About
Lanesboro Arts is proud to present award winning dancer Sachiko “La Chayí” and Twin Cities Flamenco Collective in “A Night In Andalusia” on Friday, August 18th, at 7:00 pm at the St. Mane Theatre in downtown Lanesboro. Described by dance critic Linda Shapiro in Pioneer Press as “Flamenco dynamo Sachiko,” McKnight
Dancer Fellow Sachiko “La Chayí” and Twin Cities Flamenco Collective
invite audiences to join their Southern Spanish tablao-style Flamenco
which celebrates the Gitano spirit. The show features internationally
renowned artists from Spain and the U.S.
About Sachiko “La Chayí”, Dancer & Director
A native of Osaka, Japan, Sachiko “La Chayí” is a Twin Cities-based
Flamenco dancer, teacher, choreographer and organizer. Besides her work
as an independent artist, her current projects include leading an
informal group, Twin Cities Flamenco Collective. She has performed in
the US, Spain and Japan and at prestigious venues including Lincoln
Center, The Walker Art Center, The O’Shaughnessy, and The Cowles
Center. She has received recognition and grants from Minnesota State
Arts Board, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, the Jerome Foundation,
the Minnesota SAGE Awards for Dance, and New York State Flamenco
Certamen. She has presented her original dance theater works at the
Walker Art Center, the Southern Theater, and the Intermedia Arts.
Sachiko is the recipient of a 2017 McKnight Dancer Fellowship. She
lived and studied the art of Flamenco in Seville, Spain from 2010 to
2015 which became the foundation of her current dance and work. www.sachikolachayi.com
About Special Guests
Seville-born Javier is a flamenco singer but also a
“festero”, who specializes in dancing while singing bulerías. Javier has
performed for over 20 years, and his career is marked with numerous
artistic achievements and recognitions. In addition to his performances
and teaching throughout Spain, Javier has also been invited to perform
in several internationally recognized prestigious festivals, such as
Flamenco Festival in Berlin, the Mont de Marsan Flamenco Festival in
France, and Flamenco Cante Festival in Miami amongst others. He has
recordings: ¡Puro y Vivo! (Flamenco de Morón) and Jugando con el Tiempo
(Sonios Negros).
La Rhina started her flamenco 25 years ago in
Atlanta, GA while she was living there. Since 2013, she bases her home
in Seville, Spain and works in peñas, Ferias, private fiestas, festivals
and theaters. Over the years, her teaching career and performance
opportunities have grown and widened beyond the US and Spain – to Japan,
France and Singapore etc. Highlights of her most recent work include:
the 45th Festival Flamenco de Caceres (2019); Peñas de Guardia series
(2020); Festival de Jerez and XXX Palma de Plata “Ciudad de Algeciras”
(2022). Other related work includes dancing for the opera Carmen
directed by Seiji Ozawa in 5 major cities in Japan, under the directions
of New York based choreographer, Sara Erde and New York Metropolitan
Opera Stage director, David Kneuss.
Kristofer “El Cuervo” Hill hails from
Maplewood, NJ and is a graduate of Arizona State University. After
having a career as a restaurant owner, High School Teacher, touring jazz
& hip hop artist; Kristofer spent 8 years living, intensively
studying flamenco guitar, and performing in Seville, Spain working for
the major dance schools and companies. Kristofer currently performs and
teaches internationally as an independent artist playing guitar for US
companies including Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana (NYC). He has
performed as a principal guitarist with internationally renowned Spanish
artists such as Carmen Ledesma, Jose Galvan, and Jose Mendez. His
recordings & compositions for dance have been performed at the Joyce
Theater, NYU, Times Square, NYC, & at the Bram Stoker International
Film Festival. Live Guitar performance credits also include Lincoln
Center, L’Usine in Geneva, Museo del Barrio: NYC, PHX Symphony Hall,
Teatro Alameda Sevilla, and Woodstock (NY). His music can also be heard
in the Sony Pictures 2010.
Sachiko “La Chayí” is a fiscal year 2023 recipient of a
Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts
Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through
a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative
appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.