This month VanDance celebrates the art forms of Spain with a Flamenco Dance Masterclass on Saturday, April 15, for all levels, beginning through pre-professional dancers. Everyone will enjoy performing the gorgeous arm movements, flowery hands, and dynamic rhythms of the hands, feet, and body from various folkloric music traditions of southern Spain that were developed within the gitano subculture of the Andalusian region. All ages 13 to 99+ are invited, as well as all abilities; (this can even be learned and practiced while sitting in a chair).

Description of Flamenco Masterclass, Saturday, April 15, 2-3:30pm:

Come experience how dance and rhythm unite within Flamenco Dance! Students will learn the documented origins of Flamenco dance and culture, as well as, the basics of Flamenco dance, including various palos (rhythmic families of songs) and the compás (metre/time signature) for the palos, palmas (polyrhythmic clapping), basic footwork technique, body posturing, floreos (traditional hand movements), pitos (rhythmic snapping) and basic choreography for some of the palos. Flamenco includes the expression of deep emotion, of empowerment, creativity/improvisation and the development of community. The class will also include general body awareness and body-mind-spirit connection.

Students are encouraged to wear shoes that are comfortable and that ideally make a bit of sound. Character shoes are a good option, and people can learn Flamenco in any type of footwear, including bare feet or socks, but it works best if they are comfortable, and if wearing shoes, that they have some support and they make some sound.

About the Instructor:
Lara Vracarich is passionate about how dance and rhythm unite in the empowered rhythmic expression of Flamenco dance. She presents school residencies as a Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) rostered Teaching Artist through Perry County Council of the Arts (PCCA), and she’s taught Flamenco dance at Newport High School, Diversity Day (Lower Paxton Elementary) and as a visiting artist at Penn State Harrisburg. Highlight performances as Alma Fuego Flamenco include at HMAC (Harrisburg Music & Arts Center), Little Buffalo Festival, Harrisburg City Hall Brown bag lunch series, Phoenixville ArtsFest, Harrisburg Kipona & July 4th Festivals, The Multicultural Cruise, The Harrisburg Dance Festival and at the State Theatre for The Central PA Theatre & Dance Festival. Past performances include Governor Rendell’s Inauguration at the Whitaker Center with Danzante.
As Creative Spirit Fusion™, she teaches expressive, transformational, and multicultural dance, drumming/body-percussion, vocalization, mindfulness, embodiment, and self-care techniques, while integrating visual arts and writing. Lara has a BA in "Human Development: Dance Therapy", a Teaching Artist Certification from the University of the Arts and completed the Penn State Health Artists in Health training.
Her Flamenco training was with Lori Freidlander, Camille Erice, Elba Hevia y Vaca and master teachers from Spain, including Rosario Toledo, Soledad Barrio, Israel Galvan, and Alejandro Grenados. She founded Alma Fuego Flamenco™ (Soul Fire Flamenco) in 2014, through which she performs and teaches Flamenco dance, rhythms, and culture.

Register online: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0c45a5ab2baaf49-dance#/

Cost is $20. A check can be made out to VanDance Inc. and mailed to 103 E. Hamilton Ave., State College, PA 16801 or Venmo @vandanceinc.