As the founder of this website, it is time that I hand over the reins to a new and dedicated editor who can fully realise the initial dream I had for the Flamenco Australia Magazine.

So in the words of Douglas Adams, this is actually a farewell to all my loyal followers. Many of you have been with me for 10+ years.

The goal when I started this online magazine was to bridge the community Australia-wide and to connect the pockets of flamencos and flamenco lovers to each other. It is my hope that in some way, over the last 10 years, I have also connected new Australian’s to the lifestyle that is Flamenco.

For me, it was always a labour of love and passion. Communication with you ALL was always a joy and a pleasure. Throughout that journey, it was crucial for me that I remain neutral. I am truly honoured to have been part of your journey.

It has been a struggle for me to maintain the Flamenco Australia Magazine over the last two years and for a while, I thought the site would just fade away. It is here, right now, that my journey with you ends but I am So Happy to have found someone amazing! Someone who can carry on the legacy and truly serve the flamenco community in Australia like I never fully could.

I’ll introduce her in the next and final post from me

The most important thing you need to know is that SHE IS THE RIGHT PERSON, with:

• Professional Flamenco Training.
• Fluent Spanish.
• A regular presence in Spain.
• A literary background.
• And a neutral position in the community.

She will do amazing things and has plans to focus heavily on the actual “Magazine” element.

I trust that you will support her during the transition and help guide her as to what you want from the magazine. She already has really exciting projects planned that I could never have realised myself. It makes me really proud to know that the “Flamenco Australia Magazine” will be bigger and better than I could have ever imagined.

Much Regard and Respect to you all.

Paul
Founder and editor of the Flamenco Australia Online Magazine (2009 – 2019)

The post Flamenco Australia Magazine has a NEW OWNER appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

The post La Chana in the 1970s appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

The first women in the Conde Guitar family to make guitars.

The post First Female Making Conde Flamenco Guitars appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

The award winning flamenco dancer, Andrés Peña returns to Australia this year, following on from his highly successful and well attended workshops here in 2013. Andrés began his professional training in Jerez at a young age and has gone on to become one of the most respected teachers in Seville, based at the Manuel Betanzos Academy in Triana. Now with his own Flamenco Dance Company, Andrés has won international acclaim and recently picked up the coveted Best Show award for his solo show at the 2014 Festival de Jerez.

Ask any flamenco dance teacher in Australia, and no-one disputes his brilliance as a teacher of both beginners and professionals alike!

“With great pleasure, I can assure you that the talent and flamenco art of Andrés Peña has earned him a place amongst the great flamenco artists of our day. Since this artist’s early beginnings he has leaped forward with maturity and originality, creating a very strong and personal style. In every country where he has given workshops he has the capability of inspiring all of his students. As a bailaor, his presence and purity of artistry, has been exemplary for the new flamenco generation. ¡Ole Andrés!”
Antonio Vargas

In 2014 this event promises to be bigger and better than ever with the addition of Sydney and Melbourne to the list of host cities.

Andrés Peña will be teaching flamenco dance students across all levels from beginners to advanced, but what makes this unmissable opportunity even more exciting are the sponsors who will be travelling with Andrés as he visits Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Flamenco shoemaker, Miguel Senovilla (owner of Senovilla Flamenco) will be attending every workshop, direct from Spain, to measure your feet and personally ensure you finally get that perfect pair of custom-made flamenco shoes.

Flamenco dressmaker, Sally Hillier (owner of El Agua Flamenco) based in Sydney, will also be attending workshops in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide with a collection of her current practice skirt designs and to measure you up for that stunning, custom-fitted flamenco costume you’ve always wanted.

IMPORTANT: Don’t wait to reserve one of the strictly limited places, the early bird discount expires on the 4th of November 2014 and the most popular workshops will sell out fast.

Sydney Workshops

DATES: 4th to 7th December – 2 weeknights (Thursday & Friday) + 2 days (Saturday & Sunday)
BEGINNERS: Fandangos de Huelva – 4hrs – $190 – $170
INTERMEDIATE: Bulerias de Jerez – 7hrs – $335 – $301
ADVANCED: Solea – 7hrs – $335 – $301
http://andrespenainaustralia.wordpress.com/sydney-4567/

Perth Workshop

DATES: 8th to 12th December – 5 weeknights (Monday to Friday)
BEGINNERS: Tangos – 3hrs – $150 – $132
INTERMEDIATE: Bulerias de Jerez – 7.5hrs – $350 – $335
ADVANCED: Farruca – 7.5hrs – $350 – $335
http://andrespenainaustralia.wordpress.com/perth-89101112/

Melbourne Workshops

DATES: 13th & 14th December – 2 days (Saturday & Sunday)
BEGINNERS (basic) to INTERMEDIATE: Bulerias de Jerez – 6hrs – $299 – $264
ADVANCED: Tangos – 6hrs – $299 – $264
http://andrespenainaustralia.wordpress.com/mel1314/

Adelaide Workshops

DATES: 15th & 16th December – 2 weeknights (Monday & Tuesday)
BEGINNERS (basic) to INTERMEDIATE: Bulerias de Jerez – 4hrs – $199 – $176
ADVANCED: Tangos – 4hrs – $199 – $176
http://andrespenainaustralia.wordpress.com/adelaide-1516/

The post Andrés Peña 2014 Australian Flamenco Workshop Tour appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

It’s fun and easy…

What Is Flamenco?

• Flamenco is ONE, very simple to learn, dance based solely on the mating rituals of a long-legged, tropical, wading bird.
  …
• Flamenco is kinda like Tango except for all the sex, but Flamencos sometimes have sex, so its more like Salsa except it doesn’t come with chips, but Flamencos sometimes have chips, so its more like Kathak, which you’ve probably never heard of, so forget I said anything.
  …
• If you’re attending your very first flamenco dance lesson, just turn up in high heels for the girls, and thongs (flip flops for you Americans) for the boys. And don’t worry if you’ve never, ever, danced before… A good teacher can make anyone look good!
  …As long as you pay cash.
  …
• All flamenco musicians, boys and girls, are easy to recognise. They all have black hair and often wear enormous straw hats and proudly sport, even larger mustaches…
  They will often be heard shouting, ¡Ándale!.. ¡Arriba! & ¡Epa!
  …
• Flamenco Singers are generally in ulcerating pain from years of drinking, so trying to decipher their words or meaning is futile, just pretend your Uncle Charlie is visiting for Christmas and his wife has just left him… Again! Be respectful that he is older and wiser, and that you still have all of his life lessons ahead of you!
  …
• Before you play, perform or dance THE FLAMENCO, drink lots and lots of sangria, because all Spanish people only drink Sangria.
  …
• After just a few lessons… Your flamenco performance should consists of these eight elements ;

1. Begin by walking around the stage to get your bearings, mark a few of your favorite spots on the floor a few times by extending your toe onto them.
   Be sure to look at the guitarist a few times to set the tempo, but don’t expect a response back, because he’ll have his head down most of the time, deep in thought about the next guitar he’s going to buy.
   At this early stage, and because there was no rehearsal, you’ll probably still be working out what the fuck your going to do and who the hell that fifth guy on stage is?
   …
2. When you’re warmed up and, after much stress, when you’ve finally managed to get the guitarist’s attention, by kicking him in the shin a few times, tell him to slow the heck down (yell if you have to) and then start inhaling your own, now sweaty, armpits…
   Do this to the point that you forget where you are, and you also start to get tiny wafts of grandiose delusion.
   It won’t take long and don’t worry about sharing your smelly opiate with the other band members, they have a more efficient drug for achieving the same result and there probably already coming down.
   …
3. When you can feel the euphoria creeping in, stand up tall upon your tippy-toes, stick your chest out (stomach in), stretch your arms up and out to the sides, just like Jesus.
   … The Argentinian soccer fan, not the prophet.
   Feel your head growing in size and rising up towards the ceiling. Now take a deep breath and hold it, until you begin hallucinating. This first hallucination will probably be something simple, like a full house.
   …
4. In your own time (and don’t worry the guitarist will fill the gap), snap out of it. There’ll be some percussion and very in-time music going on around you, but just try and block that out, because you’ll soon realise that your stuck on a giant ant hill and have no alternative, but to kill the entire phantom colony with nothing but your feet. Don’t worry about timing, the musicians will adjust and fix everything, just make sure you kill the little blighters before they get into your knickers.
   …
5. When they’re all dead, jump and stomp a few more times, just to be sure!
   Now reward yourself by twirling your fingers out to gently pick the delicate flower heads, from the imaginary garden that should now be surrounding you…
   You’re happy place…
   You can breathe again now!
   Lift your skirt so you can use it as a hammock for these joyous, carnation-scented, apparitions and feel free to hand a few out to the singer and other band members, but be ready for the final hallucination.
   …
6. During the final illusion… You’ll simply start getting itchy, so just image you’re a flea bitten dog… Now image that someone is scratching, that hard to reach spot, just above your tail.
   Feel it… Express it…
   If you start feeling a little too cocky, just slap yourself a few times.
   Slap your thigh, your chest, your forearms, even your shoes.
   Now let your leg extend out a little and twitch it into violent spasm as you vibrate your way around the floor.
   …
7. Now encourage all the other band members to stand up one-by-one and join you in this Flamingo Mating Ritual. Make sure every one has imaginary carnations and when all the musicians have made a fool of themselves…
   Walk off stage slowly, and in a line, throwing those carnations over your shoulders as you go.
   …
8. You would have forgotten to smile for the whole time you were on stage, so now would be a good time to do it!

…

JUST JOKING…

Flamenco dance can best be described by explaining it’s three levels:

• BEGINNER: Students who don’t practice… The weekly dance class is their practice.
• INTERMEDIATE: Students who practice and have finally bought some proper flamenco shoes after three years.
• ADVANCED: Teachers who have lived in Spain.

FROM THE EDITOR: Nothing on this list is an accurate guide to flamenco. It was written purely for the amusement of the flamenco community’s more seasoned and light-hearted performers and teachers.
If you take offence, please note we need our fences and want them back AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!!! We might get a few rotten tomatoes because of the post and the fence you’ve taken is the only thing we have to keep them out!

;P

The post The Satirist’s Guide to Flamenco appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

irect from Spain, where she has been performing with her dance company – Compañia de Danza Paloma Gómez, the gorgeous and exquisitely talented Paloma Gómez once again returns to Australia (via Singapore) to present a series of flamenco dance masterclasses across Australia, including; Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth and Canberra.

Flamenco & Spanish Dance International Workshops

The Melbourne leg of this tour, hosted by Laura Uhe, will encompass an intermediate/advanced dance class intensive from the  7th to the 15th of October 2014.

The Melbourne venue for these internationally acclaimed masterclasses is The Space Dance & Arts Centre in Prahran.

• The Space Dance and Arts Centre – Carlton St, Prahran.
• Tuesday 7th to the 15th October 2014 –
• Contact Laura for more details and prices.

NOTE: No absolute beginners… These are intermediate and advanced level classes.

Film Screening – UMBRALES

There will also be a special screening of the film UMBRALES starring Paloma Gómez and film and TV actor Javier Batanero.

“This tragic story is told through music, poetry and flamenco dance. It is through this particular style of music and dance that one can fully express oneself physically and emotionally.”

UMBRALES- Pasión por una pasión (Trailer) from Paloma Gomez on Vimeo.

This one-off screening also takes place at the The Space, in the Dance Hall Theatre upstairs:

• The Space Dance and Arts Centre – Carlton St, Prahran.
• Sunday 12th October 2014 – 1.30pm
• Tickets for the screening are $25 at the door

NOTE: The screening includes a flamenco dance performance by Paloma Gómez and a Q&A with the film maker Luis Lorente.

BOOKINGS – 0409 369 506

All bookings for both the Dance Workshops and the Film Screening (with performance) should go directly through Laura Uhe on 0409 369 506 and subscribe to our Facebook Page and Email List for updates and reminders.

The post The 2014 Paloma Gomez Melbourne Intensive appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

Picture: TOM HUNTLEY (News Corp Australia)

Aloysius and Kristy will open for the Sylvan Coda Project at the Dunstan Playhouse on Sunday the 20th of July 2014 as part of the Adelaide International Guitar Festival.

http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/adelaide-international-guitar-festival-forms-sister-event-relationship-with-cordoba-in-spain/story-fnii5yv4-1226991539350 – News.com.au

The post Adelaide Flamenco Family appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

EDITORS NOTE: Flamenco dancer, choreographer and producer, Nella Randone introduces her new production for 2014, taking on an instrumental jazz fusion standard…

FEW YEARS AGO, while attending flamenco classes in Granada, I remember seeing and hearing guitar students, along with their teacher, jamming around Chick Corea’s Spain. This was happening every day, and was a pleasing experience, because it reminded me of the exchange between flamenco and western music that had been occurring for a few decades now, due predominately to Paco de Lucia’s first foray in the U.S. when teaming up with jazz fusion pioneers John McLaughlin and Al Di Meola.

My love of jazz fusion dates back to the early 1980’s, when I first encountered Chick Corea, Miles Davis, Jeff beck, Weather Report, Return to Forever, and many more too numerous to mention. And of course, I recall Spain back then, for it was one of my favourites. Then, fast forward some twenty years later and suddenly I began to hear flamenco renditions of this iconic tune, from Paco de Lucia, Tomatito, to almost every guitarist I have met.

I mention this because for my latest project, I have chosen to choreograph a dance ensemble to Spain.

“I thought if every nascent flamenco guitarist can play it, then so too could dancers perform to it.”

At the time of conceiving this, I thought if every nascent flamenco guitarist can play it, then so too could dancers perform to it. So through a fusion of jazz ballet, flamenco moves and footwork, I have created choreography, which will be danced by Jini Lim, Chantelle Fernando and myself. This work will premier in my latest show eponymously titled Spain.

From jazz and into the dramatic world of the tango, I have also chosen to fashion a work around Libertango by Astor Piazzolla. In contrast to Spain, I have designed this piece for the dance trio, in a more classical Spanish/flamenco vein, with a few Argentinean tango flourishes sprinkled throughout.

We are also very fortunate to have as guest dancer, Tomas Arroquero, who will perform his stunning Farruca.

Guitarist Kieren Ray will be the sole accompanist, which is a point departure from my recent shows, where the dance revolved around the song, performed by renowned singers Antonio Soria and Julie Pittle. In Spain however, I wish to highlight the dynamic dialogue that exists between guitar and dance.

VERY LIMITED SEATING

Mechanics Institute. 270 Sydney Road, Brunswick.

Melbourne – 0439 984 008

Book Online: http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=87911

“Spain” is an independently produced and marketed event… Please use the Facebook button below to SHARE this event and help spread the word.

The post Flamenco Dancers Take On Chick Corea’s SPAIN appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

Last time Paco Peña visited our cities was 2011 with Flamenco sin Fronteras. I caught up with most of the company after the Melbourne show for a rockin party.  http://flamencoaustralia.org/news/tours/postcard-from-the-border

This year we get treated to “FLAMENCURA.”

There is always a cryptic speal that accompanies these shows and they never really reveal much, which doesn’t stop them getting copied and pasted from every website. So we’ll dispense with that and just get to the dates.

• Perth – Perth Concert Hall
  • Wednesday 2nd April 2014
  • Call 132 849
  • http://www.ticketek.com.au
• Adelaide – Norwood Concert Hall
  • Thursday 3rd April 2014
  • Call (08) 8225 8888
  • http://eventshop.com.au
• Sydney – State Theatre
  • Friday 4th April 2014
  • Call 136 100
  • http://www.ticketmaster.com.au
• Melbourne – Her Majesty’s Theatre
  • Saturday 5th April 2014
  • Call 132 849
  • http://www.ticketek.com.au
• Canberra – 6th April – (02) 6275 2700
  • https://www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au
• Newcastle – 10th April 2014 – (02) 4929 1977
  • http://premier.ticketek.com.au
• Tweed Heads – 11th April 2014 – 1800 014 014
  • http://www.twintowns.com.au
• Brisbane – 12th April 2014 – 136 246
  • http://www.qpac.com.au
• New Zealand – 15th & 16th April – (09) 970 9700
  • http://ticketmaster.co.nz/

A full cast list is coming soon…

The post Paco Peña Australian Tour 2014 appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.

HILE it is becoming more and more common in Australia to learn flamenco accompanied by flamenco guitar, learning flamenco dance accompanied by a live flamenco singer is rare and unique, and most certainly, an important experience for anyone serious about understanding the rich and rewarding art of flamenco.

Flamenco Gypsy singer el Titi de Algeciras moved to Australia in 1966. After living and performing in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney, he settled in Adelaide and is now the regular singer for Veronica Vargas and the Triana Flamenco Dance Studio.

Director of Triana Flamenco Dance Studio, Veronica Vargas has studied flamenco in Madrid and Seville under all the major teachers including El Guito, Merche Esmerelda, Ciro, Belen Maya, Manolo Marin, La Tona’, Juana Amaya, Jose’ Galvan and Bettina La Castano, to name a few. In Australia major teachers have included Antonio Vargas, Diana Reyes, Veronica Gilmer, Ana Otero, Rosalie Tomas. She now has her own flamenco dance company in Adelaide – Veronica Vargas Flamenco.

Veronica Vargas and Triana Flamenco Dance Studio perform EVERY Wednesday with special guest artists alongside flamenco singer el Titi de Algeciras and flamenco guitarist Aloysius Leeson.

Live Flamenco Shows…

Flamenco Wednesdays 7.30pm to 9pm
http://www.casablabla.com/entertainment/weekly/wednesday/
Casablabla Multicultural Tapas Bar
12 Leigh Street, Adelaide
Bookings – 08 8231 3939

Flamenco Dance Classes…

Three separate Adelaide locations:

• ADVANCED – Tuesday Evenings in  Prospect
• INTERMEDIATE – Wednesday Evenings in Klemzig
• BEGINNERS – Thursday Evenings in Stepney
• GENERAL – Monday Evenings in Stepney

For full class times and details visit » http://www.trianaflamenco.com/class_times.php

Class fees are extremely affordable from just $9 per class.

For bookings and further details call 0438 366 931

The post Adelaide Flamenco Dance Classes appeared first on Flamenco Australia Magazine.