Ophelia’s Jump Productions will present their annual event, Espiritu Flamenco, an evening of exquisite Spanish food and virtuosic Flamenco performance on Friday, November 4th and Saturday, November 5th at the beautiful Women’s Club in Claremont.

Espiritu Flamenco is a celebration of Spanish food, music, and dance. The evening includes a delicious 3 course dinner prepared by OJP Artistic Director, Beatrice Casagr n, using her family’s recipes : Datiles can Tocino y queso, Tortilla Espa ola con salsa de aj , Pan con tomate, serrano, y balsamico. Paella a la Miralles, Pud n de pan con naranja & jerez, glass of wine, sangria or iced tea. Cash bar available for other beverages.
Flamenco dance, song, & guitar by renowned artists Marcela Aguayo, Vanessa Albalos, Reyes Barrios, & Jos Tanaka
About the artists:
Vanessa Albalos was born in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, which is where she spent her childhood. She began to study Flamenco dance at the age of 13 in El Paso, Texas with Rita Vega de Triana and Curro Niebla. After migrating to Southern California, she studied with several well-known teachers in the area, including Sarah Parra, Gabriela Garza, Jose Tanaka (guitarist), Jesus Montoya (singer), Manuel Gutierrez, and Briseyda Zarate. Vanessa has toured Mexico with the Festival Internacional Cervantino, and Japan with Jose Tanaka’s Soniquete Flamenco. She has also appeared in the annual Los Angeles Flamenco Festival, New World Flamenco Festival, Irvine Barclay Theatre, and frequently at the Fountain Theatre’s Forever Flamenco Series, and Houston Flamenco Festival with Jesus Montoya Company.
Reyes Barrios Raised in Sevilla, Spain, she was always surrounded by the ambience, an “Aire” of song and dance. Her approach is steeped in Purism with a modern twist..To be Flamenco is to have another skin. other passions, other desires.It is a different way of seeing the world, with music in one’s nerves, a fierce pride, happiness mingled with tears; it is a loathing of routine and sameness; it is to be intoxicated in song, wine and kisses. It is the translation of life into an art of caprices and freedom.
Marcela Aguayo has been studying different dance forms for over 15 years including time spent in Sevilla, Spain. She has studied and performed with the top performers in the Los Angeles flamenco community. For the last few years Marcela has been performing with Richard Chavez’ group at the close of the Santa Barbara Fiesta days at the El Paseo benefit show. Marcela performs regularly in southern California flamenco tablaos: Alegria, El Cid, Tapas and Caf Sevilla. Marcela feels it is an honor to be a part of the small flamenco community that transcends throughout southern California.
Jos Tanaka (Guitarist), Born in Kyoto Japan, and raised by family steeped in the Flamenco arts (his father & his uncle both are Flamenco guitarists & his mother is a Flamenco dancer).
He has a natural Flamenco musical ability & edge, which raised him above other artists. The Spanish name Jos was given to him by his parents to further strengthen his ties to natural Flamenco. Tanaka has been performing since childhood.
Jos Tanaka has toured throughout United States, Europe, and Japan performed in many well-known places (Hollywood Bowl in LA, Olympia in Paris, Acropolis in Athens, Tarantos in Barcelona, El Flamenco in Tokyo etc.). Jose was invited as a soloist in the 2001~2002 Passion Latina Tour in France, Monte Carlo, Spain, Greece, and Germany performing alongside world famous opera singer Julia Migenes (who appeared as Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen) and collaborated with the director Scotty Morris (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s lead singer/songwriter).
Other noteworthy performances include appearances with David Williams (Guitarist from Madonna & Michael Jackson), Jonathan Moffett (drummer from Madonna & Michael Jackson), Joey Heredia, Eddie Miller (Keyboard from Whitney Houston & Bobby Brown), Rex Salas (producer Janet Jackson, TLC, Boys II Men.etc), Charlie Peterson (Earth Wind & Fire), Duane Benjamin (Earth Wind & Fire), Antonio Vargas (Ballroom Dancing and Mission impossible 2), Curro Fernandez (Famous Singer From Sevilla), Luis Pe a, Antonio Cortez “Chiquitete”, Domingo Ortega, Jorge Trasante (Gypsy King), Victor Villena (Gotan Project), La Tania, Ester Ponse (Dancer From Madrid), Cristobal Osorio, Juan Trivino, Omayra Amaya (Great grandniece of Carmen Amaya), Joaquin Encinias, Juan Antonio Suarez “Canito”, World famous wind player Pedro Eustache (Yani, Shakira, Alex Acu a’s Band), Top session guitarist Ramon Stagnaro, World famous drummer Efrain Toro, Gypsy singer from south France Cristo Cortez, Lakshmi, Jesus Montoya, Susana di Palma “Zorongo Flamenco”, Yaelisa’s Camino Flamenco and all the top artists in the United States.

Tickets for the full evening of dinner and show are $125.00. To make reservations, go to http://opheliasjump.org or call (909) 734-6565.
Table & Event sponsorships available– promote your business to our intelligent and fun loving audience on our site, at the event, and on social media. Call 909 734-6565 for more information.
Silent auction items will be available to bid on. This event will raise funds in support of OJP’s programming during our upcoming 2023 10th Anniversary Season.
A non-profit company founded nine years ago, it is based in Upland and performs in Claremont and Upland. Ophelia’s Jump (OJP) believes that “the purpose of theatre is to create unending conversations, spark imagination, incite conscience, and elicit a visceral response. OJP aims to invigorate the creativity and intellect of our community by working with local and regional artists to tell compelling stories and educate new generations of theatre lovers.”