McCrae Farm Presents Flamenco Dancing With Horses

McCrae Farm in Grayslake, a sprawling 5,000 acre farm specializing in the art of French Classical Dressage and home of the Equestrian Ballet horses, is preparing for its annual Fall Performance at 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 6.

Farm owner Jill McCrae provides instruction, training and clinics at her facility which has been a hidden gem on Bacon street for the past 24 years.

Jill, and her husband Jeff, will perform with signature Lusitano horses from Brazil and Portugal, along with several students. The horses ride in harmony using standards set in the eighteenth century by Francois Robichon de le Gueriniere to create a dance, set to music.

One of Chicago’s most talented Flamenco dancers, Juan Carlos Castellon, of Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance Company, will perform Nov. 6 with some unique dance partners: horses.

Castellon evokes passion and seriousness when he stomps his feet to the rythms of flamenco.

“This is a dream come true to dance with horses,” he said. “I saw movies of horses and flamenco dancers when I was a child, and now Jill and Ladia (Cheng) have helped to make this possible.”

Ladia Cheng of Mundelein, a pharmaceutical researcher by day and flamenco afficianado by night, fell in love with dance after signing up for an intensive clinic at Northeastern Illinois University. Cheng and Castellon met when placed in a Spanish-speaking dance class where Castellon offered to translate.

“He was so sweet to offer his time, he didn’t even know me,” Cheng said. Months later, Cheng asked Castellon if he would be interested in choreographing a piece for the upcoming show at McCrae Farm.

“The footwork is similar to the horse’s movements. It’s a perfect marriage of the two."

Cheng has limited training but wants to grow as an artist. She will dance Sevillanas, the popular flamenco-style from Seville, Spain while the stallions gracefully gait in the background with Castellon.

McCrae Farm is located at 32159 N. Bacon Road in Grayslake. There will be a sweet table at 12:30 p.m. and the horse performance at 1 p.m. Tickets are $25. Reservations are accepted. To purchase tickets, call 847-546-5164.

- Submitted by Laura Davis.