Ballet Flamenco La Rosa Artistic Director Ilisa Rosal collaborated with the Breffni Irish Dancers, and musicians from Spain and Ireland, to create an original full-evening Flamenco/Irish Ballet entitled Celtic Callings. Inspired by the influence Irish dance and music and Flamenco have had on each other throughout their histories, this work explores the relationship between them, beginning with The Spanish Armada being stranded off the coast of Ireland in the 17th Century, and developing through modern times in America, where both Flamenco and Irish and/or Celtic music and dance have been a fundamental part of the roots and inspiration for many styles of music, dance, art and fashion.
This compelling and beautiful work features pure Flamenco as well as Irish Step Dance,  both with  spectacular footwork, precise athleticism and vibrant energy. Exploring their common rhythms, themes and techniques, as well as their differences, the choreographers created new forms as well as showcasing many beloved traditional ones.

Working closely with Michael and Nicola O’Hara, Artistic Directors, choreographers and soloists with The Breffni Irish Dancers, as well as an ensemble of first rate dancers and musicians, Ilisa Rosal has created an exciting collaboration highlighting each art form, while also combining, overlapping, layering and fusing them, which is one of the things her work is best known for.

For Celtic Callings, Irish and Celtic music were the inspiration for a haunting and intense work, filled with enchanting melodies, evocative images, and rich cultural context, which will appeals audiences of all ages and ethnicities. Flamenco singer/guitarist Paco Fonta worked with vocalists Samantha Garcia and Erin Williams, along with fiddle player Jack Stamates and a Bagpipe player to arrange and perform live traditional music, as well as create original music for this work.

Ballet Flamenco La Rosa has been called one of our cultural treasures by The Miami Herald, with its brilliant artistry, gorgeous staging and costumes, and innovative creative work. This offering gives us a new and fresh take on two of the world’s most cherished artistic traditions.