Showcasing both music and dance, the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival celebrates the Spanish dance art with a series of performances each year.
In 2023 the festival ran from September 18th until the 30th. To learn more, visit the vancouverflamencofestival.org website or continue reading. The dates for the festival’s return in 2024 are to be confirmed.
Some of the featured performers in 2023 included Rosanna Terracciano (from Calgary), Flor de Caña (from both Vancouver and Cuba), La Otra Orilla (from Montreal), and Rocío Molina (from Spain). There was also Qairo, an energetic ensemble of artists from France, Spain, Canada and Turkey that masterfully blended vocals and the foot-tapping rhythms of flamenco.
Vancouver’s Flamenco Festival
Flamenco is synonymous with traditional Spanish dancing. This art form is born from the various folklore music traditions of southern Spain. It comprises three elements – song (cante), dance (baile) and music (toque). Flamenco is closely associated with the traditional dance and music of the Andalusian gitanos, also known as gypsies.
The Vancouver International Flamenco Festival burst onto the scene in the 1990s and continues to entertain audiences to this day with its robust dancing. There are both free and ticketed performances as well as other types of events.
In 2023 the festival took place on select dates between September 18th and 30th. Along with a couple of days of free shows, there were six or so ticketed performances and some workshops.
The main hub for the festival is Granville Island. In 2023 most of the ticketed shows took place at Waterfront Theatre while the free shows happened at Picnic Pavilion. The festival is produced by Flamenco Rosario which is a Vancouver-based dance company.
For full details about the performances, visit the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival website.
Admission for the Shows
Prices for the shows in 2023 ranged from around $25 to up to $100 depending on which seats you selected and which show you wanted to attend. This pricing structure is likely to be similar for the 2024 shows.
There is usually no registration needed for the free performances. You can just show up and enjoy them whenever you want and for as long as you’d like.
Schedule of Events
Below were the dates for both the free and ticketed shows in 2023.
Ticketed Shows in 2023
The following shows took place as ticketed events in 2023. Three of them were at the Waterfront Theatre at 1412 Cartwright Street on Granville Island.
- Wednesday, September 20th – Qairo at 8:00 pm at the Fox Cabaret
- Thursday, September 21st – Rosanna Terracciano at 8:00 pm at Waterfront Theatre
- Friday, September 22nd – Flor de Caña at 8:00 pm at Waterfront Theatre
- Saturday, September 23rd – La Otra Orilla at 8:00 pm at Waterfront Theatre
- September 27th to 30th – Rocío Molina daily at 8:00 pm at SFU Goldcorp Centre for the Arts
Free Shows
The free shows take place at Picnic Pavilion at 267 Old Bridge Walk on Granville Island. In 2023 the free outdoor performances ran on the weekend of September 23rd and 24th.
The schedule of free performances at Picnic Pavilion in 2023 is below. (Note: Exact times and other details were subject to change.)
Saturday, September 23rd, 2023
- 2:00 pm – Bonnie Stewart & FR community dancers
- 3:00 pm – Liat Har Lev/Lili Flamenco & Tracy Samoil-Guajiras
- 4:00 pm – Peter Mole and friends (Claire Marchand, Justine Reinhard, Davide Sampaolo)
- 5:00 pm – Calle Verde “La Faena”
Sunday, September 24th, 2023
- 11:00 am – Welcome Kids! 20-min class with Cyrena Huang
- 11:30 am – Welcome Adults! 20-min class with Cyrena Huang
- 1:00 pm – Jhoely Triana
- 2:00 pm – Linda Hayes and dancers
- 3:00 pm – Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy
- 4:00 pm – Kara Wiebe & Amber Rowell
- 5:00 pm – Flamenco Rosario
For full details about the performances, visit the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival website.
Flamenco Masterclasses in 2023
In addition to the above performances, the 2023 festival also featured a couple of Masterclass sessions where professional flamenco dancers gave flamenco dancing lessons. The Masterclass events in 2023 included the following:
- September 18th – beginner-level session with Rosario Ancer. This took place at the Waterfront Theatre and was free.
- September 23rd – intermediate to advanced-level session with Myriam Allard. This took place at the Scotiabank Dance Centre and cost $70 to $80.
For full details about the performances, visit the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival website.
Other Information
To learn more about the festival, visit the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival website.
For information about another dance event, and to learn more about flamenco in general, see our article about Carnaval del Sol’s Flamenco, Tango and Wine Night. That event usually features performances by Flamenco Rosario as well as other dance companies including Mozaico Flamenco.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver Festivals and Events
- Granville Island
- Entertainment in Vancouver
- Vancouver Theatre Companies and Venues
- History and Culture in Vancouver
- Vancouver International Dance Festival
- Vancouver Coastal First Nations Dance Festival
