By Amy Chen
TIMES STAFF WRITER

WITH ARCHED BACKS and elegant hands, the mother-daughter flamenco dance pair from Pleasant Hill face each other as if staring in a mirror.

Were there an actual reflection, it's possible Carolina Lugo would see her younger self.

Carolina Acuña, 19, has not only inherited her mother's name and striking appearance but also her innate talent for flamenco dancing. "Carolina Chica," or "Little Carolina" as she is called, follows her mother's movements with a precision that can only come from eight years of disciplined training.

The wooden floor of the rented Concord dance studio vibrates with their combined energy as their intricately choreographed footsteps echo against the hollow surface. Words are unnecessary for this mother-daughter team, since the mere lift of an eyebrow can communicate all they want or need to say. Besides, their percussive castanet-clicking, rhythmic shoe-tapping and syncopated hand-clapping would probably drown out any attempts to speak.

Flanked by Lugo's husband-manager, Richard Tonkin, and flamenco dancer Marco Salcedo of Mexico City, Acuña sits at her mother's feet and soaks up her every word as Lugo describes their first full-length duet as a dream come true.

"Dancing with my daughter is something I can't explain," Lugo says. "I have to hold back my tears because there's so much pride."

Both share backgrounds in classical ballet, which Lugo describes as "the mother of all dance." Dancing keeps them in top-notch shape, she adds. "I don't always eat well before concerts but my daughter takes care of me. She looks out for me," Lugo says, pointing to a can of soy bean milk.

As if on cue, Acuña leans over and brushes some dirt from her mother's left shoe. The simple but affectionate gesture makes Lugo pause and smile. Their shared passion for the infectious rhythm of flamenco dancing speaks volumes when nothing else can.

Lugo is both the artistic director and principal dancer in Carolina Lugo's Brisas de España Flamenco Dance Company. Translated into English as Spanish Winds, the company was founded in 1995 and is still Contra Costa County's only professional flamenco dance company.

The eight-member company kicks off its third concert season in Santa Rosa before returning to Walnut Creek for three performances. A four-day Reno tour in November is also on their schedule.

One change to the program is "Ojos de Pasión," or "Eyes of Passion," a new number featuring Acuña, flamenco dancer Salcedo and tango dancer Pampa Cortes of "Forever Tango" fame. "You dance for the audience, of course, but first you dance for yourself," Salcedo says from his corner in the room.

For weeks now, company members have been rehearsing up to 10 hours a day. "Dance is repetition. You have to internalize it so it's like waving. It's automatic," Lugo says, gesturing gracefully as if she were still mid-dance. The two gold bracelets encircling her right wrist clink together lightly to make music of another sort.

Lugo says her only daughter was born for the theater. Acuña graduated last year from Ygnacio Valley High School and is now studying acting at Diablo Valley College. Talent runs deep in the family, as Acuña's older brothers Daniel and Derek are pursuing the fine arts at San Francisco State University and the Academy of Art.

Lugo first fell in love with dancing after seeing a performance by Carmen Amaya, one of the most famous flamenco dancers in the world. "I was four and a half. My parents couldn't afford to buy me a ticket, so I sat on their lap," she recalls. But Lugo couldn't sit still and was soon tapping her feet to the music. Today she tries to recreate that magical moment with her audiences.

Though she teaches dance during the school year, Lugo looks forward to her summer performances.

"When you're on stage, the magic happens with the ambience and the music. Little Carolina is fiery but very light and happy. That's also her personality. Who you see on stage is who that dancer is. We are actors on stage if it's done well. When that happens, it's magic."

Amy Chen is a features writer for the Times. Her e-mail is achen@cctimes.com.