Fox Woman by Palabra Flamenco
Denise Yeo | Dancer, Storyteller & Artistic Director
Denise Yeo is a professional flamenco dance soloist and palmera. In 2017, she co-founded Palabra Flamenco as its artistic director and principal dancer — joining traditional flamenco with English-language poetry and storytelling. Their show La Palabra en el Tiempo toured the Victoria Flamenco Festival, Victoria Fringe Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and Victoria Festival of Authors. She later performed as a soloist for Dark Sounds, a unique collaboration with acclaimed poet Jan Zwicky, guitarist Gareth Owen, and poet Garth Martens. Fox Woman is Yeo’s second show as artistic director and it toured the Toronto Fringe Festival and Winnipeg Fringe Festivals.
As a soloist, Yeo performs in tablaos across Canada. She has performed in large-scale flamenco productions Recuerdos and Pasajes for Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company. In North America, Denise has trained with award-winning choreographers Veronica Maguire, Carmen Romero, and Oscar Nieto. She has also trained with international flamenco artists, including Concha Jareño, Domingo Ortega, Maria Bermúdez, Inmaculada Ortega, Antonio El Farru, Carmen Herrera, Ana María Lopez, and more.
Veronica Maguire | Singer
Dancer, choreographer, and singer Veronica Maguire is the artistic director and co-founder of Alma de España Flamenco Dance Company, established in 1991 in Victoria. In a career spanning over fifty years she has taught and inspired many students, some of whom have gone on to cultivate their own professional careers. Veronica has shared the stage in Canada with Spanish international flamenco artists María Bermúdez, Domingo Ortega, Jesus Álvarez, Coral de los Reyes, Miguel Rosendo, Luis de la Tota, Antonio de Jerez, Inmaculada Ortega, Sonia Berbel and Matias Lopez Exposito. North American artists include Oscar Nieto, Gerardo Alcalá, Esmeralda Enrique, Paco Pedrosa “Jiménez Carancha”, Carmen Romero, Chuscales Jose Valle, Vicente Griego, Kasandra “La China”, to name a few. Her longest and dearest artistic partnership was with her late husband and acclaimed guitarist, Harry Owen. Veronica continues to stay connected with her adopted hometown of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain, a touchstone for continued growth and inspiration. As a result she has produced and directed world-class productions in Victoria such as Recuerdos in 2011 and Pasajes in 2014. Veronica has performed in the Vancouver International Flamenco Festival, Dawson City Music Festival, Victoria Flamenco Festival, as well as many other major performances throughout Western Canada, including the Dancers for Life Gala as guest artist in a show that featured Karen Kain, Evelyn Hart, and Rex Harrington, and as a featured guest artist with the Victoria Symphony under the baton of Kees Bakels. In 2013, Veronica received a Canada Council grant for Professionals and was chosen by peer assessment to win the prestigious Jacqueline Lemieux Award for her contribution to Dance in Canada.
Gareth Owen | Guitarrist
Gareth Owen is a world-class flamenco guitarist who has recorded two albums, Gareth Owen Flamenco Guitar and El Cobre, with a third in production. He has performed at the Calgary International Flamenco Festival, Toronto International Flamenco Festival, Vancouver International Flamenco Festival, and Dawson City Music Festival, with tablao performances in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. As principal guitarist for Palabra Flamenco, he toured the Victoria Flamenco Festival, Victoria Fringe Festival, Vancouver Fringe Festival, and Victoria Festival of Authors for their show La Palabra en el Tiempo. For Dark Sounds, he collaborated with acclaimed poet Jan Zwicky, dancer Denise Yeo, and poet Garth Martens. His mother is award-winning choreographer Veronica Maguire and his late father is renowned flamenco guitarist Harry Owen. He lives with his wife, dancer Denise Yeo, in Victoria.
He has shared the stage with international flamenco guitarists Jesus Álvarez and Gaspar Rodriguez Roman, and accompanied international artists Coral de los Reyes, Miguel Rosendo, Luis Vargas “El Mono”, María Bermúdez, Domingo Ortega, Luis de la Tota, Gema Moneo, Ricardo Lopez, Emilio Ochando, Cristina Hall, and Vicente Griego, among others. His Canadian collaborators include Oscar Nieto, Kasandra Lea “La China”, Gerardo Alcalá, and Carmen Romero.