in Mexico City's Tablao Meson de Triana, where she studied with Manolo Vargas and Pilar Rioja, and where she shared the stage with illustrious artists such as Domingo Ortega, Juan de Angelica, Antonio Rey, El Kiki, and Luisa de Cadiz. In Spain she studied with Ciro, Belen Maya, Andrés Marín, Israel Galvan and jota master, Pedro Azorin, and was also a featured dancer with the company Los Tarantos.

She has toured throughout Mexico, the United States, and the Middle East with highly revered flamenco companies including Maria Benitez Teatro Flamenco, and has danced in esteemed venues including the Joyce Theatre in New York, the Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Lensic in Santa Fe, Tablao Flamenco in Albuquerque, and the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. She has collaborated on projects with La Tania as guest artist with the Domingo Ortega Flamenco Company in Los Angeles, Andrés Marín Company in the "First Flamenco Festival San Francisco", and as a special guest artist with the Juan Siddi Flamenco Santa Fe Theatre Company at the Royal Daphna Hall in Doha, Qatar. Her work was showcased in the San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival from 2002 to 2009, the Santa Barbara Ethnic Dance Festival in 2001, and in Mexico at the Flamenco Festivals in Monterrey and Mexico City.

She has received numerous nominations and awards for her talents and contributions to flamenco, and was nominated in 2002 for the Isadora Duncan Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Performance: Soloist". She has since been recognized for "Best Classic Flamenco Show", San Francisco Magazine in 2007 and for "Best Flamenco Show", San Francisco Weekly in 2008. In 2009, she received her second nomination for the Isadora Duncan Award for "Outstanding Achievement in Performance: Ensemble."

Her unwavering devotion to the art form is woven throughout her stunning performances and choreography, which have been met with much critical acclaim, among them: "Verde" in 2005, with the participation of Pastora Galvan and Jose Anillo, "El Color del Flamenco" in 2003, in Mexico with the show "Sentido Flamenco" starring Alegría Suarez, Cano, MercedesAmaya and Santiago Aguilar in 2002, "Al Compas del Tiempo" in 2007, "El Camino Perfecto" in 2008 and "Ser y Estar" in 2009. In 2017, she made her San Francisco Opera debut as the choreographer for La Traviata. Zertuche's 2019 acclaimed production, "Soul y Alma" was a Tribute of Gospel and Flamenco music, created in collaboration with The Glide Ensemble. Her 2023 production, "Un Mundo sin Tiempo" (A World Without Time) featured world-renowned artists from Spain.

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS

Jesse Torre is a Bay Area guitarist specializing in flamenco and classical music. He earned his Bachelor's degree with distinction from the Eastman School of Music, where he studied under Nicholas Goluses and received a Performer's Certificate for excellence in performance. Torre has also trained with classical guitarist Angel Miguel Lejarza Leo and flamenco virtuoso Jason McGuire. As a teacher and performer, he draws on a strong background in music theory, blending classical traditions with contemporary styles such as folk, blues, and pop. Known for his patient and engaging approach, Torre tailors his instruction to inspire enthusiasm and musical growth in students of all levels.

San Francisco / Bay Area Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. URINETOWN (Ghostlight Theatre Ensemble)

16.7% of votes

2. THE DAY THE SKY TURNED ORANGE (San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Company / Z Space)

9.3% of votes

3. SWEENEY TODD (Cabrillo Stage)

8.3% of votes

Vote Now!