It's about 1:00am on Tuesday as I type these words. My photographer friend Steve Johnson kindly offered to let me republish some of his fabulous photos from last year's DC Feria de Sevilla. As expected, it was really hard for me to narrow them down to about 10 (actually 12) in my attempt to give you an idea what it's like to go to this highly-anticipated annual event.

In case you've never been, you're in luck. This year's DC Feria de Sevilla is coming up very soon on Sunday June 12, 2013. It's from noon until 6:00pm and takes place at Strathmore at 5301 Tuckerman Lane in North Bethesda, Maryland. There's a very convenient parking garage across the street with a pedestrian bridge leading directly to the site. There's also the Grosvenor/Strathmore metro stop. Best of all: admission is FREE!

So what's this DC Feria about? Don't get me wrong. It doesn't even come close in comparison with the real Feria in Sevilla in Spain. But it's still a very large event attended by hundreds perhaps even a thousand every year. It's more like a celebration of Spanish culture with:

1. Flamenco performances by local dance companies all afternoon,
2. Non-stop Sevillanas dance parties in tents called casetas,
3. Vendors selling samples of authentic dishes from each region of Spain,
4. Vendors flamenco shoes, dresses, castanets, fans, CD's, DVD's and more!

The organization that puts on the DC Feria every year is Centro Español de Washington DC.

I imagine that most people spend most of the time watching the flamenco shows on the main stage. That's all good and well, but I suggest you take some time to check out what's going on in the tents or casetas. Most of the time you'll see couples of all ages from children on up dancing Sevillanas dressed in traditional Feria outfits or street clothes. Some of the dancers will be playing castanets. Occasionally they'll mix it up with some other dances such as fandangos de Huelva, tanguillos de Cádiz or even a rumba. The audience is encouraged to clap along and shout "Olé!"

Some go all out in traditional Feria de Sevilla attire like Miles Hamby seen here dancing Sevillanas with a friend. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Flamenco guitarist Paco de Málaga playing at what continues to be year after year the most popular caseta at the DC Feria. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Students of Ana Martínez dancing Sevillanas. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

I also suggest that you arrive early to check out what the food vendors are preparing so you'll know which ones to hit first before the lines get long later in the day, and trust me, they will. You'll definitely see dishes such as paella, tortilla española, jamón Serrano, Manchego cheese, cold Gazpacho soup and more. You can even get some sangría to go with that. But you'll have to stand in one line to buy food tickets and stand in yet another line to use those tickets to buy food. There might be an ATM nearby, but definitely bring cash to make life easier.

Paella expertly prepared by a Taberna del Alaberdero chef. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

This is just one of many oversized pans of the most popular dish served at the DC Feria: paella! June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

The lines are usually long, but the wait for a plate of fresh and hot paella is worth it. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Around noon, there's the traditional sing-along of the "Salve Rociera" and a few words by the president of Centro Español, the presentation of the Feria's official reina and her damas then the Feria officially begins.

Each hour there will be a flamenco performance by a local dance company which takes place at the outdoor amphitheater. Most people stake out a space on the lawn early in the day and stay, so if you want a good view, I suggest you get there early. Bring a blanket to sit on and dress appropriately for the weather. Each year is different, but we've had everything from sunny days, cloudy-threatening-to-rain days, rainy days, extremely hot and cold windy days. But no matter what the weather, we manage to carry on!

[Editor's note: it so happened that my photographer friend Steve only had pics of Flamenco Aparicio of few which you see below. Other companies that performed and that will be performing at the DC Feria this year include Carmen de Vicente's Requiebros, Natalia Monteleón's Arte Flamenco, the Ana Martínez Flamenco Dance Company and Furia Flamenca. I know we all have our favorites, but do support all the groups. They've been working hard preparing for the Feria.]

12:15pm Opening ceremony. "Salve Rociera"
1:00pm "Requiebros" Carmen de Vicente
2:00pm "Flamenco Aparicio" Aparicio Dance Company
3:00pm "Arte Flamenco" Natalia Monteleone
4:00pm "Ana Martínez and Paco de Málaga"
5:00pm "Furia Flamenca" Estela y Torcuato

Dancers of Flamenco Aparicio, one of several invited companies performing at the DC Feria: Edwin Aparicio, Anna Menéndez, Dana and Yolit. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Flamenco Aparicio. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

View from the stage. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

View from the audience. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

View of the stage from the top of the hill. TIP: get there early to stake out your seat on the lawn. June 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

I hope this blog entry gives first-timers an idea of what to expect. Anyway, to sum things up, here's a list of tips for the DC Feria (which I originally published in my blog in 2001!):

1. Get there early. The first group goes on at about 1:00pm. Every group works hard to put on a good show and deserves to have a good size audience—the children and other student performers need your moral support. There are groups performing every hour or so.

2. Another reason to get there early is to preview the food kiosks. Decide which ones you want to visit so that later in the day when the lines get long—and they will—you'll know what you're waiting for. Don't forget, you have to stand in line to buy food tickets and then stand in another line to use those tickets to get food.

3. If you're into photography or videos, take your camera or camcorder. There are lots of colorful costumes and personalities that you'll want to capture on film.

4. Make the rounds. There is lots to see. Don't just "plant" yourself at your favorite caseta. Each one has something special to offer.

5. Finally this last tip applies especially to the performers. During the rest of the year, many of us are in competition with each other. It can be a good thing—it challenges us to be our best. But on this special day, don't lose sight of what the Feria is all about: it's NOT to celebrate ourselves but rather to celebrate the beauty and richness of Spanish culture.

Once again, the DC Feria is on Sunday June 2, 2013 at Strathmore from noon until 6:00pm. Download the official flyer. If you're on Facebook, you'll want to visit my DC Feria event page where I'll post photos, links of interest as well as any last-minute announcements. I'll also be posting announcements about the DC Feria on Twitter. See you there!

Arte Flamenco dancers Terrie and Mark in Tangos de Málaga. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

It's 6pm on Wednesday as I type these words. Did a school show this morning at La Tasca Rockville and now I'm here in Alexandria at my favorite cafe catching up on email before heading to my gig at Las Tapas.

Since the closing of Plaza del Sol, my former Saturday night gig for a year-and-a-half, I still haven't found a replacement gig yet. Fortunately, I've had a quite a few calls for one-time private gigs and performances with local dance companies like Natalia Monteleón's Arte Flamenco.

So this past Sunday, Arte Flamenco performed at Baltimore's "oldest and finest" Cinco de Mayo festival hosted by Education Based Latino Outreach. Yours truly was the guitarist accompanying singer/dancer Claudia Román and members of the dance company.

My longtime photographer friend Stan Peters came out to show his support and graciously offered to photograph our performance. Here is a small selection of photos. Enjoy!

Yanira in Fandangos de Huelva. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Arte Flamenco director Natalia Monteleón in Fandangos de Huelva. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Terrie and Mark in Tangos de Málaga. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Natasha in Tientos/Tangos. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Rebecca, Yanira and Francisca in Guajiras. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Rebecca, Natasha, Yanira and Francisca in Guajiras. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Claudia Román in Soleá por Bulería. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Yanira, Terrie, Francisca and Mark in Soleá. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Rebecca, Yanira, Terrie, Natasha and Terrie in Soleá. May 5, 2013 (Photo by Stan Peters)

Arte Flamenco's upcoming performances:
Saturday June 1, 2013 8pm
13th Annual Recital at Slayton House in Columbia, Maryland. More info

Sunday June 2, 2013
Centro Español de Washington's Feria de Sevilla at Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. More info.

Flamenco dancers Yolit Yospe and Jason Vera y Aragón at Lima Lounge. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

It's around noon on Thursday as I type these words. I previously published photos from last Friday's flamenco gig at Lima Lounge.

No it's not a regular gig—just a one-time engagement for the Learn4Change fundraiser. But nonetheless, it's still a very cool performance space and lucky for us that same night, my longtime photographer friend Jill Hatzai was in the audience and sure enough she brought her camera. Here are a few pics. Enjoy!

Yolit Yospe. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

Sarah Louisa Castellanos. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

Sarah Louisa Castellanos. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

Sara Louisa Castellanos. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

Sara Louisa Castellanos. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

Sara Louisa Castellanos. April 26, 2013 (photo by Jill Hatzai)

Flamenco guitarist Miguelito with dancers Kyoko and Sarah Louisa Castellanos at La Tasca Clarendon. May 1, 2013 (photo by AJ Landaeta)

It's 10-something am on Thursday as I type these words. So last night I had a gig at La Tasca in Clarendon which, lucky for me, happens to be almost walking distance from my house—love it when that happens!

You must be wondering if these Mahou-sponsored flamenco shows at La Tasca are just a one-time deal or if it's a regular thing. Well here's what's up: the Mahou brewery company (from Madrid) is making its way into the bars and restaurants of DC. And Mahou sales rep AJ Landaeta is making that happen to the delight of Spanish beer lovers.

So when a DC area Spanish restaurant adds a Mahou tap to the bar, we're adding a little something extra to the celebration with a live flamenco show. And yours truly with a few flamenco dancers will be doing a little "tour" of the DC area La Tasca restaurants.

As usual, I'll be promoting upcoming Mahou-sponsored flamenco shows of course, but you can also follow Mahou sales rep AJ on Twitter for up-to-the-minute announcements.

Here are a few pics from last night at La Tasca Clarendon. Enjoy!

Sarah dancing tientos/tangos. May 1, 2013 (photo by AJ Landaeta)

Sarah. May 1, 2013 (photo by AJ Landaeta)

AJ Landaeta from Mahou with Kyoko and Sarah. May 1, 2013

Our "stage" for the evening. May 1, 2013

My trusty Behringer mixer and Yamaha flamenco guitar. May 1, 2013

Mahou draft is now at La Tasca! May 1, 2013

Flamenco dancers Sarah Louisa Castellanos, Jason Vera y Aragón, Yolit Yospe and guitarist Miguelito at Lima Lounge in Washington DC. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

It's 2-something pm on Monday as I type these words. So this past Friday, I had the pleasure and privilege of being invited to perform at a fundraiser hosted by Learn4Change at Lima Lounge in Washington, DC.

From the Learn4Change website:
Two Birthdays & Two Schools is our biggest event yet to celebrate the birthdays of the learn4change founders Alvin and Maria and raise funds for two wonderful organizations in La Paz, Bolivia. 100% of all donations will go directly to the children! Aywina Sindrome de Down is a volunteer-run organization that promotes social inclusion, education, and employment opportunities for children with Down Syndrome. Project Helping Hands helps marginalized Bolivian youth stay in school until they finish high school and also provides the opportunity to continue post secondary education in Bolivian technical institutes and universities.
[Editor's note: the event is over, but you can still donate online.]

As far as I know, this was the first time flamenco was performed here at Lima. Of course, I'm not forgetting that rumba group Duende Camarón gigged here in 2009. I'm talking about flamenco beyond rumba: tangos, tientos, soleá, alegrías, bulerías etc.

Sarah, Jason, Yolit and Miguelito. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

Joining me in this performance were flamenco dancers Sarah Louisa Castellanos, Yolit Yospe and cajón player Jason Vera y Aragón.

We did two 20-minute sets at 8:30pm and 9:30pm.
First Set:
Sevillanas
Tangos solo by Yolit
Bulerías

Second Set:
Sevillanas
Tientos/Tangos solo by Sarah
Bulerías

Flamenco dancer Sarah Louisa Castellanos. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

The performance took place in the lower level of Lima, which if you didn't know already, is a very popular dance club worth checkin' out. Fortunately, the VIP area has a raised wood floor which worked perfectly as a tablao for our performance. It's a beautiful space with clean lines and tastefully futuristic décor and lighting. Of course, I didn't want to clutter our stage with microphone and speaker stands and unnecessary cables, so I went wireless for the guitar (Line 6 G30) and carefully hid the microphone cable for the cajón behind the chairs. Yeah I admit I am a bit of a neat freak. But it's for a good reason: I like the audience to appreciate the visual beauty of the performance with minimal distraction from the cables etc of the technology behind it.

Sarah. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

I even brought my own stage lighting which you can see best in the photo below. The lights were dimmed in the rest of the club. And I selected a warm shade of amber for the stage to bring the visual focus on the dancers and help set the perfect ambiente for flamenco.

Sarah and Yolit. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

Of course, all this techy stuff concerning lights and sound leading up to the performance itself can only go so far. We want look and sound our best but ultimately, as performing artists we still have to connect with our audience on an emotional level through the art of music and dance.

I like to think that we were successful in presenting an inspiring performance for our audience. We got lots of compliments, but I'll leave it up to you my readers, to leave a comment below.

Patricia, Jazmin and Miguelito. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

It was a very nice surprise to see my friend Jazmin in the audience. Actually she and I worked together long ago back when I used to have a day job. Great to see you Jazmin!

Finally, we have a photo of yours truly with the birthday celebrants, founders of Learn4Change and the organizers of the evening's fundraiser: Alvin Humerez and Maria Tiratsuyan!

Vice president of Learn4Change Alvin Humerez, Founder and president Maria Tiratsuyan and Miguelito. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

Read more about Maria and Alvin on the Learn4Change website.

Alvin, Yolit and Miguelito. April 26, 2013 (photo by Mark Kanawati)

Special thanks to photographer Mark Kanawati who kindly allowed me to republish his gorgeous photos in my blog. Thanks Mark!

Arte Flamenco dancers Natasha, Yanira, Terrie and Francisca at the Frederick Douglass Museum in Baltimore. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

It's 4-something pm on Thursday as I type these words. I'm at Killer E.S.P. in Old Town Alexandria sippin' some hot green tea (to boost my immune system against the flu) and workin' on this blog.

Typically around the winter holidays, business either picks up or goes down drastically for us local performers. If you're lucky, you get a New Year's Eve gig and charge double (or triple) to make up for your losses. In my case, I was fortunate to get a Christmas party gig in the beautiful historic Frederick Douglass Museum in Baltimore!

Natasha, Yanira, Terrie and Francisca. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

Natalia Monteleón, director of Arte Flamenco asked me to play for this show since I know their choreographies pretty well. We probably could've winged it the day of the show, but of course we scheduled one rehearsal a few days earlier just to tighten things up here and there.

Yanira and Francisca. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

And you can tell by the date stamps for each photo, this performance took place a month ago. So I don't remember the program precisely. It definitely included Sevillanas, tangos, alegrías and Guajiras. The show went well, as expected, and the client treated us artists especially well. Thanks to Maria M. For the photos!

Francisca and Yanira. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

As usual, I crank out blogs when I'm busy and now I have to rush off and set up my sound system for tonight's gig at La Tasca Old Town. I always do it super early. Looks kind of amateurish setting up right before show time. Of course, the ultimate arrangement would be where all my venues have their own house sound system and I just walk in plug in my guitar and start playing. But that's not going to happen anytime soon. Alas for now I can only dream.

So enjoy these photos and stay tuned for announcements of Arte Flamenco's upcoming performances.

Yanira and Francisca. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

Francisca. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

Flamenco guitarist Miguelito playing the intro to Terrie's alegrías. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

Terrie. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

Miguelito, Claudia, Francisca, Natasha, Yanira, Terrie and Natalia Monteleón. (photo by Maria M.) December 11, 2012

Incidentally, on this day 17 years ago, the DCFlamenco website was born. Happy birthday to me! It was one of the first websites on the Internet devoted to flamenco when it was first launched in 1996. And although I can't quantify it in a tangible way, I'm pretty sure my website has played a significant role in increasing awareness of the DC flamenco scene and its artists locally and around the world.

Flamenco dancer Yolit Yospe performing a tangos at Plaza del Sol in Bethesda, Maryland. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

It's 1-something pm on Monday on the last day of 2012, New Year's Eve. And in case you're wondering, no I don't have a NYE gig tonight. Oh well. Anywayz, it's been a while since I last blogged, and I just wanted to share some fabulous photos from my show last Saturday at Plaza del Sol in Bethesda.

Yolit and flamenco guitarist Miguelito performing alegrías. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

If you're a longtime reader if my blog, you may have noticed that the past year or so my photographer friend Steve Johnson has been coming out to my shows more frequently than ever...I've been publishing a lot of his work recently. Check out these photos. His skill with the camera speaks for itself.

Steve takes pride eschewing the use of flash and working with available light. Don't get me wrong. Flash photography is another art in itself, but Steve does what he does without flash to capture the spontaneous energy of the moment, doing spot metering, color balance and selective focus on the fly. And since he's been coming to my shows for years now, he's become familiar enough with the art of flamenco to anticipate the best moments to capture on "film."

(Kudos also to my many other photographer friends who have also been shooting my shows for years including Stan Peters, Tony Brown, Niko Alexandrou, Jill Hatzai, Jani Diylan, Francisca Farkas, Seanie Blue, Christopher Chen, Hélène Myko, Marco Castaneira...and more. I haven't forgotten you!)

Yolit and Miguelito. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Also worth mentioning is that as of this month, Plaza del Sol has been bringing flamenco to Bethesda for a year now. I performed here for the first time in December 2011 with flamenco dancer Sarah Louisa. And for the past year, the regular dancers have been Ginette and Sarah who alternate every week. We've had a number of substitute dancers including Yolit, Marsha Bonet, Cecilia Terrasa, Pam de Ocampo and Sara Jerez. Numerous student and professional dancers who have spontaneously joined in for Sevillanas and bulerías. Cajón player/dancer Jason Vera y Aragón has joined us onstage numerous times. I even had guitarist Richard Marlow sub for me here once!

Yolit and Miguelito. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

I know what you're probably thinking: "Big deal. It's just a tablao show in a restaurant." Yeah, not going to lie. We have our occasional nights when the audience is more interested in their food than their show. It happens everywhere. It's a restaurant show I know. But since we're performing every week, usually several nights a week, I like to think of us restaurant performers as being on the front lines in the crusade to expose flamenco to new audiences.

Yolit providing palmas as Miguelito performs a guitar solo. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

I did my first weekly restaurant gig in 1996 (at Havana Village in Adams-Morgan) and have been performing every week since then. So do the math. As of 2012, that's 16 years multiplied by 50-ish weeks a year muliplied by an average of 4 nights a week. That comes to about 3,200 shows! It's safe to say that yes I have done quite a bit of exposing flamenco to the general public here in the DC area.

Yolit and Miguelito manuevering their way through the packed dining room performing Sevillanas. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Yolit and Miguelito. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Yolit. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Now that Steve and my other photographer friends are coming out to my shows a lot now, hopefully that will give me an excuse to blog more often, share their fabulous photos and spout my opinions about the local flamenco scene a little more often.

I have to confess that while I haven't been blogging as much, I nevertheless have been pretty active promoting myself and the local flamenco scene via social media: FaceBook, Twitter, Instagram and more.

A lot of the photos you see in my blogs usually appear in my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts first. I publish these blogs mainly as a historical archive. Trust me on this. Years from now, when your kids want to know what the flamenco scene was like way when, you'll be able to show them pics in my blog!

Yolit. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Plaza del Sol features a flamenco show every Saturday at around 7:00pm and 8:00pm. Located at 4932 St Elmo Ave in Bethesda, Maryland. Call 301-215-4199 to reserve your table. Seating is very limited, so call ahead.

Miguelito. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Miguelito. December 29, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Thanks once again to Steve Johnson for the fabulous photos! Have a safe and happy flamenco-filled new year!

Photo from 2011, last solo cante with guitar performance of Manolo Leiva and Marija Temo

Marija Temo writes:

Thank you to all for your condolences for Manolo Leiva, for whom I was his flamenco guitar accompanist for 21 years. He was one of the great and well known flamenco singers of his time, and for me, he was a mentor, friend, and father figure.

Manolo Leiva passed away on Tuesday September 11, 2012. His ashes will eventually be taken back to Málaga, Spain, his place of birth. For those that would like to pay their respects, a memorial service will be:

11:00am Saturday, Sept. 22, 2012
Our Lady of Grace Church
15661 Norbeck Boulevard
Silver Spring, MD
(This Church is inside the Leisure World Community)

If you would like to send something, in lieu of flowers or other gifts, the Leiva Family would prefer a donation to:

You can make contributions online or mail your checks to:
Spain-USA Foundation
2375 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20037

(Established in 1999 to promote, support and develop a wide array of Spanish cultural and educational activities in the United States, the Spain-USA Foundation is a Nonprofit 501(c) Corporation based in Washington D.C.)

The Leiva family and myself thank you for your love, support and prayers.
-Marija Temo

[Editor's note: I'll be publishing an article about Manolo at a later date. If you have any anecdotes, stories or photos, please email them to me at dcflamenco@gmail.com]

Arte Flamenco director Natalia Monteleón, singer Hector Márquez and guitarist Miguelito at ArtScape. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

It's almost 11am on Monday as I type these words. Hopefully I can crank out this blog by noon which so happens to be the busiest time on Monday, the busiest day for traffic to my blog according to my web server stats. Strange but go figure.

So this past Saturday, I had the pleasure of playing guitar for Natalia Monteleón's dance company Arte Flamenco at the 2012 ArtScape, billed as America's largest free arts festival.. The performance took place at Baltimore Theatre Project, a very intimate 150-seat space very well-suited for flamenco shows. And as it turns out I have performed at this venue previously with Arte Flamenco way back in 2005!

Arte Flamenco dancers (front to back): Fran, Terrie, Yanira, Emily, Rebecca and Mark. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

We were scheduled for the noon time slot, which meant that we arrived at the venue at 11:00am which meant that my ride left the DC area to get to Baltimore at 10:00am which meant me getting up before 9:00am. Way too early for my body clock. But you do what you gotta do, right? Fortunately dancer Fran Farkas offered to let us artists chill at her cozy little apartment which was conveniently located a few blocks from the theatre. Thanks Fran!

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Mark, Emily, Yanira, Terrie, Rebecca and Fran. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Mother Nature wasn't cooperating this past Saturday. It rained pretty hard, so the street fair part of the festival was pretty much a ghost town. Fortunately, for us our performance was indoors. I imagine we gained a few audience members who were probably just escaping the rain. But besides the social media blitz by ArtScape and Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA), us flamencos also did our part to get the word out via FaceBook and Twitter. Plus the BOPA also produced this very nice promo vid on Youtube.

I'm happy to report that we packed the theatre to capacity. A number of friends showed up a little too late and had to be turned away, sorry. I did have two photographer friends come out from Reston and Alexandria: Steve Johnson and Stan Peters. They deserve the credit for the photos you see here today in my blog. You might find it interesting to note that Steve shot from the back row of the theatre, hence the wider shots while Stan was in the front row, hence the more intimate close-ups. Thanks for the great work guys. Thanks also to my dancer friend Monica who came all the way out from Stafford, Virginia.

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Mark, Emily, Yanira, Rebecca and Fran. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

So here's the program:

• Martinete - Company
• Tangos - Cante solo by Hector
• Sevillanas - Company
• Alegrías - Company
• Soleá por bulería - Dance solo by Pam de Ocampo
• Farruca - Company
• Guajira - Dance solo by Claudia Román
• Soleá - Company

It was an hour long. Come to think of it, it was slightly longer since we went over our time slot, but oh well. Anywayz, for those of you who couldn't make it out to Baltimore on Saturday, these pics will give you an idea of what you missed. Enjoy!

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Mark, Emily, Yanira, Terrie, Rebecca and Fran. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Mark, Emily, Yanira, Terrie, Rebecca and Fran. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Arte Flamenco dancers Fran and Terrie supported by palmeros Claudia and Natalia, singer Hector Márquez, guitarist Miguelito and percussionist Jason Vera y Aragón. July 21, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

The remaining photos were shot by Stan Peters...

July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Mark, Terrie, Yanira and Carol. July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Terrie, Yanira and Carol. July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

Guitarist Miguelito. July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

Arte Flamenco dancers Emily and Terrie supported by palmero Natalia, singer Hector, guitarist Miguelito and percussionist Jason. July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

See the little speaker next to my chair? That's mine. It's an Electro-Voice ZXA1-90. Lately, I've been bringing my own monitor speaker to theatre performances so I can set it up exactly the way I want it to sound onstage. Number one: of course I need to hear myself amidst the loud footwork of a company of flamenco dancers. And number two: my guitar also has to be loud enough onstage so the dancers can hear me clearly for synchronization purposes.

Once I take care of those two requirements, I then use a DI box to send my guitar signal to the front-of-house where the sound person can set the level and EQ for the audience.

Screen shot of the Set List Maker app on my iPad

Yup I used my iPad onstage. Yeah it's kind of nerdy, but I don't care. It helped me relax more so I could focus on the accompanying the dancers. Although, I had the program pretty much memorized, I just took a quick glance between dances to be sure about lighting cues and entrances. Also instead of buying a $40 iKlip, I devised my own iPad holder using a guitar stand.

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Mark, Emily, Terrie, Yanira, Rebecca and Fran. July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

Arte Flamenco dancers (left to right): Emily, Natalia, Terrie, Claudia and Yanira. July 21, 2012 (photo by Stan Peters)

Congrats to Natalia Monteleón and her Arte Flamenco company for a job well done. Thanks again to my photographer friends Steve Johnson and Stan Peters. And thanks to ArtScape for inviting us back to perform at the festival again.

Flamenco guitarist Miguelito playing an intro for bulerías. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

It's 2-something pm on Thursday as I type these words. I know I've been slackin' on the blog. What can I say? Business has been picking up and I've been getting a lot of private gigs lately, not to mention rehearsals for the Arte Flamenco recital and this weekend's big event, the DC Feria de Sevilla at Strathmore.

The last time I blogged was in April and today's the last day in May so I figure I should at least crank one out so I can still claim I blog at least once a month. Here goes!

Sarah Louisa performing tientos/tangos. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

First of all, let me digress for a moment to promote this weekend's DC Feria de Sevilla which takes place Sunday June 3, 2012 on the grounds of Strathmore in Bethesda, Maryland. It's the DC area's biggest and most anticipated celebration of Spanish culture featuring flamenco performances all afternoon from noon until 6:00pm. Here's the program:

• 12:15pm Opening ceremony: "Salve Rociera"
• 1:00pm Carmen de Vicente's "Requiebros"
• 2:00pm Edwin Aparicio's "Flamenco Aparicio"
• 3:00pm Natalia Monteleón's "Arte Flamenco"
• 4:00pm Ana Martínez & Paco de Málaga "Ana Martínez Flamenco Dance Company"
• 5:00pm Estela Velez's "Furia Flamenca"

This is the 21st year it's been presented by Centro Español de Washington. Admission is free and it's convenienty located next to the Strathmore/Grosvenor metro station on the Red Line.

I've been posting about the DC Feria all over Facebook and Twitter the past few weeks and now here on my (in)famous flamenco blog so unless you live under a rock, I don't want to hear anyone whine that they didn't hear about this, OK?

Sarah Louisa, Pam de Ocampo, Kyoko and Sara Jerez dancing Sevillanas. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Now where was I? Oh yeah, I was going to say a few words to accompany the gorgeous photos in today's blog. Thanks are in order for my awesome photographer friend, Steve Johnson, for allowing me to republish some of his fine work here. Thank you Steve!

So what's this about a Feria de Sevilla at La Tasca Old Town? Managing partner Shana McKillop, always the innovator, first introduced the idea of live guitar for the Sevillanas shows here at the Old Town location. All the other branches use recorded music. Yeah it costs more to have live music but it adds so much to the energy of the show when you have a real musician!

Months ago Shana approached me and dancer Sara Jerez with the idea of putting on our own Feria. Mind you, this was in no way an attempt to compete with the Feria at Strathmore, but more to have some fun, promote Spanish culture, bring in some new customers and show some appreciation for the regulars.

April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

But La Tasca Old Town already features live music and flamenco dancers every week. So for this special celebration, we decided to kick it up a notch. Instead of two dancers, we'd have four. Instead of Sevillanas shows, we'd do full-length tablao shows with occasional "spontaneous" Sevillanas shows when the mood struck.

This all took place during the day on Saturday April 28th with tablao shows at 1:00pm and 3:00pm featuring flamenco dancers Sarah Louisa, Pam de Ocampo, Kyoko and Sara Jerez accompanied on guitar by yours truly, Miguelito.

Sarah Louisa. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

View from the balcony as the dancers perform Sevillanas. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

Between shows, customers were encouraged to try free samples of cheese and jamón Serrano tapas, Spanish beers and wines at the table displays in the back.

Around 4:00pm it was time for me to pack up my sound system, just as my fellow flamenco guitarist friends arrived: Richard Marlow, Ramin Rad and "Naíto." From 4:00pm until 7:00pm they played Gipsy Kings-style rumbas.

April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

More Sevillanas dancing accompanied on guitar by yours truly, Miguelito! April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

For those of you new to the DC flamenco scene, La Tasca used to feature tablao shows every week at their Chinatown branch way back in 2004. I know this because I was the guitarist for that show! And it so happens that the manager of that La Tasca branch was Shana! Fast forward 8 years later to 2012, I'm back playing Sevillanas shows (for about a year now) at the Old Town location.

April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

So will there be another Feria de Sevilla at La Tasca Old Town for 2013? Don't know yet, but you can be sure I'll announce it here. As for the other La Tasca locations, DC also held its own Feria by presenting Sevillanas shows EVERY night for the month of May. Also Taberna del Alabardero had its own Feria celebration with paella specials and flamenco shows too!

April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

That's yours truly on guitar (connected wirelessly) following the dancers around the restaurant. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

One last shot of dancer Sarah Louisa performing tientos/tangos. April 28, 2012 (photo by Steve Johnson)

In the meantime, stop by La Tasca Old Town on Thursday nights at 7:30pm and 9:00pm to enjoy the Sevillanas shows featuring dancer Sara Jerez and guest with guitarist Miguelito.

As for this weekend, I expect to see all of you at the DC Feria de Sevilla at Strathmore. I will be taking attendance!

Other flamenco performances this weekend:

• 12:00pm Saturday: Flamenco Aparicio at Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park
• 2:00pm Saturday: Furia Flamenca at Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park
• 7:00pm Saturday: Flamenco dancer Ginette and guitarist Miguelito at Plaza del Sol in Bethesda
• 12:00pm to 6:00pm Sunday: DC Feria de Sevilla at Strathmore.
• 5:00pm Sunday: Roya & Ricardo Persian & Flamenco Fusio at Washington Folk Festival at Glen Echo Park