Close Ups: Elba Hevia y Vaca
Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 7:30 PM
Elba Hevia y Vaca. Photo: Nia Benjamin.
Bolivian immigrant, flamenco dancer, and choreographer Elba Hevia y Vaca has devoted her life to infusing feminism into flamenco. Challenging and reframing traditional flamenco ideas, Elba’s creative work breathes potent contemporary women’s issues into the framework of a century of dance form.
About Elba
Born in La Paz, Bolivia, Elba Hevia y Vaca began her study of classical Spanish dance at the age of five. She later studied and danced with master dancer Ana Martinez of the Ana Martinez Flamenco Dance Company in D.C., and danced with Washington’s Raquel Peña Spanish Dance Company, appearing as a soloist at various venues throughout the U.S. In Philadelphia she continued her study of modern dance, jazz, and contact improvisation from various Philadelphia artists.
In 2000, Elba founded Pasión y Arte (PyA) out of a strong and intensely personal conviction that highly-stylized traditional Spanish flamenco dance is a perfect vessel to empower women. Elba and Pasion y Arte have performed at the Kennedy Center, the Kimmel Center, Jacobs Pillow and other notable dance venues. She's been supported by the Pew Center for the Arts and Heritage, the Knight Foundation, Barra Foundation, Samuel L Fels Foundation, Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, Philadelphia Foundation, PNC Arts Alive, Leeway Foundation, Hispanics in Philanthropy, and the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation.
Elba has taught courses at local schools and universities, often representing students’ first encounter with this dance form and she is currently a Senior Adjunct Professor at Franklin & Marshall and at Temple University, teaching various levels of Flamenco.
About Close Ups
Meet four powerhouse Philadelphia artists this fall and winter in Close Ups, an hourlong performance and conversation series created and hosted by Intercultural Journeys. Running from October through January, Close Ups shines a light on four women with vivid stories and unique perspectives on artistry. Spanning artistic genres from Kathak to Klezmer, each episode—a joyful combination of performance, interview, and discussion—offers the viewer an intimate look into the vibrant practice and creative world of these artists. As we celebrate the centennial of the movement for gender equality, join these women-leaders as they reflect on their life and experiences and dream forward their hopes for the next generation of young women.
And you can be part of the story too. As IJ presents the recorded performance and interview, chat with the artists and IJ staff online, and then after the performance, stay tuned for a LIVE question and answer session with the artist.
We are grateful to our partners at Bartram’s Garden, who graciously allowed Intercultural Journeys to film within the garden’s beautiful surroundings.