Year: 2026-2027
DanceForce Member: James Lemons
Artists: Emilio Ochando; Carlota Santana
Community Partners: National Endowment for the Arts; New England Foundation for the Arts; Pendragon Theater
Audience: 340
County: Franklin

Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana will return to the Adirondack North Country on April 9, 2027, marking its second appearance with Lake Placid Center for the Arts (LPCA), for a full-day residency and public performance celebrating the power of dance to connect artists, students, and communities across the North Country.

The engagement includes two performances on April 9, 2027. The day will begin with a student matinee for middle and high school students from across the region, followed by an onstage question-and-answer session with the artists. That evening, Flamenco Vivo will present a full-length public performance open to the general public. Due to ongoing construction at LPCA’s primary venue, the evening performance will be hosted at the Pendragon Theater in neighboring Saranac Lake, expanding LPCA’s programming footprint into Franklin County and introducing new audiences to professional dance performance.

The production will be led by Flamenco Vivo Associate Artistic Director Emilio Ochando, who previously performed with the company during its last engagement with LPCA. His return in a leadership role marks a meaningful continuation of the company’s artistic relationship with the region and offers audiences insight into the evolution of the form and the artists who sustain it.

This engagement is made possible through a collaborative funding partnership with New York State DanceForce, the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Locally, the project represents a new and deepened partnership between the LPCA and Pendragon Theatre, uniting two regional arts organizations around shared goals of audience development, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and expanded access to high-quality performing arts.

The project serves middle and high school students, families, and adult audiences across Essex and Franklin Counties, with an estimated total audience of approximately 340 people, including more than 170 students. By presenting a world-class dance company in both educational and public settings, the project provides rare exposure to an internationally recognized art form that is infrequently presented in the region.

This engagement is significant for both the artists and the community. For Flamenco Vivo, it strengthens a long-term relationship with the North Country and supports the company’s national touring mission. For the region, it celebrates collaboration, expands cultural access across county lines, and reinforces the role of the arts as a catalyst for education, connection, and community vitality.