Shed the winter doldrums with the clapping, tapping and stamping of a sizzling music and dance performance that celebrates flamenco as a living art form.

Flamenco Vivo Carlotta Santana, America's premier Spanish dance company, performs at Wheelwright Auditorium on Tuesday, Jan. 22, at 7:30 p.m. The New York-based troupe, founded in 1983 by Carlotta Santana and the late Roberto Lorca, is dedicated to the belief that the universal spirit of flamenco, a multicultural art form and vital part of Hispanic heritage, has the power to build bridges between cultures. Tickets are $17, with CCU discounts available.

"Flamenco dance has a rich tradition in the Latin world, a sort of amalgam of tap dance and tango that combines singing, dance, guitar and hand clapping. It is highly dramatic and exciting," said Adam Pelty, assistant professor and associate chair of the Department of Theatre who performs and teaches dance.

The colorful, passionate and rhythmic Flamenco Vivo performance honors Spanish flamenco tradition while pushing the limits of the art form. Flamenco Vivo has premiered more than 25 original works with choreography and live music and offers commissions to various flamenco artists from Spain and around the United States. The company maintains an active touring schedule, having performed at 73 venues in 27 states over the past five seasons.

The CCU performance is the kickoff of the Voces Del Sur national tour, with performances that provide a glimpse into Andalucia, an autonomous community in southern Spain known as the "cradle of flamenco." Over the centuries, the area has become a fusion of Spanish, Arabic, Gypsy, Sephardic Jewish and Latino influences, resulting in a rich cultural diversity of artistic traditions. From these many voces (voices), the musicians and dancers of Flamenco Vivo pay tribute to the region and also to the other sur: South America.

General admission is $17. Senior citizens, OLLI members, CCU alumni, teens, and CCU/HGTC faculty and staff may purchase tickets for $12, and CCU/HGTC students and children's tickets are $5. To reserve a ticket, call the box office at 843-349-ARTS (2787) or visit during open hours, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Monday through Friday.

Wheelwright Auditorium is located at 108 Spadoni Park Circle, Conway. To purchase a ticket, call the box office at 843-349-ARTS (2787) or visit the box office between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information about the Department of Music at CCU, visit coastal.edu/music. For more performances at CCU this semester, visit coastal.edu/culturalarts.

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Video: Flamenco Vivo Carlotta Santana performance