Savannah Fuentes could have stayed home this summer. The Seattle flamenco dancer and singer could have continued to practice her art, post videos on social media, and wait until fall, perhaps, to step back onto a stage.
But when she talked with venue managers in places such as Port Townsend, Bellingham and Sequim, Fuentes learned she could give performances — with safety protocols including social distancing — and do what she believes she’s put on Earth to do.
Fuentes, alongside Spanish flamenco guitarist-singer Diego Amador Jr., will present “Flores de Verano: Flamenco en Vivo,” three times on the North Olympic Peninsula in the coming week:
• Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at Eaglemount Winery-Cidery, 1893 S. Jacob Miller Road, Port Townsend, with tickets ranging from $35 to $60 for adults and $15 for children at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/149950944311.
• Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Eaglemount Winery-Cidery, with tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/153895777413.
• Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Sequim Prairie Grange, 290 Macleay Road, Sequim; tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/152203620125. Information is also found at https://www.savannahf.com.
“I can’t believe the outpouring of support in Port Townsend,” Fuentes said earlier this week, adding Sunday’s show is nearly sold out.
Booking this tour, which includes Ilwaco, Astoria, Ore., Lake Chelan, Aberdeen, Poulsbo and Friday Harbor, was nerve-racking, Fuentes said. But she and Amador traveled widely before the pandemic, and learned they are well-matched as artists.
“His singing is the real deal,” she said. “He is from a Roma family from the south of Spain. I’m so blessed to have this young, wonderful artist,” who is bringing his first CD with him on the tour.
Fuentes, who is of Puerto Rican and Irish descent, has studied flamenco since she was a teenager growing up in the Pacific Northwest. She considers the art form a lifelong endeavor, and has worked with noted artists including Guadiana, Joaquin Grilo, Eva Yerbabuena, El Farru and Isabel Bayon; she credits Maestra Sara de Luis as her most significant mentor.
Now as before the pandemic, Fuentes seeks to bring flamenco to places where people might not otherwise experience it.
After a year of confinement and self-reflection, she said it’s scary to go back onstage; flamenco is highly athletic. With Amador, though, the forthcoming performances will have “a lot of soul, a lot of good vibes. We’ve spent enough time together; we have a good friendship,” she said.
“We’ve all been through this crazy experience,” Fuentes added.
With dance, song and guitar, “we create this time and space that are even more special.”
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Jefferson County senior reporter Diane Urbani de la Paz can be reached at 360-417-3509 or durbanidelapaz@peninsuladailynews.com.
