DC Flamenco Blog

Keep up-to-date with the flamenco scene in Washington DC. Updated almost daily by guitarist Miguelito

Saturday, January 29th

Lorca poetry class at GW January 28, 2005



Pictured here is Phillips Hall on the George Washington University campus. The Romance Languages and Literatures department is on the fifth floor.

You'd think that on sunny day like this everyone would be wide awake at 9:35am, right? The bitter cold should 've waken us all up. Maybe we were all still half-asleep or perhaps I'm now realizing that not everyone in the class is a serious student of poetry...yet.

Typical poetry class procedure: read each line of poetry then the professor asks what each line means. Well, today we had a more blank stares than usual. Backing up a little we reviewed the basics of poetry appreciation:

Read first for literal meaning. Then reread to look for deeper meaning.

We continued analyzing "Las Morillas de Jaen" which is Lorca's adaptation of an Arabic poem in the form of a zejel on the topic of prohibited love between a christian man and three muslim girls (Morillas=Moriscas). A recurring theme in Lorca's works: unfulfilled (and in this case, forbidden) desire.

Next, as we read through Anda Jaleo, professor Echeverria explained the historical context as a poetic statement about the political climate of the time. Then we listened to cantaora Carmen Linares' flamenco interpretation in the rhythm of bulerias.

Near the end of this class session, I played a seguiriya on the guitar before we read the poem Poema de la Seguiriya Gitana and explored the symbolism. I'm starting to get the hang of this and even managed to contribute a few times to the discussion.

I'm looking forward to going on a field trip this weekend to contemplate Lorca's thoughts as he composed "Poeta en Nueva York."
Miguelito on 01.29.05 @ 12:31 AM EST [link]


Friday, January 28th

Gloria Monge at Andalucia January 27, 2005



The Andalucia Restaurant, I admit, is hard-to-find and far from downtown DC. So I'm always grateful when my friends come out to see the show on Thursday nights. Last night was good. Thanks to a great review in last week's Montgomery Gazette, the place was packed!

Although, she's been listed in teacher directory for quite some time now, this was the first time that I met Gloria Monge (pictured above). She came all the way from Reston, Virginia! Thanks for coming to the show Gloria. Needless to say, we got her to dance a little Sevillanas after the show.
Miguelito on 01.28.05 @ 11:48 PM EST [link]


Poetry and Eva la Yerbabuena


Interviewer: "Poetry is very important to you, isn't it?"

Eva la Yerbabuena: "There are times when you read, and you say to yourself, this is what I was trying to say so many times, when I danced a solea or a siguiriya."

Read the interview with Eva in today's Bloomberg. She'll be performing in New York at City Center this weekend.

NOTE: my webhost is upgrading the system over the next few days which may temporarily disrupt the availability of this website. Please be patient. Also, I'll be out of town this weekend, so I won't be answering email until Monday.
Miguelito on 01.28.05 @ 11:43 PM EST [link]


Thursday, January 27th

Flamenco Family in Atlanta


"I brought in someone for a workshop once who said 'Atlanta feels like a flamenco family...'"

Ulrika Frank as quoted in an article about the flamenco scene in Atlanta, Georgia.
Miguelito on 01.27.05 @ 02:10 PM EST [link]


Aerial flamenco


What's an aerial flamenco dancer?
Miguelito on 01.27.05 @ 12:47 PM EST [link]


Flamenco Festival articles January 27, 2005


It's about that time, as the Flamenco Festival approaches (or in the case of London, has already started) the publicity machine is revved up and ready to go:

Read the review of Eva la Yerbabuena's London performance in today's Financial Times.

Read the review of the London shows of Bara and Yerbabuena in the Telegraph.

NY's Flamenco Festival is mentioned in today's New York Daily News.

There's a blurb about Lisner's Flamenco Festival in today's Washington Times.
Miguelito on 01.27.05 @ 09:48 AM EST [link]


Wednesday, January 26th

Lorca's poetry class at GW January 26, 2005



Reading through an essay by Spanish writer Vicente Molina Foix, we discussed what colleagues and scholars of Federico Garcia Lorca had to say about his works. Among the names mentioned: Vicente Aleixandre and Christopher Maurer. A recurring theme: Federico the poet is inseparable from Federico the musician.

To illustrate this point, we listened to different musical interpretations of Lorca's "Zorongo Gitano" including my own guitar solo arrangement that I use to accompany flamenco dancers and singers. Next, professor Echeverria put on a CD of cantaora Carmen Linares singing Zorongo por tangos and an old recording from 1921 of La Argentinita singing it accompanied on piano by Lorca himself.

In Lorca's poem "La Guitarra," we explored symbolism. Everyone had different ideas about what Lorca choice of words--who knew how many different meanings there were for 'blanco?'

I learned that really is no "right" answer in poetic interpretation. Just allow yourself to be taken in by the musicality of the lines, the beauty in the choice of words, sounds etc. Some things that cannot be expressed in words can only be expressed through music and vice-versa. Poetry is music.

Oops...I digress, I'm blabbing on and on about poetry. This blog is supposed to be about flamenco, right? Just bear with me for another few weeks. One of my upcoming assignments is to read Lorca's essay "Play and theory of Duende."

Study of poetry is something new to me. But so far I'm having a good time and later in the semester when everything starts to fall into place, I'll hopefully have something intelligent to say about Lorca that's relevant to us flamencos. Stay tuned!
Miguelito on 01.26.05 @ 02:32 PM EST [link]


Tuesday, January 25th

Google's video search service


Wouldn't it be cool to find out where and when the word flamenco is mentioned in recent television programs?

Well, Google is testing a video search service that scans the transcripts of recent television shows. Here are the results for 'flamenco.'
Miguelito on 01.25.05 @ 04:04 PM EST [link]


Article on Four Elements in Village Voice January 25, 2005


"Flamenco dancers like controlling their performances, from direction and choreography to music, lights, and costumes."

Read about the Four Elements show in today's Village Voice.
Miguelito on 01.25.05 @ 04:01 PM EST [link]


New pics for the front page



I added 6 new pics that are randomly displayed on my front page. To save you the pain of going to the front page and repeatedly clicking "reload," I put the links here: Pic 1, Pic 2, Pic 3, Pic 4, Pic 5 and Pic 6. So far I have 31 images. My goal is to have 100 be the end of February 2005.

Cool idea: next year, I'll make a calendar with higher-quality versions of these pics--with permission from the artists of course!
Miguelito on 01.25.05 @ 03:58 PM EST [link]


Pics from Cafe Citron January 24, 2005



Monday is my favorite flamenco night. It's so much fun to have a singer--unfortunately, none of the other DC tablao shows have cante. But business slows down in the winter months. This particular night wasn't too bad: eventually all the seats at the bar were filled.

Let's face it. Cafe Citron is mainly a bar and when people have a few drinks they are usually easy to entertain. But on slow nights like this when the crowd isn't so inebriated, we still get a very enthusiastic response. I'll take that as a compliment. We put on a good show.

Lately, I've been making an effort to meet the people in audience afterwards thanking them for coming and getting some feedback about the show. And quite a few of them actually do come especially for the flamenco.

Most of the time, they heard about the show through my website. Others, read about the show on other website like DCNites.com or ClubZone.com. Some just hear about the show by word of mouth.

Just having a good show is not enough. It takes time and good publicity for word to get around. This September 2005 will mark four years of performing at Cafe Citron.

Singer Gerard Moreno and yours truly have been featured in the show from the beginning. We started with dancer Micaela Moreno then Marta Chico Martin. Later Sara Jerez and most recently Sara Candela has been dancing here regularly. Unfortunately for the DC flamenco community, Sara Candela will be relocating far from DC very soon. She and I have been performing in DC area tablaos longer than anyone that's currently performing today--we did our first show together on New Year's Eve 1991. We're all going to miss her.

In the coming months, Sara Jerez will be performing more frequently at Cafe Citron but when she can't make it, we'll be featuring other familiar faces and perhaps even a few new ones.

According to my New Year's poll, the number one answer to the question "What would most convince you to come to local tablaos more often?" is "Change artists more frequently." Your wish just might come true!

Pics in the Photo Diary
Miguelito on 01.25.05 @ 10:11 AM EST [link]


Monday, January 24th

Studio gig yesterday



It was the first time I ventured out into the cold all weekend. Yeah, I know, we Washingtonians are wimps when it comes to snow--only a few inches. I met up with my guitarist friend Ian McLain (pictured above) around Embassy Row.

We arrived at the client's studio and besides having frozen fingertips after being out in the cold, Ian and I were clueless about what we were going to be asked to play. The client wanted some fandango-de-huelva-like chord progression with an improvised melody. Very straightforward stuff, except as a flamenco guitarist I have this habit of playing the E-major final resolution chord with the flamenco-sounding minor-second dissonance. (for you non-musicians, a minor-second is a clashing sound like hitting a white key and the adjacent black key on a piano at the same time)

This dissonance is typical for flamenco, but this recording was meant for a classical audience so the client preferred that I play non-clashing version of E-major chord (i.e. with no F). So he said "Get the F out!" I understood what that meant in musical terms, but a second later we all realized the R-rated way those words can be interpreted and ended up laughing. But we needed the comic relief--doing so many takes of this recording was starting to drive us crazy.

After the studio gig, I said goodbye to Ian and visited a client/friend nearby who wanted to show me the performance space for an upcoming gig in late February. In this historic Tudor-style house, imagine the Great Hall (pictured below) at night with the chandelier lit and the fireplace roaring, tapas accompanied with white sangria (no red wine allowed here--it stains the floor) and 60 international students and their guests. Of course, the furniture will be rearranged so that we (myself and two dancers) can perform along the back wall in front of the tapestry. Bonus: the hardwood floor is perfect for flamenco. This night is going to be so much fun and of course I will have someone take pictures. Stay tuned!

Miguelito on 01.24.05 @ 03:50 AM EST [link]


Sunday, January 23rd

Interview with Ottmar


"Flamenco itself is something that's very strong. Nothing you can do to mutate it can kill flamenco. But I'm not doing the music a disservice..."

Read the Lexington Herald-Leader's interview with Ottmar.
Miguelito on 01.23.05 @ 07:19 AM EST [link]


Saturday, January 22nd

Inside and stayin' warm


Dance class was cancelled this morning due to the snow. So in case you're wondering what I'm up to. I'm inside keeping warm and dry, updating my website and chatting online with friends.

Things to do today: practice guitar, update my website, read some Lorca.

Here's a snowy view from my window.

Last night, I finally got a replacement battery charger for my camera (a christmas present from Dad--thanks Dad!) So now I can get back to publishing flamenco pics more frequently. Since I'm stuck in the house, I couldn't resist publishing photos of me at the computer. So there you go! smile
Miguelito on 01.22.05 @ 03:22 PM EST [link]


Studying Lorca at George Washington University


The Spring 2005 semester started this week at George Washington University. I attended the first session for a course titled "Federico Garcia Lorca: Poetry, Theater and Music" which is being taught by professor Ellen Echeverria. It's scheduled Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30am which is an early hour for a working musician like me, but it's flamenco-related so I'll get out of bed for this one. smile

Several times during the 75-minute class, I got to show off my knowledge whenever the topic of flamenco came up. Of course, as a performer, I'm well-versed (no pun intended) in the practice of flamenco but I need to expand my horizons. To keep up, I'm going to have to brush-up on terminology and concepts related to poetry and literature. Oh, did I mention that the class is conducted entirely in Spanish!

This will be the first time that I'll be closely studying the relationship between poetry and flamenco. It's going to be a challenge, but I'm enjoying myself so far. Next week, we're going to talk about Lorca's "Guitarra" and "Zorongo Gitano."
Miguelito on 01.22.05 @ 09:41 AM EST [link]


Friday, January 21st

Lisner is presenting the USA premiere of Crossroads on February 12, 2005


A few years ago Vicente Amigo's North American debut was at Lisner Auditorium. I can remember meeting someone backstage who flew all the way from Canada for Vicente's concert.

Usually bigger cities like New York get the major first-time appearances. But once again, Lisner Auditorium has the honor of presenting another premiere on February 12, 2005: Crossroads. Have you bought your tickets yet?
Miguelito on 01.21.05 @ 04:56 PM EST [link]


Chick Corea and flamenco band at Blues Alley


I mentioned this last week. Read about pianist Chick Corea and the flamenco band he's working with. They'll be at DC's Blues Alley next week!
Miguelito on 01.21.05 @ 08:51 AM EST [link]


Gerardo Nunez and the New York Flamenco Festival 2005


Read about Gerardo Nunez in today's Star Ledger. Other artists appearing in the New York Flamenco Festival include oud-player Simon Shaheen, dancer Carmen Cortes, singer Enrique Morente, guitarist Tomatito and more. Some of the artists appearing in New York will NOT be appearing in DC, so if you can afford it, get your tickets for the New York shows now!
Miguelito on 01.21.05 @ 08:49 AM EST [link]


Thursday, January 20th

January 21, 2005 Sala Rociera cancelled


Sorry to announce this at the last minute. But news like this seems to come at the worst time. Please help spread the word. The organizer of the Sala Rociera informs me that the next one will be scheduled in late February. Stay tuned for the announcement.
Miguelito on 01.20.05 @ 06:13 PM EST [link]


Flamenco is back at Casablanca Restaurant


After a couple of years, flamenco is back again at Casablanca Restaurant starting Friday February 4, 2005 featuring dancers Anna Menendez and Edwin Aparicio. Shows at 8pm and 9pm. The restaurant is located at 1504 King St which is just a few blocks from the King Street metro. Call (703) 549-6464.

About 8 years ago, I used to do a weekly show here with dancer Sara Candela. We alternated sets with a belly dancer. After the show, I would walk down several blocks to Costa del Sol (aka Las Tapas) to watch the show by dancer Ana Martinez and guitarist Paco de Malaga.
Miguelito on 01.20.05 @ 05:56 AM EST [link]


Wednesday, January 19th

Eva la Yerbabuena interview


"Is Eva Yerbabuena the future of Spanish dance, or a traitor to its past?"

Read the Guardian's January 20, 2005 interview with Eva la Yerbabuena. She's performing at City Center (New York) January 29-30, 2005.
Miguelito on 01.19.05 @ 10:03 PM EST [link]


Another review of the London show of Four Elements


This one is not such a good review but it's more about the show's concept than the performance itself. It's in today's Gaurdian Unlimited. Next, read the Financial Times very positive take on this show.
Miguelito on 01.19.05 @ 03:11 PM EST [link]


Micaela Moreno in the film Bloodsworth February 1, 2005


Dancer Micaela Moreno is in an upcoming film: Bloodsworth being shown at AFI Silver Spring on Tuesday February 1, 2005. (My flamenco music in the soundtrack!)
Miguelito on 01.19.05 @ 01:50 PM EST [link]


Lisner's Flamenco Festival 2005 - Contest


I hope that you already have your tickets for Lisner Auditorium's Flamenco Festival this coming February 2-12, 2005. That's two weeks away! The clock is ticking--ticket sales will go up and the best seats will soon be gone. TIP: Do yourself a favor. Buy your tickets now!

Don't ask me why, but despite all my hard work in keeping the DC flamenco community informed (ahem!), many of you still wait until the last minute to buy tickets. You know who you are! But guess what? Exclusively for DC Flamenco readers like yourself, Lisner Auditorium is giving you the opportunity to win:

One pair of FREE tickets for the concert Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras: Sueños (Dreams) on Sunday February 6, 2005 at 8:00pm

One pair of FREE tickets for the concert Cañizares and Jose Maria Gallardo: Mano a Mano (Classical & Flamenco Guitar) on Wednesday February 9, 2005 at 8:00pm

Details on the front page
Miguelito on 01.19.05 @ 10:43 AM EST [link]


Tuesday, January 18th

Review: Four Elements in London


In two weeks, the Four Elements show will be at Lisner Auditorium (buy your tickets now!). But if you're curious to know what the show is going to be like, just read the review of the recent performance in London.
Miguelito on 01.18.05 @ 11:33 PM EST [link]


Monday, January 17th

Happy birthday RJ!



Guitarist RJ Uebersezig celebrates his birthday today. In the photo that's RJ on the left and me, Miguelito, on the right at a latino festival in Delaware sometime in the summer of 2004. He'll be stopping by Cafe Citron tonight in case you want wish him a happy birthday.
Miguelito on 01.17.05 @ 04:49 PM EST [link]


Flamenco at Caravela on Saturday January 29, 2005


Guitarist Torcuato Zamora informs me that he'll have a show at Caravela Restaurant on Saturday January 29, 2005. Shows at around 8:30pm and 10:30pm. Featuring dancers Natalia Monteleon, [removed for privacy] and Susana Granada. Call 202-537-3200.
Miguelito on 01.17.05 @ 10:56 AM EST [link]


Pics from Boulet Studio jam session



Yesterday I had the pleasure of jamming with violinist Ginette Perea, guitarist John and pianist Lenore Boulet. Violin and piano are not new to flamenco, but it was refreshing to hear a different instrument for a change. We jammed on bulerias, solea por bulerias and rumba. More pics in my Photo Diary.
Miguelito on 01.17.05 @ 10:50 AM EST [link]


Cafe Citron and Las Tapas mentioned in the Washington Post January 13, 2005


From the Washington Post's Going Out Guru online chat transcript:

"Flamenco Scene: Any tips on good places to see flamenco dancing in the area? My wife really likes Flamenco, but there don't seem to be a lot of places/events nearby to see it. I was hoping to take her to a performance sometime around Valentine's Day. Thanks a lot!;

Fritz: You're in luck -- there's a big Flamenco Festival at GW's Lisner Auditorium from Feb. 2 to Feb. 12, with a number of concert performances. If your wife wants to get involved, there's a workshop on the basics (taught on the stage, no less) on Feb. 3.

In terms of places to see it, Cafe Citron has a show on Mondays, and Las Tapas has performances on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

By the way, this year Valentine's Day is on a Monday. So if you want to include some flamenco in your evening, come to Cafe Citron. My shows are at 8pm and 9pm.
Miguelito on 01.17.05 @ 10:44 AM EST [link]


Happy birthday, Madiha!



Madiha Tariq is celebrating her birthday tonight at Cafe Citron. Besides being one of my coolest friends, she's also supported the show by bringing so many new people to Citron. Happy birthday Madiha!

Pictured above from the left: Kari, Miguelito and Madiha.
Miguelito on 01.17.05 @ 07:35 AM EST [link]


Sunday, January 16th

Arte Flamenco at Jalapenos Restaurant Monday January 17, 2005


Congrats to Arte Flamenco on an awesome show last night in Baltimore at the Theatre Project. Dancers included Pam Razon, Fausti, Alexandra Woodward, Erika Olander, Jason Vera y Aragon, Marta Chico Martin and Natalia Monteleon. Musicians: Miguelito, Henry Jova and Javier Bustamante.

If you live near Annapolis, they'll be performing at Jalapenos Spanish/Mexican Restaurant on Monday January 17, 2005. Call 410-266-7580.
Miguelito on 01.16.05 @ 11:41 AM EST [link]


Article about flamenco shoes in New York Times


There's a brief article about flamenco shoes in today's New York Times
Miguelito on 01.16.05 @ 11:28 AM EST [link]


Friday, January 14th

Flamenco in Georgetown Harbour January 26, 2005


Just found out that the flamenco show on January 26, 2005 at Cabanas restaurant (formerly Sole) has sold out. Details
Miguelito on 01.14.05 @ 09:37 AM EST [link]


Benavent, Pardo and Dantas at Blues Alley January 26-30, 2005


If you instantly recognize these names (Benavent, Pardo and Dantas), then it's very likely you are a fan of Paco de Lucia and his sextet. Carles Benavent plays bass and mandola. Jorge Pardo plays saxopohone and flute and Rubem Dantas plays cajon. But for their Blues Alley appearance January 26-30, 2005, they'll be backing up keyboardist Chick Corea. I don't if there will be flamenco in their repertoire, but I can promise you that these are some of the best musicians you'll ever see and hear.

Here are some pics from an all-night party with Dantas and Pardo at Catalan West restaurant (closed in 2001) in downtown DC.
Miguelito on 01.14.05 @ 08:36 AM EST [link]


Thursday, January 13th

Just added pic from Guarapo January 7, 2005



This is my regular Thursday night hangout where I go to support my fellow working musicians and spend time with my music-loving friends. Clockwise from left: guitarist/singer Cesar Oretea, Madiha Tariq, Samiha, Miguelito, Jenifer Jaketic and Alma.


Miguelito on 01.13.05 @ 10:17 AM EST [link]


Wednesday, January 12th

Flamenco soundtrack in a National Geographic documentary this Sunday January 16, 2005


Dancer Anna Menendez and I recorded part of the soundtrack for a National Geographic documentary which airs this Sunday January 16.

In September 2004, I got a call to do a "voiceover" for this contractor who does work for National Geographic. They had a video segment with some actual flamenco but instead of paying the original artists the performance rights which would've cost them a lot of money, they decided to use local artists (in this case, myself and dancer Anna Menendez) for less money (but still very decent pay).

What we did was watch the video segment with the sound turned off and created the music and footwork to match the movements of the guitarist and dancer. We did several takes to get it right. All in all, it took us two hours to record a 30-second clip. It was the first time the contractor recorded flamenco footwork so he had to record a few experimental takes. I had a great time hearing my Valeriano Bernal guitar through one of those very expensive large-diaphragm studio microphones. Anyway, it was easy work and the contractor promptly paid us (nice!).

If you have cable television, tune in to the National Geographic channel this Sunday. Details
Miguelito on 01.12.05 @ 11:43 AM EST [link]


Flamenco Dancing on Lisner's Stage...Starring You! February 3, 2005


Just added to Lisner's Flamenco Festival: Flamenco Dancing on Lisner's Stage...Starring You! Local dancer Sara Jerez will be giving a workshop for absolute beginners. It will take place onstage at Lisner on Thursday February 3, 2005 7:00pm. $15. Accompaniment by her husband Richard Marlow. Details.
Miguelito on 01.12.05 @ 11:06 AM EST [link]


Flamenco show at Toro Tapas in Shirlington cancelled



My friend Stephen informed me that the restaurant itself is closed down. Of course that means that show has been cancelled, but I had to confirm with dancer Edwin Aparicio and it's true: no more Toro Tapas and no more flamenco show.
Miguelito on 01.12.05 @ 10:44 AM EST [link]


Tuesday, January 11th

Madiha's Tsunami Fundraiser Thursday January 13, 2005


I'm posting this on behalf of my good friend Madiha Tariq. Please help if you can.
------------------------------------------------------
Hello everyone

We have all been very shocked by how the tsunami swept away whole communities. One story that was particularly touching was of Dayalan Sanders who went back to Srilanka (his home country) and built an orphanage which was recently destroyed by the Tsunami. Luckily he was able to rescue the orphans but now they have all been left homeless. Dayalan's sister who lives in MD is trying to raise funds to rebuild this orphanage.

I want to let you know that me and Madiha Tariq are organizing a fundraising happy hour here in Washington, DC this thursday to help this cause. It would mean the world to us if everyone could atleast drop by, even for a little while. Here are the details:

Venue:
Thursday January 13th from 6pm-10pm or later
Duke's City Restaurant
1208 U St, NW
(corner of 12th and U st: Nearest Metro Station is the U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo metro on the Green Line)

How it will work:
Option 1: Make a donation at the door and get special prices for drinks
Option 2: Pay normal prices for drinks with the donation included.

So, the more you drink, the more you are helping.

The Cause:

Help raise funds to Rebuild the Samaritan Children Home in Navalady, SriLanka.

Here is the website for the Orphanage:
www.samaritanchildrenshome.org

Here is the article:
www.gazette.net/200453/montgomerycty/county/252426-1.html

The Contact:
Please contact Madiha Tariq (Cell: 703-932-1649) or Caroline Pomenya with any questions

I hope you can all make it. Please pass this on to everyone you know. The more the merrier.
Miguelito on 01.11.05 @ 04:51 PM EST [link]


Cafe Citron pics from January 10, 2005



Just added some pics from last night. Pictured here is Jesus Montoya, Jose Oretea and Richard Marlow.

It was an especially good night to have a lot of my friends in the audience. With great palmas, jaleo and energy, we were inspired to give our best performance. My new friend Monica even commented that it was the best show she had ever seen here at Cafe Citron! Thanks to everyone who showed up. It was a blast. Photo Diary
Miguelito on 01.11.05 @ 04:07 PM EST [link]


Two flamenco teacher profiles just added


To help you get to know the local teachers, I just added "Featured Teacher Profiles." The way it works is that one teacher profile is randomly selected to be displayed at the top of the teacher directory.

So far, guitarists Behzad Habibzai and Tito Rubio have sent me their bios. Thanks guys! Teachers: this is a great opportunity for you to promote yourself on the DC Flamenco website. It's first come first served and it's FREE, so send me your bios today!
Miguelito on 01.11.05 @ 10:29 AM EST [link]


Monday, January 10th

Send me your flamenco pics!


I lost my digicam's battery charger so it'll be at least a few days before I can start taking photos again. In the meantime, if you have some cool pics from DC area flamenco-related events (even if it's a flamenco "moment" in the privacy of your own home or whatever) send them to me at dcflamenco@yahoo.com and I'll publish the best ones in my Photo Diary. It's the most popular section of my website, so I gotta keep it up to date.
Miguelito on 01.10.05 @ 03:01 PM EST [link]


Philadelphia's First Pena Flamenca January 22, 2005


Philly flamenco Anna Rubio sent me this info about the First Pena Flamenca: Two sets of traditional cuadro style flamenco, featuring the music of flamenco guitarist from Spain, Tito Rubio, master percussionist Joseph Tayoun and guitarist Carlos Revollar, with dancers Anna Rubio, Liliana Ruiz, Mariah del Chico and singer Antonia Arias. Open sevillanas dancing between sets, second set will finish with bulerias jam session....bring your guitar and your dancing shoes! Let's come together to create......THE FIRST PHILADELPHIA PEÑA FLAMENCA. $20.00 admission, cash only at the door, includes Italian style antipasti by DiNardo's of South Philly. Cash Bar. For more info call 215-327-1772 or send an email to RepiqueFlamenco@cs.com
Miguelito on 01.10.05 @ 02:11 PM EST [link]


Happy 9th Birthday DC Flamenco!


There's no big party planned. I'm just going to publicly pat myself on the back for a job well done. It's hard for me to believe that I've been maintaining the DC Flamenco website for almost ten years.

I still get the occasional congrats on the street from total strangers. People just walk up to me as if they've known me for a long time (and in a way they have) and say things like, "Hey Miguelito. Thank you for the DC Flamenco website." You're welcome. Nothing pleases me more than to to know that through all my hard work I've made more people aware of the DC Flamenco scene.

Miguelito on 01.10.05 @ 10:55 AM EST [link]


Register for a flamenco class today


The winter semester has started or will begin soon for many local flamenco dance schools. Check out my teacher listings and register for a flamenco class.
Miguelito on 01.10.05 @ 07:48 AM EST [link]


Carmela Greco in Taiwan


Just read a review of Jose Greco Junior's Friday night (January 7th, 2005) performance in Tapei. Carmela Greco (who also performed and gave workshops in Washington DC last year) was briefly mentioned. The reporter wrote: "The confrontational scenes really brought out what might possibly be the true function of flamenco -- a glorified stomping contest." I wouldn't say that myself, but it's still interesting to get a non-flamenco's viewpoint about the art of flamenco. http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2005/01/10/2003218864
Miguelito on 01.10.05 @ 06:55 AM EST [link]


Saturday, January 8th

Anna Menendez to perform at Mayor's Arts Awards Monday January 10, 2005


Dancer Anna Menendez will be performing in the Mayor's Arts Awards ceremony which is scheduled from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Monday January 10, 2005 at the Kennedy Center. Other performers include Image Band and DC Caribbean Carnival Dancers; Dolores Kendrick, Poet Laureate of DC; National Symphony Orchestra Brass; Washington Ballet; DC Youth Ensemble; The Culkin School of Irish Dance; Chuck Brown, The Godfather of Go-Go. Details
Miguelito on 01.08.05 @ 04:59 PM EST [link]


Friday, January 7th

Free Flamenco Class


Joy of Motion Dance Center will be offering a FREE Introductory Flamenco class this Sunday, January 9th at 4 PM in their Friendship Heights studio. Come by and give flamenco a try! For more information go to the Joy of Motion website at www.joyofmotion.org
Estela Velez on 01.07.05 @ 12:13 PM EST [link]


Thursday, January 6th

Spanish Dance Society at Gala January 8-9, 2005


Just heard that the Spanish Dance Society will be performing at Gala Hispanic Theatre's ¡a casa! this weekend. For more info, visit Gala's website.
Miguelito on 01.06.05 @ 04:32 PM EST [link]


Ulrika's January 9th workshop at Joy of Motion cancelled


From the Joy of Motion staff:
"Due to a family emergency, Ulrika Frank will not be able to teach the workshop scheduled for this Sunday, Jan 9th at Joy of Motion Dance Center Friendship Heights. It is cancelled and JOM will look to reschedule this workshop later in the year."

For the latest update, visit the Joy of Motion website.
Miguelito on 01.06.05 @ 04:12 PM EST [link]


Sala Rociera coming back January 21, 2005



It's back again! It's a fun and informal opportunity for local flamenco students to show what they've learned. Cover charge is $10 and includes one drink and raffle ticket. The NEW location is Buon Appetito restaurant at 4907 Wisconsin Ave NW DC across the street from DC Dance Collective (walking distance from Friendship Heights and Tenleytown metros)

Checkout some pics from one of last year's Sala Rociera parties.
Miguelito on 01.06.05 @ 03:09 PM EST [link]


Latin Ballet of Virginia performs this Friday January 7, 2005



For the fourth straight year, the Latin Ballet of Virginia presents "The Legend of the Poinsettia," an exploration in dance form of how the yuletide is celebrated in Central America, South America and Spain. The shows will be held tomorrow through Sunday at the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen.

The Richmond-based group Latin Ballet of Virginia is performing this Friday January 7, 2005. Read the complete article in today's Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Miguelito on 01.06.05 @ 10:38 AM EST [link]


Wednesday, January 5th

Luna del Sea's flamenco show cancelled



Just heard that the weekly flamenco show at Luna del Sea Bistro in Baltimore has been cancelled. Here are some pics from previous shows: November 30, 2004 and December 18, 2004
Miguelito on 01.05.05 @ 01:39 PM EST [link]


Tuesday, January 4th

Message for Perez family


My stepmother, 'Auntie' Rosie, passed away this morning.
Miguelito on 01.04.05 @ 05:11 PM EST [link]


RJ's New Year's Eve pics



RJ sent me pics from his New Year's Eve gigs in Herndon and Ashburn, Virginia. Photo Diary
Miguelito on 01.04.05 @ 03:31 PM EST [link]


Estela Velez teacher update


Updated Estela Velez' info in the teacher listings. She'll be starting a new Flamenco I class on Monday Jan 10,, 2005 at 7:15pm at Center for Ballet Arts. Visit her official website Furia Flamenca.

Miguelito on 01.04.05 @ 11:36 AM EST [link]


Monday, January 3rd

Flamenco program on HBO tonight


Tonight at 9:30pm EST on HBO Latino: El Turista Soy Yo: Luis Agujeta y su Cante Gitano. Details.
Miguelito on 01.03.05 @ 03:00 PM EST [link]


Sunday, January 2nd

Tamara's New Year's Eve pics



Tamara sent me pics from her New Year's Eve gig in Arizona. Photo Diary
Miguelito on 01.02.05 @ 02:43 AM EST [link]


Saturday, January 1st

First Night Alexandria pics



Added pics from last night's show in First Night Alexandria. Photo Diary

Did anyone see and/or videotape our TV spot on Fox 5 news yesterday?
Miguelito on 01.01.05 @ 10:36 AM EST [link]



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