45 Grados Flamenco

Entre Dos Mundos

Music, song and poetry in a bi-lingual performance with a very special guest, visual artist and poet, José Faus.

Living as an immigrant is different for each individual, but we share certain experiences.  One of these is confronting limitations when it comes to people’s perception of what and who we are.  Many immigrants know two cultures, speak two languages, and live in two worlds, and therefore have a deeper understanding of those worlds, the people that live there and the art that binds us together.

José Faus and I have both lived this reality and see it in the lives of our friends and the immigrants we work with.  Often immigrants face closed minds and hearts in communities, which are isolated by vast landscapes, insular political cultures, segregation, and minimal exposure to the other, the stranger, the newcomer. People hear the word immigrant and form a picture that does not consider the richness of ideas, culture, and art that immigration has introduced to this country, including the Midwest, where José and I live.

Through the complimentary art forms of poetry, flamenco music and dance, we would like to give people a glimpse into different worlds, change perceptions and advance conversations about how we can appreciate and honor the immigrant and what it means to live successfully between two worlds. Flamenco, as an art form, encapsulates all those tendencies. Flamenco is rich in tradition, history, and narrative formed from the immigration to the South of Spain by the numerous cultures who passed through.

Upcoming Events