At the beginning, it was the sense of acceptance. The sense of “Yes, we want you. Yes, you are important to the community.” I had never doubted the value or the power of Flamenco ever—that’s why I left my home, my country. But at the time [in the 1990s], here were presenters who were not very interested in presenting Flamenco. Modern dance was the dance that people were exposed to. New Works gave us an excellent platform. Since we arrived, they were very receptive. The fact that New Works asked us to present our work in a series, it gave us this kind of validation.

I think it is very, very important that New Works accepts the artistry of artists from other countries (dance of all sorts, from all over the world) with these programs. The fact that they presented us propelled all the presenters to say, “Yeah, there is something here, in Flamenco, and in this company that we should pay attention to.”

They helped build awareness for the quality and artistry of Flamenco, and its value as an art form in Vancouver and in Canada.

rosario anceR

All Over The Map 2011
Dance Allsorts 1999
Donor