Flamenco and More

The Arte Flamenco Dance Theatre wants to stamp out the notion that flamenco is the only form of Spanish dance.

Flamenco is a dance from the south of Spain. “There’s a passion and fury with flamenco,” said Art Jauregui, managing director of the company that will perform today at the Los Angeles Theatre Center.

The performance will feature flamenco, of course, but also traditional regional dances performed in colorful costumes and elegant classical styles that most people in this country never get to see, Jauregui said.

Clarita, the company’s artistic director, and her dancers present a repertoire that includes the fast and lively jota from Aragon, light operas known as zarzuelas , and escuelas , which are similar in style to ballet. The performers include dancers, guitarists and internationally known singers Angela Agujeta and Remedios Flores.

Some of the numbers that will be featured in today’s performance are patterned after the popular dances performed “in bars, on street corners, everywhere” during religious holidays, Jauregui said.

In some of the more classical Spanish dances, “the male dancers can be very macho while the women can be sassy and radiate sexuality without trying,” Jauregui said.

Clarita’s philosophy of dance is simple: “Just have a good time on stage.”

“The Music and Dances of Spain,” 2 p.m., Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St.; $18. Information: (818) 458-1234.