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Ehren Seeland

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Featured Vancouverites: Victor Kolstee and Rosario Ancer

October 7, 2014 Ehren Seeland

Hometowns:
Victor Kolstee is originally from The Hague in The Netherlands and Rosario Ancer from Monterrey, Mexico.

How long have been Vancouverites?
25 years – after living and performing in Spain and Mexico, we settled in Vancouver.

Occupations:
Rosario Ancer is a Dancer, Choreographer and Artistic Director and Victor Kolstee is a Guitarist and Musical Director, both with Flamenco Rosario and the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival. They also teach dance and guitar and are the owners of Centro Flamenco.

When Flamenco Rosario and Rosario Ancer Centro Flamenco were both founded in 1989, what was happening on the dance and performing arts scene in Vancouver?
There was no formal flamenco training available in Vancouver at that time, so we co-founded Centro Flamenco (the first flamenco school in Western Canada) with a structured approach to teaching dance, guitar and song and how these elements interact. Soon after, the professional companies Flamenco Rosario and the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival were born, which enabled us to create striking original works – some of which have traveled internationally and won awards for choreography. We also collaborate with a range of international artists and arts organizations.

The format of the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival is unique to Canada in that it creates a bridge between East and West and offers a platform where local, national and international flamenco artists can share their talents with Vancouverites. These efforts have also launched the professional careers of many young and aspiring Canadian artists. This festival has grown to a full week of performances, workshops, conferences and community events. The festival consistently features guest artists of the highest caliber from all over Spain.

Are prospective students able to join at any level, and how do the learning methods come into play?
For the aficionado, Centro Flamenco offers classes from basic introduction to advanced classes and everything in between. For the aspiring professional, Flamenco Rosario offers a Professional Training Program, which offers placements by audition only.

For people who are passionate about flamenco, are there any local events that are available to the public?
The upcoming Vancouver International Flamenco Festival is an excellent place to engage with the local community. The festival runs from October 29 – November 9, 2014 with in-studio performances at the Centro Flamenco, along with events at the Chai Lounge and Kino Cafe Flamenco Tapas Bar. Advance tickets can be purchased on the website here.

Flamenco has become increasingly popular in Vancouver, so there are quite a few flamenco performances in other venues as well. Check the Centro Flamenco website regularly for upcoming events. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

What do you see on the horizon for flamenco dance and performance in the city of Vancouver?
We did not have to wait very long to witness the results of the seeds that we have planted in the city. There is currently a vibrant flamenco movement in Vancouver, with a growing roster of flamenco schools, dance companies and performance groups. There are also more venues offering flamenco, and other festivals are now including flamenco in their programming.

As our 25th anniversary approaches, we have begun preparations for a year of celebration which will culminate with the 2015 Flamenco Festival. Looking back on the work that we have done so far, we feel so privileged and proud. With this upcoming milestone, we feel the same excitement that we felt 25 years ago about the immense possibilities for the future. Viva Flamenco!

Words ©Ehren Seeland

In Interviews Tags Victor Kolstee, Rosario Ancer, Vancouver, Vancouverites, Inside Vancouver, Tourism Vancouver, Flamenco Rosario, Vancouver International Flamenco Festival, Flamenco, Centro Flamenco, Ehren Seeland
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tales from the every day

Life is about the simple things. 

A primary focus in my work is connecting with people and places in order to gather, curate and share the stories that ensue. 

This space serves as my point of offering, and also as my meeting place to connect with you, the reader. You can also find me on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

 

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The perfect garment for spring and summer, our handwoven Lucido cotton huipil is created on a standing foot pedal loom by our master artisan partner, exclusively for our collection, along with our fab stockists in Canada and the United States. This understated piece supports classic lines in delicate stripes of blue (featured) or pink, and both celebrates and supports the cultural traditions of this talented weaving family. Ethically produced in Southern Mexico with slow made processes, fair pay and zero factories. #fashionrevolutionweek #slowmade #cottonhuipil
Now that spring is officially here, our Redonda palm bags are ready to be mixed and matched with all of your wardrobe staples. These versatile pieces are handmade by our master artisans using natural Mexican palm, and are available in two sizes – a medium shoulder bag style, along with a smaller handbag version. The medium size takes a full three days to produce, while the smaller size runs around two days. While we are sold out of both sizes right now, we have a new lot coming around mid-May. Want to be added to the wait list? Give us a holler. Email on our website – link in bio – or dm us here with your details. #palmbag #globalartisans #hechoenmexico
It’s mango season here in Oaxaca, which means that we’ve been mixing up loads of refreshing salads with our handmade jacaranda wood serving forks. These gorgeous pieces are handmade in Southern Mexico by our master artisan partners, exclusively for our stock. The jacaranda tree bestows a fragrant offering of lilac-hued blooms throughout Mexico, and produces a light, straight grained wood. What’s our favourite salad at the moment? Cut mango and avocado into large cubes, and then mix with finely chopped cilantro, red pepper, and a little red onion, serve overtop of a bed of chopped lettuce, and top with a grilled tuna steak, and a dressing of soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, sriracha and a splash of rice wine vinegar. Delish. Do you have a favourite mango recipe? #saladforks #workingwithwood #globalartisans
This unbleached cotton blanket exists as the fusion of modern minimalism and traditional processes. Made by expert hands on standing foot pedal looms, textured cotton is combined with embellishments of naturally dyed indigo for a one-of-a-kind piece that complements a range of spaces – from breezy beach house to minimalist urban loft. A hand-knotted fringe on both ends provides a luxurious finish that looks equally beautiful draped over a bed as it does a linen sofa. #naturaldye #globaltextiles #interiordesign
In honour of the start of Fashion Revolution Week, I'd like to pay tribute to a woman that strongly helped to inform the foundation for Hecho – my Nan. Though war times were a struggle, she always managed to look like a movie star who glimmered in slow motion captures. More importantly, my Nan taught me the value of choosing a few quality pieces, over loads of cheaper garments. Her style was the product of handmade processes, and she provided unwavering support in my decision to pack up 9 – 5 life to pursue my entrepreneurial goals, no matter what anyone else said or thought. From her, I learned how to be feisty, brave and reverent of the process of choosing quality over quantity. With this, my goal is to continue to pursue collaborations with our Hecho artisan partners that focus on investment pieces – works that value handmade over factory, natural fibres over synthetics, and heirloom over disposable. Cheers to this superfab lady. #fashionrevolutionweek #slowmade #slowfashionblogger
Beauty in abundance. Our limited edition of Huevero tree bark baskets have traditionally been used for gathering eggs, however we must admit that they also make for the most darling handbag. Produced by a talented and industrious group of master artisan women, these ecofriendly works are created with natural string that is made by rolling organic tree bark on the thigh or calf to desired thickness. It is then woven overtop of a handmade wooden frame, and finished with a hand-braided strap for carrying. Earth friendly, ethically sourced and a lovely conversation piece to add to your home and wardrobe. #treebarkbasket #culturaltraditions #hechoenmexico
Sunday morning view in the pueblos. While we live and work full-time in the capital city of Oaxaca, Mexico, most of our time is spent in the villages collaborating directly with our artisan partners, as face-to-face interactions are essential to effectively doing business in Mexico. With this, we’ve been able to experience local language, customs, creative traditions and cuisine, as well as having the opportunity to better know our partners and their families. In the interest of keeping our collection fresh, we make an effort to regularly explore new states, as every area supports unique offerings of handmade works that are specific to the region. Pictured here is the lovely community where our tree bark baskets are woven.Happy Sunday, all. #travelmexico #ethicalbusiness #thefutureishandmade
We have exactly one of these handwoven rustic maguey market bags left in stock. Created by hand by our artisan partners with hand-rolled maguey fiber that is rolled on the thigh of the artisan to the desired thickness. After this, the pieces are woven on a simple handmade apparatus of wood with two nails on either end, then finished with a hand-tooled leather strap. Who wants to bring this beauty home? #magueybag #ecofriendly #globaltextiles
Handmade by the kindest hearts that you could ever hope to meet, these beautiful unisex combs are created by our artisan partners with a tropical hardwood from the coast of Oaxaca known as granadilla. This wood has historically been used for making fine instruments – particularly clarinets. It is resilient, easy to care for, and supports gorgeous natural markings that speak to the age of every tree. These fine toothed combs also feature a delicate row of half moons that are entirely done by hand. Ideal for morning rituals, beard care and children’s hair, these lovely works naturally invigorate the scalp, and will stay looking like new with a little hand cleaning and application of coconut or olive oil from time to time. Be sure to get yours from our latest custom batch – we’ve only got a handful left until more arrive in May. #woodencomb #globalartisans #beautyrituals
As woman owned company, one of the primary goals in starting Hecho was to create and grow a socially-focused business that provides a positive stream of income for artisans, particularly for women and girls. As statistics have shown time and time again, on a global scale, women do more of the work, and are offered less of the opportunities, money and assets overall. Given this, we strive to source artisans and collectives that are comprised of women to collaborate with, and where we work male artisans, we always ensure that there is a positive role for strong women in their households. During this journey, we have encountered some of the most incredible, hardworking and inspiring people that we could have ever hoped to meet, and our gratitude in being able to work with these incredible individuals is plentiful. Hats off to all of you hardworking women – business owners, creatives, revolutionaries and beyond – we’ve got your back. #strongertogether #womensupportingwomen #globalartisans
Hand-gathered Mexican palm. This element from nature serves as the base of so many gorgeous artisan pieces from a variety of states, including furniture, hats, baskets, bags, and intricate sculptural works that are used as church decorations. As we’ve consciously grown our collection for Hecho, our focus has always been on producing ethically-made, multipurpose pieces that incorporate natural materials such as wool, clay, cotton, maguey, wood and tree bark. Our palm selections currently include our handwoven Redonda palm bags and storage baskets, with more custom pieces in the works. Here’s to the beauty of nature. 🍃 #handwovenpalm #globalartisans #hechoenmexico
Handwoven tree bark hanging baskets? We have many. Our new order of these lovely works has just arrived – custom-made for our collection by a democratic collective of artisan women. These sublime pieces have been made in this region since pre-Hispanic times, and are used as baby carriers, with the front strap being placed over the forehead and worn in the back so that the user can tend to their chores. As we aim to mainly incorporate multipurpose pieces into our collection, these traditional beauties can also be hung on the wall to hold magazines or dried grasses, or simply to hang on their own as an intriguing work of art. Linen tunic by the ever-wonderful, family-run @notperfectlinen #handwovenbasket #globalartisans #hechoenmexico

 

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