Most of us think of flamenco as a dance style, but in fact it began centuries ago with gypsy poetry sung to a rhythm beaten on a floor with a wooden staff. Central to community and family, flamenco evolved into a passionate expression of gypsy dignity and of duende, the thin line between life and death that infuses Spanish culture. Manuela Carrasco, known in her native Spain as the Queen of Gypsy Flamenco Dance, celebrates this heritage with her ten-member company, Suspirio Flamenco, when they lead the Bay Area Festival of Flamenco Arts & Traditions on Tuesday, June 15, at Zellerbach Hall (Dana St. and Bancroft Way, Berkeley). Joined by singer Enrique el Extremeño, one of Spain's most sought-after flamenco singers, Carrasco and her dancers improvise their performances in true gypsy style -- for them, flamenco is a way of life, so theirs is a living art. 8 p.m., $30-$99.99. 800-838-3006 or BayAreaFlamencoFestival.com
— Claudia Bauer
Zellerbach Hall
UC Berkeley (across from the Musical Offering, 2430 Bancroft Way)
