See Spanish dancers at the Holmes

The 2011 Minnesota deer-hunting season officially gets underway next weekend.

But for those who aren't into shooting at large, furry, white-tailed creatures with an impressive rack of horns, the Historic Holmes Theatre annually provides an alternative form of entertainment on the opening night of the hunting season.

This year, that entertainment will be a performance by Zorongo Flamenco, a Minneapolis-based music and dance troupe that presents traditional Spanish flamenco with a contemporary flair.

Set to take place Friday at 7 p.m., the event is being billed as a "Girls Night Out" because, as Zorongo Flamenco artistic director Susana di Palma put it, "We know our audience will be (mostly) women."

But that won't prevent the troupe's five dancers, flamenco guitarist and singer from putting on a display of the full range of power, passion and drama inherent in this traditional Spanish art form.

"This year we decided we wanted to do an array of different selections from the flamenco repertoire -- some very glamorous and happy, and some more profound and dramatic," di Palma said. "We wanted to choose different selections that the audience would relate to, even if they don't understand Spanish -- to show them the full spectrum of what Spanish flamenco is.

"I've been working with the dancers on this for weeks and weeks," she continued. "Some of them also have their own (dance) solos that they've developed."

This Monday, flamenco guitarist Pedro Cortés Jr. and vocalist Jesus Montoya -- both of whom di Palma describes as "Spanish gypsies" who have worked extensively with Zorongo in the past -- will arrive in Minneapolis to begin full-scale rehearsals with the dancers.

"We will have some very intense rehearsals before we all get into the van -- the 'Zorongomobile' -- and head up there," said di Palma. "Everyone in Detroit Lakes will have an opportunity to see the Zorongo van, carrying the gypsies around."

Though intensive rehearsals are an important part of delivering Zorongo's typically high-caliber performances, di Palma said, "There is a lot of improvisation in flamenco also. We like to leave space so we can be in the moment, and each performance will be a little bit different."

The guitar and vocals are an integral part of the flamenco art form as well.

"We use all live music," di Palma said. "The two of them (Montoya and Cortés) are virtuosos in both flamenco song and guitar.

"There is no storyline to follow (in the show), but each dance and each song has an emotional tone to it, from extremely happy and celebratory to very dark and profound," she added. "It's a range of emotions being portrayed through dance and music."

The Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre and School were established by di Palma in 1982.

"I have been involved in flamenco my entire adult life," she said, noting that her career has spanned about 30 years altogether.

She will be among the five dancers featured in Friday's show, which is called "Café Flamenco."

Though the show itself is not interactive, those who would like to try out a few of the traditional flamenco steps for themselves will have an opportunity to take part in a brief lesson before the show.

"We'll give a little demonstration (of the basic flamenco steps)," di Palma said. "It's an opportunity for anyone who would like to give it a try."

Tickets for Friday's show are $15 for adults, $7.50 for students, and can be purchased by visiting the Holmes Box Office at 806 Summit Ave., calling them at 218-844-7469 or visiting the Detroit Lakes Community & Cultural Center website at www.dlccc.org .