As a young girl in Mexico, seeing Spanish Flamenco dancers for the first time, Rosario Ancer was captivated.

鈥淭he sounds of the singers and the strains of the guitar, it just touched me in a way nothing had before,鈥� Rosario says. 鈥淔or me, it was something almost spiritual and today it still is.鈥�

Audiences will experience that passion with Rosario, her dancers and musicians as they present at the Rotary Centre for the Arts April 5.

鈥淔or me it鈥檚 the coming together of the singer and the rhythm 鈥� it transforms you,鈥� she says.

The Butterfly Effect

From Mexico, Rosario followed her passion to Spain, where she met her future husband, Canadian guitarist Victor Kolstee, who has joined her in the Vancouver-based .

These physical and artistic explorations were akin to the monarch butterfly鈥檚 own transformative journey 鈥� a metaphor she explores in this celebrated performance.

鈥淟a Monarca reflects on my continual motion, travelling between Mexico where I was born, Spain 鈥� the Mecca of Flamenco, and Canada 鈥� my new home. Being a migrant between three homes reminded me of the recurrent autumn pilgrimage of the monarch butterflies between Canada and Mexico,鈥� she reflects.

鈥淟a Monarca is a very personal work 鈥� emotional, and resonant with the meaning of my life,鈥� Rosario says. 鈥淚t ties into many elements I鈥檝e been interested in developing over the years 鈥� growing from diverse inspirations, small experiments, past collaborations and even some large successes on my journey.

鈥淚 look at these antecedents, seeing some that grew, unexpectedly, from small ideas 鈥� a minor movement and a vision just glimpsed 鈥� brought together into this new work, emergent, beautiful and unexpected: the butterfly effect.鈥�

Try your hand 鈥� and feet 鈥� at flamenco

The La Monarca performance isn鈥檛 your only opportunity to experience Flamenco this April.

Rosario also offers an , April 4 from 7 to 8 p.m. in the centre鈥檚 SunFM Dance Studio. The cost is $10 and is ideal for those wanting to learn more about the basics of Flamenco (maximum 20 people).

Rosario鈥檚 guitarist and husband Victor Kolstee will also lead an hour-long session for a maximum of 12 people April 4 from 7 to 8 p.m. Bring your guitar.

Tickets for La Monarca: The Monarch and the Butterfly Effect, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5 are $35/adults; $30/members and groups of six or more; and $20 for students, available or at the Rotary Centre for the Arts box office at 250-717-5304.