Flamenco, Tango and Wine Night

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

The event takes place each summer during Vancouver’s annual Carnaval del Sol Latin Festival. It also happens in October during Latin American Heritage Month. In 2022 it took place on July 15th and October 27th. In 2023 the date in the summer is July 13th.

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.

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 in One Night. In also 2022 it takes place during Latin American Heritage Month on the evening of October 27th. The venue is Performance Works at 1218 Cartwright Street on Granville Island.

In addition to the dance performances, wine and beer are available for sale at the event. On October 27th there is also Spanish food from Arc Iberico Imports available for purchase.

Flamenco & Tango Workshop

The Flamenco & Tango Workshop is an opportunity to learn about the techniques and history of a couple of famous dances. In 2022 it’s presented by Mozaico Flamenco and Argentine Tango Lab.

At the event you’ll learn about both flamenco and tango dancing. Attendees learn 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! The dancing is phenomenal!

Flamenco Performance by Mozaico Flamenco — Mozaico Flamenco at Performance Works

Flamenco, Tango and Wine in One Night

In past years there has been a dance workshop which was followed by the Flamenco, Tango and Wine in One Night event. This year there is just the second event which features the performances.

In September last year there were dances by the Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy, Flamenco Rosario and Argentine Tango Lab. In 2022 performers are Mozaico Flamenco, Liliam Santamaria and Tango Lab

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

Tickets to this event in 2022 cost between about $30 and $40 depending on when you bought them.

For tickets and details about the event on October 27th in 2022, see the Latincouver.ca website.

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 where people dance on their own. It 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 in their hands (which are a clapping instrument).

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 boarder. 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.