Marija Temo of Flamenco Completo to Host Concert and Workshop, 4/21 & 22

Fairmount Center for the Arts will welcome Flamenco Completo™, starring former Akron resident, Marija Temo and Ulrika Frank, for two exciting events - a concert, Mano a Mano (Hand to Hand), at 7:30 p.m. on April 21st at the Mayfield Village Civic Center, located at 6622 Wilson Mills Road, in Mayfield Village, Ohio and on April 22nd, Flamenco Completo workshop from 1-4:45 p.m. at Fairmount Center for the Arts at 8400 Fairmount Road in Novelty. Their performance of Mano a Mano offers a collaborative showcase of flamenco, classical, and contemporary styles in guitar, singing, and dance. The workshop is unique in that it unites dancers, guitarists, and singers in the same class.

Frank’s exceptional skills of dancing flamenco and contemporary style dance, and Temo’s exquisite talents of singing, and playing classical and flamenco guitar, have merged into a deep and sincere connection on stage. The amazement in watching the duo perform is their unique ability to catch each other’s moments, and support and guide each other until the final crescendo, which leaves artists and audiences with only one wish - to continue. At the recent premier of their Mano a Mano production for the 2011-2012 VCU Guitar Series, VCU Flamenco Festival III, Temo and Frank received a standing ovation.

Marija Temo grew up in Akron, Ohio. She began studying flamenco guitar at the age of 11. By age 15, she was playing professionally, which included working with the Fairmount Spanish Dance Company. While at Fairmount, Temo met internationally known flamenco dancer Teo Morca and from there, her flamenco career flourished. She graduated with her Bachelors degree from the Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music in Berea, Ohio, and went on to receive a Masters degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Maryland.

Meanwhile, Ulrika Frank studied flamenco and contemporary style dance in her native Sweden at the University College of Dance in Stockholm, earning a degree equal to a BFA in Dance and Dance Education. In 2008, the duo formed Flamenco Completo™ which offers workshops uniting dancers, guitarists and singers in performances showcasing a deep and sincere connection on stage. Highlight performances include Teatro Ruben Dario, Managua, Nicaragua; The GSFA (Guitar Society of Fine Art) Pittsburgh, PA; the World Music Series at Baldwin-Wallace College, Berea, OH; Long Island University, Long Island, NY; the Blue Ridge Performing Arts Theatre, Hendersonville, NC; BEBE Theatre, Asheville, NC; and Live Arts Theatre, Charlottesville, VA.

Tickets for Mano a Mano are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors, and can be purchased online at www.fairmountcenter.org, or by calling Fairmount Center for the Arts at 440-338-3171. The April 22 workshop includes a techniques class from 1-2 p.m. for dancers and guitarists to learn dance accompaniment, and a beginner/intermediate Flamenco Completo Workshop™ from 2:15- 4:45 p.m. for dancers, guitarists, and singers in the same class. The fee for the technique class is $25; the workshop fee is $75 ($65 if paid by April 16). Interested workshop participants should contact Fairmount Center for the Arts to register. For additional details on Marija Temo and Ulrika Frank, visit www.frankflamenco.com and www.marijatemo.com.