This fall, the Midwest will be shaken by the passion and expressiveness of Spanish flamenco dancing, as master dancer Jose Porcel tours the country with his show, “Ballet Flamenco.”

Porcel is to perform at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Goodwin Ave. in Urbana, on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

Porcel normally performs on the East and West Coasts, and this is his first tour through the Midwest, said Stephen Cummins, the assistant director for artistic services at Krannert. When Cummins and his colleagues heard last year that Porcel was putting together a North American tour, “we jumped at the chance to see him.”

“Krannert tries to bring a diversity of art to the community, and this is an example of an artist and an art form that is not typically found here,” Cummins said.

Though its exact origins are not known, flamenco is thought to have begun in the 15th century during the Gypsies’ encounter with the inhabitants of Andalusia in southern Spain, according to the show’s program. It began as a type of song that told the sorrows of the Gypsy people, and the flamenco dance was used to accentuate the rhythm of the song, according to the program.

Cummins said flamenco also is marked by a “stirring” guitar accompaniment.

Porcel’s show will follow the tradition of flamenco, where each dance stands on its own and tells a story, such as the tragedy of lost love, Cummins said.

“These are fabulously energetic dances, with women kicking up their skirts,” he said. “It is very sensual, very exciting and very passionate.”

In the past, whenever Krannert has had shows of this nature, the reaction has been very positive, even “rapturous,” said Cummins. “Once you’ve experienced the energy and passion flowing, it is just breathtaking.”

Cummins expects a similar reaction from Porcel’s performance.

“I have a feeling that (the audience) will find that their heart is beating faster, and their temperature is rising,” he said.

Porcel and his dancers will arrive at Krannert on the day of the performance. However, the tour has agreed to teach a master class for dance students. The day after the performance, two of the dancers from the show will come back and teach flamenco. This is a great chance for the dance students to learn, Cummins said.

He said Porcel will bring the “the energy, passion and beauty that is flamenco,” and audiences can expect a “thrilling, blood-stirring performance.”

Tickets for “Ballet Flamenco” have “sold out pretty nicely,” but there are still some tickets available, said Liz Berowski, freshman in LAS and worker at the Krannert Ticket Office.