The festival is to be held in the U.S. city from June 11th to 19th

Flamenco-world.com, May 2004

The United States again shows its flamenco look. The Albuquerque Festival, the most jondo event in the U.S., schedules an agenda of performances from Friday, June 11th to Saturday, June 19th, 2004 with baile in the spotlight. Manuela Carrasco with 'Así baila Sevilla' ('Seville Dances Like This'); Israel Galván and Pastora Galván with 'Dos hermanos' ('Two Siblings') ; Belén Fernández, Kelian Jiménez and Mercedes Amaya, among others, with 'Fiesta flamenca' ('Flamenco Party'); and The American Flamenco Repertory Company with 'Yjastros' ('Stepchildren') shape up a bill attempting to display the different sides of flamenco dancing. The festival also welcomes the fourth edition of the flamenco contest and prepares an extensive program of courses in all aspects related to this art.

Manuela Carrasco (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Albuquerque, in the state of New Mexico, concentrates a complete program of activities focused on flamenco in June, with great guest stars, contests, classes... Manuela Carrasco's company is in charge of inaugurating the festival on June 11th and 12th, with the show 'Así baila Sevilla'. The bailaora is accompanied on guitar by Joaquín Amador and by the group's usual members on cante and baile. The festival continues with an interesting American initiative. The American Flamenco Repertory Company, directed by American bailaor Joaquín Encinias, presents the show 'Yjastros' on June 13th, with choreographies by Alejandro Granados, Israel Galván, Yolanda Heredia and Joaquín Encinias himself, performed by young American and Latin American bailaores.

Following the first three days of performances comes competition time. 'Flamenco Expo', scheduled for June 14th, is the fourth edition of the flamenco contest for professionals and amateurs, whose jury is made up of artists participating in the festival. Bailaores, guitarists, cantaores and percussionists take part in this competition whose prize is a trip to Spain. Showtime returns on June 15th and 16th with a face-off between bailaores Israel Galván and Pastora Galván entitled 'Dos hermanos'. The young Sevillian artists will be accompanied by guitarists Alfredo Lagos and Miguel Iglesias and cantaores José Anillo and Encarnación Anillo.

The festival closes with the three performances of 'Fiesta flamenca' on June 17th, 18th and 19th. This collective show joins artists from either side of the Atlantic. On the one hand, arriving from Madrid are bailaores Belén Fernández, Kelian Jiménez, David Jiménez and Jesús Losada, cantaor El Ciervo and percussionist Sabú, among others. They will all share their flamenco feeling with that of American artists such as bailaores Mercedes Amaya, Karime Amaya, Joaquín Encinias, Santiago Aguilar and El Tati; and guitarist Chuscales, among others.

Courses

The Albuquerque Festival pays special attention to training courses. The class agenda is from June 12th to 19th from morning to late night, with all kinds of specialties and levels. For bailaores there are courses in arm movement, bulerías and tangos, castanets, choreography, technique, sevillanas... Standing out from them are Israel Galván's seguiriya course and Pastora Galván's taranto course. For guitarists there are classes in technique and accompaniment for cante and baile. A cante course is also offered taught by José Anillo as well as a flamenco box drum course.

Moreover, courses on general knowledge of flamenco are scheduled, especially about the history and rhythm; and what has become known as 'Communication', a discipline seeking to teach the keys and the vocabulary of practicing flamenco music. This training effort also reaches out to tots, with a camp for children from 6 to 14 years old who, from June 7th to 18th, will be able to attend the rehearsals, special performances with leading artists, visits to theaters and instrument-maker workshops, among other activities.

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