Can I just give everybody a very warm welcome to my flamenco blog. This is an area for information, discussion and debate with respect to the art of flamenco in all its forms.

I am a professional flamenco dancer currently resident in London UK, but would welcome views from all over the world on how flamenco is practiced and evolving in your own country.

Navigation should be fairly intuitive, and you can use the search or the tags in the sidebar. There are resources and downloads pages, which contain interesting (and hopefully useful) information for flamenco aficianados.

Whatever your level of experience or involvement, please enjoy your time here and feel free to share your experiences and views of this fascinating and passionate art form!

Sandra La Espuelita

Technorati Tags: flamenco, flamenco London, flamenco UK, flamenco dance, flamenco dancers, flamenco dancing

The Flamenco Festival at Sadler’s Wells has become an annual fixture for us in London UK. The 2012 programme looks like it is continuing a blend of new and old, but once again the advertising showcases almost exclusively the danced element.  Let’s have some information about the singers and guitarists too please!

My recommendations for this season are for Vincente Amigo (7th February) who I first heard in Córdoba back in 1987 at a private juerga, and José Mercé (19th February)

Shows in this season

• Friday 10 February 2012
  Olga Pericet Company
• Saturday 11 February 2012 – Sunday 12 February 2012
  Flamenco Gala
• Monday 13 February 2012
  Gerardo Núñez with guest Carmen Cortés
• Tuesday 14 February 2012 – Thursday 16 February 2012
  Compañía Antonio Gades
• Friday 17 February 2012 – Saturday 18 February 2012
  Rafael Amargo Company
• Saturday 18 February 2012
  La Shica
• Sunday 19 February 2012
  José Mercé

SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON EC1R 4TN
Ticket office: 0844 412 4300

Technorati Tags:  sadlers wells, flamenco London, flamenco dance, flamenco dancers, flamenco dancing

The Flamenco Festival at Sadler’s Wells has become an annual fixture for us in London UK. The 2010 programme promises a good blend of new and old, but again the advertising showcases almost exclusively the danced element.  It would be nice to have a little more information about the singers and guitarists who are in the various groups.

My recommendations this year are for Eva Yerbabuena (17th-19th February) and Rocío Molina – a truly exceptional dancer who is featured in the Gala at the end of the festival.

Shows in this season

• Saturday 13 February 2010 – Monday 15 February 2010
  Nuevo Ballet Español
• Wednesday 17 February 2010 – Friday 19 February 2010
  Eva Yerbabuena
• Saturday 20 February 2010 – Sunday 21 February 2010
  Rafaela Carrasco
• Monday 22 February 2010 – Thursday 25 February 2010
  Maria Pagés
• Friday 26 February 2010 – Saturday 27 February 2010
  Gala Flamenca

SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON EC1R 4TN
Tickets   £10 – £38   Ticket office: 0844 412 4300

Technorati Tags:  sadlers wells, flamenco London, flamenco dance, flamenco dancers, flamenco dancing

Over the past month or so there have suddenly been a large number of articles posted on the web which make a a variety of claims about a dancer called Betty Cid, and that appear to be using content taken directly from my own website.

I must stress that Betty Cid is NOT part of Flamenco Pasión or Sonido Flamenco, and has never been a member of any of my flamenco groups.

Interestingly, according to these various “articles” and “announcements”, Betty Cid has performed at the Commonwealth Institute, Queen Elizabeth Hall, and the Royal Festival Hall – the exact same venues detailed on my own biography page.

I cannot comment on all the other various claims made in these articles (and on her own websites), but I have been reliably informed (by one of her fellow students in fact)  that part of the video footage currently on her site is actually of a class run by La Escuela de Baile last year…where she was taking part as a student.  Betty Cid is certainly not a regular performer at the Phoenix Club as far as I am aware, and I am also having difficulty tracing the other groups and shows mentioned in her biography.

Sandra

Sandra La Espuelita

Technorati Tags: betty cid, flamenco, flamenco London, flamenco dance, flamenco dancers, flamenco dancing

What a show it was too!  The only tickets left were up in the gods and the atmosphere was electric long before the show even started – David is a local lad and the place was packed out.  He is a fantastic singer and hugely moving in soleá and malagueña – with an excellent mix of traditional and more modern styles.  The (obviously very knowledgeable) audience were on fire, particularly when he came to sing por alegrias, and the man sitting next to me had to physically sit on his hands to stop himself from doing palmas all the way through.

David Palomar has just bought out a CD of  ‘Trimilenaria’  Produced by DP-Dezza Producciones and I really think it is worth checking out.  He has various clips on YouTube too.

Juan Vergillos has reviewed David’s new CD on the www.deflamenco.com website, and part of what he has said is as follows  – “The most interesting part is the classic styles, or when he shows his ease with bulerías, especially in the ending fiesta without guitar which closes out the work.  Also in cantiñas, classic and one hundred percent refinded.  Of the deeper styles, two stand out: the malagueña, fine, stylized and subte, and soleá, with references to Chozas de Jerez and Fernanda de Utrera.  In my opinion, the latter is the most moving cut of the record, with the sublime guitar of Rafael Rodríguez, who also plays for the malagueña, with both artists believing in every bit of it.  The work finishes with seguiriyas, with the Jerez guitar of Moraíto Chico, cantes a capella (pregones and fandangos) of Macandé, the crazed candy vender of Cádiz.  And fandangos of his own: Palomar created a melody with a classic feel, surprising melodic turns and a certain technical difficulty.”

Couldn’t agree more!

Sandra

It’s that time of year again when some of the top flamenco performers head for the Flamenco Festival at Sadler’s Wells for what is now a real annual treat. With the exception of singer Estrella Morente, the advertising for the event focusses strongly on the dance element (not that I am complaining as this is a wonderful chance to see the exciting Rocio Molina and Eva Yerbabuena amongst others) and it would be good to have a little more information about the singers and guitarists who are in the various groups. They are bound to be excellent, but I guess you need to go to the shows to find out who’s on stage!

Do try and catch Estrella Morente (14th March) – a fabulous singer.

Shows in this season

• Saturday 14 March 2009
  Estrella Morente
• Sunday 15 March 2009 – Monday 16 March 2009
  Gala Flamenca Mujeres
• Tuesday 17 March 2009
  Rocío Molina
• Thursday 19 March 2009 – Sunday 22 March 2009
  Antonio Gades’ Carmen
• Monday 23 March 2009 – Wednesday 25 March 2009
  Ballet Flamenco Eva Yerbabuena
• Friday 27 March 2009 – Sunday 29 March 2009
  Ballet Nacional de España

SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON EC1R 4TN
Tickets   £10 – £38    Ticket office: 0844 412 4300

Technorati Tags:  sadlers wells, flamenco London, flamenco dance, flamenco dancers, flamenco dancing

This uses Jeroen’s FLV Player to call the cine player, and only loads content when the user clicks the image. The video itself shows Sandra La Espuelita hosting a flamenco workshop and demonstration in 2007. The guitarist is Francisco Antonio.

Some real variety in store for flamenco-lovers in London again this year with the Sadler’s Wells Flamenco Festival in March. The programme contains a wide range of styles and approaches. The pick of the bunch for me is the wonderful Miguel Poveda, the singer who in my view best combines the soul and scorching emotion of “traditional” flamenco cante with modern ideas and nuances. The concert on 10th March featuring Poveda as well as the equally fabulous Carmen Linares has got to be an unmissable treat.

Those of you who share my luddite love of old-style flamenco music and dance will also have to make a beeline to see Los Farruco (7th – 9th March).  No formation dancing from lovelies in matching dresses here!

Shows in this season

• Monday 03 March 2008 – Thursday 06 March 2008
  Compañía María Pagés
• Friday 07 March 2008 – Sunday 09 March 2008
  Los Farruco
• Saturday 08 March 2008
  Marina Heredia
• Sunday 09 March 2008
  Juan Carlos Romero Trio
• Monday 10 March 2008
  Carmen Linares, Miguel Poveda, Juan Carlos Romero and Pastora Galván
• Tuesday 11 March 2008 – Wednesday 12 March 2008
  Mujeres: Merche Esmeralda, Belén Maya, Rocío Molina
• Thursday 13 March 2008
  Israel Galván
• Friday 14 March 2008
  Concha Buika
• Saturday 15 March 2008
  Rafaela Carrasco
• Sunday 16 March 2008
  Viva Jerez!

SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE, ROSEBERY AVENUE, LONDON EC1R 4TN
Tickets   £10 – £38    Ticket office: 0844 412 4300