Cultural Arts Series to showcase alumni
Shannon Calderon-Primeau and Edgar Cruz
Ethan Hendricks
Staff Writer
staffwriter3@occc.edu
Two former students will return to the college to display their song and dance talents for the semester’s first Cultural Arts Series performance.
Professional Latino musician Edgar Cruz and professional Latino dancer Shannon Calderon-Primeau will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, in the Bruce Owen Theater.
Lemuel Bardeguez, Cultural Program director, said the two artists are OCCC alumni.
“It’s a neat story to have previous OCCC students who have gone on to successful careers to come back and share their stories with us,” he said.
Tickets are $10 for children and students; $17 for faculty, staff, alumni and seniors; and $22 for general admission.
Cruz is an accomplished and world-renowned fingerstyle guitarist from Oklahoma City who composes his own renditions of famous songs, ranging from the classical style to modern day hits.
Calderon-Primeau is a critically-acclaimed dancer, whose style ranges from ballet to flamenco.
Bardeguez said the two-hour show will have plenty of performances by both artists.
“The program is built as ‘an evening of extraordinary Latin guitar and dance,’” he said. “Shannon does all type of dance and Cruz plays the guitar.”
Despite one being a dancer and the other a musician, Bardeguez said, a large amount of cooperation between Cruz and Calderon-Primeau will take place.
The show will be a unique blend of both of the artists’ talents while, at the same time, each getting a chance to perform solo.
Both Calderon-Primeau and Cruz said they were excited to return to campus.
“I’m really looking forward to performing at OCCC,” said Calderon-Primeau. “The classes I took at OCCC helped prepare me so much for running my dance studio.”
Cruz echoed Calderon’s enthusiasm.
“I’m excited about returning to OCCC,” said Cruz. “There are so many good memories of that college and it will be nice to be able to give back something to it.”
Cruz attended OCCC for three years, graduating with an associate degree in music in 1982, and an associate degree in drafting and design in 1983.
Calderon-Primeau attended OCCC from 1989 to 1991, taking a variety of classes in preparation for a dancing career.
Bardeguez said the Cultural Arts Series is a schedule of performances by professional and popular performing artists.
“Some of the previous performers from last semester were the Paragon Ragtime Orchestra, Bill McGuigan and the Four Freshman,” he said.”
“Every year, we try to program a selection of performers which will appeal to a large audience. And then, once a semester, we have a performer who is from Oklahoma.”
For more information or for tickets, visit the CAS Web site at www.occc.edu/cas.
