Flamenco, Tango and Wine Night

Flamenco, Tango and Wine Night is a Carnaval del Sol event featuring performances by Vancouver flamenco and tango dancers in North Vancouver.

In past years, prior to last year, it took place on Granville Island, but not anymore.

The event takes place each summer during Vancouver’s annual Carnaval del Sol Latin Festival. It also usually happens in October during Latin American Heritage Month. (although not in 2023). In 2022, the event took place in mid-July and then again in late October. Last year, the date in the summer was July 13th. In 2024, as part of the Latin American Experience, it happens on July 11th.

If you like dance performances and want to experience some Spanish and Latin culture, this is a great event that you’ll likely really enjoy. Get your tickets early, though. The last time, the performance sold out weeks in advance!

This article includes the following information about the event:

Flamenco & Tango Workshop | Flamenco, Tango and Wine in One Night | About Flamenco Dancing | About Tango Dancing | Other Information

Lussilia at Tango and Flamenco Night — Lussilia at the Pipe Shop in North Vancouver

Flamenco and Tango Dancing in Vancouver

A popular event during Vancouver’s annual Carnaval del Sol Latin festival each year is Flamenco, Tango and Wine Night. Last year, the event happened on Thursday, July 13th, but not at its usual Granville Island location. Instead, the event was at The Pipe Shop, located in the Shipyards at 115 Victory Ship Way in North Vancouver. It’s at the Pipe Shop again in 2024.

In addition to the dance performances, samples of paella and sangria were free with admission last year. Hopefully that will be the case again this year!

Tango and Flamenco Night at the Pipe Shop — The Pipe Shop

Flamenco & Tango Workshop

The Flamenco & Tango Workshop is an opportunity to learn about the techniques and history of a couple of famous dances.

In 2023 the workshop was presented by Flameco Rosario and Tango in Fusion. (In some past years it has been presented by Flameco Mozaico and Argentine Tango Lab.) Also performing last year was Lussilia who is a singer and songwriter from Venezuela.

At the event you can learn about both flamenco and tango dancing. Attendees learned about how the two dances developed as well as some of the techniques and etiquette. The night also includes lots of amazing dance performances! It’s a great event and the dancing is phenomenal!

Flamenco Performance by Mozaico Flamenco — Mozaico Flamenco

Flamenco, Tango and Wine in One Night

The first Tango & Flamenco Experience event of 2023 happened on Thursday, July 13th. The event ran from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm and featured Lussilia, Tango in Fusion and Flamenco Rosario.

This event is both fun and entertaining each year. The flamenco dancing is so fast, powerful and expressive! The tango dancing, meanwhile, is sophisticated, cool, elegant and sexy!

Tickets to this event typically cost between about $55 and $90 depending on when you buy them. Last year’s addmission ticket also included Argentinian Sangria and Spanish Paella by the Paella Guys.

About Flamenco Dancing

Flamenco is a type of Spanish folk dance. As you’ll learn at the Flamenco & Tango Workshop, it originated in the Andalusian region of Spain with the Romani (or gypsies). It also has influences from other cultures as well, including Arabic and Indian.

Flamenco is primarily a solo dance. The performance features lots of clapping and foot stomping (almost like tap dancing). It also involves various arm, hand, head and other body movements.

Music for flamenco is usually provided by a singer and guitar player (and often a drummer too). The dancers clap or use castanets (which are a clapping instrument) in their hands .

Men and women can both dance flamenco, although it’s perhaps more common for ladies. At Carnaval del Sol’s event, when we went, women danced and the men played the guitar and drums. A woman was also the singer.

Female flamenco dancers typically wear long Spanish dresses which they hike up from time to time while dancing. The dresses are tight-fitting at the top and layered at the bottom. Black, white, red and other bright colours are common.

Women often wear a shawl around their shoulders and a flower in their hair. High heel shoes, typically with metal on the bottom, are standard footwear. Women’s hair is usually tied back in a bun.

Flamenco costumes are beautiful and an integral part of the dance. Between the flowing bottoms of the dresses, the stomping of the shoes, and the dynamic hand, arm and other body movements, it’s quite the spectacle and thoroughly entertaining!

Vancouver's Flamenco Rosario — Flamenco Rosario

About Tango Dancing

As you’ll learn at the Flamenco and Tango Workshop, if you attend it, tango dancing originated in Argentina. Unlike flamenco, it’s a ballroom-type partner dance.

Flamenco originated in a region of Argentina near the Uruguayan border. Today, it’s danced around the world.

Originating in the 1880s, Tango is characterized by its intimate connection between dance partners who embrace, often dancing cheek to cheek.

With tango, between the partners, there is a leader and a follower. The dance is improvised. There is no set pattern. The dancers have to be highly attuned to one another’s movements. The result is elegant, sophisticated, glamourous and almost sexy.

Male tango dancers typically wear a suit. Women usually wear high heel shoes and elegant (almost sexy) dresses.

Trivia: As you’ll learn at the Flamenco and Tango Workshop, men don’t ask women directly if they want to dance. That’s not proper etiquette. Instead, the man and woman communicate via a series of signals from across the room including nods, looks and other coded gestures.