This Valentine’s Day weekend, passions are set to run wild with Por Derecho: Juana Amaya and Farruquito, flamenco dancers who love to entertain. Their style and flare are sure to add a spark to the holiday.

“”Por derecho”” is a Spanish phrase that means “”to continue in a straight and direct manner.”” However, for these two dancers, Por Derecho is about returning to the roots of Spanish flamenco dancing and dancing with authenticity.

To Amaya and Farruquito, this is about returning to the traditional art, “”flamenco puro.”” For Farruquito, this means “”to go back to your roots and dance in a pure style, following the path down which authentic baile takes you, with no script to follow, with no need to act or put on any kind of persona, with no frills and no adornments … to dance with authenticity, transparently and baring your soul … to take a journey to the roots of flamenco, on the path where both Juana Amaya and I have learned.””

Amaya began dancing when she was only six, being taught at home like many gypsies. At age 14, renowned dancer and choreographer Mario Maya discovered her and she joined his cast and toured around the world for three years. She danced with “”Cumbre Flamenca”” for 10 years and then broke away to form her own company. She is an accomplished artist and performer.

Farruquito comes from one of the most well-known families of flamenco. It was his grandfather, Farruco, who reinvented many of the traditional dances and it was from him that Farruquito learned to dance. Since Farruco’s death in 1997, Farruquito has been embraced as the heir of his grandfather’s legacy.

These two talented and spirited performers are now coming together to bring the art of traditional flamenco dancing to the stage. Don’t miss this great chance to see them Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Mandeville Auditorium. General admission is $30, tickets for UCSD faculty, staff and seniors are $27 and student tickets are $20. For tickets, call the UCSD Box Office at (858) 534-TIXS.