Flamenco Cabaret

"Flamenco Cabaret": An Evening of Music and Dance with Melissa Cruz.

Recalling the alluring atmosphere of the famous Andalusian "cafes cantantes," "Flamenco Cabaret" brings the dynamism of flamenco to the historic Mission Masonic Center. Joined by her cast of seasoned artists, Cruz presents a diverse program of dances, expressing the full spectrum of human emotion. Deep cante jondo juxtaposes with light-hearted cante chico. The pulse of palmas and the stirring poly-rhythms of heelwork weave and unravel to create tension and release so emblematic of flamenco. A guitar’s rapid picado and thundering rasgueado meet articulating arms and fingers of bailaoras as they bring forth other-worldly inspirations. “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

Artist Biographies

Melissa Cruz

Melissa Cruz is a Bay Area-based flamenco professional and has been a full-time flamenco artist and instructor for the past 20 years. As a mentor and educator, she guides her students in their development of flamenco knowledge and interpretation. Enjoying a concurrent musical career, she is percussionist/drummer/dancer with several active musical projects. She collaborates regularly with many flamenco companies nationwide and has been a featured presenter for World Arts West, the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and the Peninsula International Dance Festival. In addition to her accomplished artistic career, Melissa holds a Bachelor of Arts from UC Berkeley and a Juris Doctor degree from University of San Francisco.