Name: Flamenco a Las 8 with Melissa Cruz and Kalifeña
Start: 2025-01-31T20:00:00-08:00
Location: 2513 Blanding Ave, Alameda, CA, United States, California 94501

$Flamenco a Las 8 with Melissa Cruz and Kalife\u00f1a$

An Evening of Music and Dance with Melissa Cruz and Kalifeña
The dynamism and allure of flamenco come alive on stage in an evening of dance and music with Melissa Cruz. Joined by her cast of seasoned professionals and dedicated studio dancers, Cruz presents a diverse program of dances, expressing the full spectrum of human emotion.
This performance of Flamenco a las 8 features Kalifeña, a music and dance ensemble directed by Cruz, inspired by an idea to unite voices of women who, despite their diverse backgrounds, have a thread of commonality between them – the study of flamenco, the art form from Andalucía, Spain deemed by UNESCO as a treasure of World Cultural Heritage. Kalifeña melds original compositions and traditional flamenco styles with flamenco dance as its cornerstone.
Be moved by an intense and passionate evening of Bay Area flamenco culture with its zeal for community, respect for the art form, and deep emotion, hallmarks of this beautiful tradition that continue to generate new inspiration for itself and its audiences.
“Any dancer could make pained faces. But Cruz is clearly possessed by the duende — the spirit that drives this deeply introspective art.” -Rachel Howard, SF Chronicle
Schedule
8:00pm – 10:00pm – Performance
Kalifeña is:
Melissa Cruz – dance and percussion
Caro Acuña Olvera – vocals and percussion
Luna Alonso – vocals and cello
Bob San – guitar and bass
Jesse Torre – guitar
Katiana Vilá – vocals and percussion
Artist Bio:
Melissa Cruz is a Bay Area-based flamenco professional and has been a full-time flamenco artist and instructor for the past 20 years. She began training with the Bay Area’s acclaimed flamenco master Rosa Montoya and soon thereafter, joined Ms. Montoya’s professional company. Melissa has performed as a soloist in the San Francisco International Arts Festival and has presented in eight San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festivals, twice as a featured soloist. Summer 2021 saw Melissa featured in the one-woman flamenco theater play, “Flamenco on my Own” produced in collaboration with Miami’s Ballet Flamenco La Rosa and as a featured performer and instructor at the 2021 Festival Flamenco Albuquerque presented by the National Institute of Flamenco. In 2023, Melissa was featured in the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival in San Francisco, the Peninsula International Dance Festival (2022-2024) and the World Arts West Dance Festival.
In addition to her accomplished artistic career, Melissa is a Bachelor of the Arts graduate of UC Berkeley and holds a Juris Doctor degree from University of San Francisco.