Welcome to Flamenco NI

For the month of June only we have added a new Bulerias course.
The class will be held in the new Crescent Arts Centre www.crescentarts.org Helen Lewis dance studio and will be on Thursday evenings from 8-9pm. This class is for upper elementary and intermediate level students.

The Bulerias is an up-tempo and light-hearted Flamenco party dance. It has a great number of variations in both melody and rhymical structure and is usually accompanied by lively palmas. It is often used to end another choreography such as the Solea or Alegrias but can also be danced by itself at the end of a flamenco show or performance when it is know as the Fin de fiesta a dance in which the whole company will take part.

“A mi me duele, me duele

la boquita de decirte

gitana, si tu me quieres”

“It hurts me, it hurts me

My mouth hurts me from asking you

Gypsy woman, if you love me”

West African heritage, raised in exile in Majorca, and embraced by flamenco’s inner sanctum, the sensational Concha Buika has ignited Spanish music, bridging its venerable gypsy tradition with a jazz and soul sensibility, effortlessly embracing Cuban grooves and her roots in E…quatorial Guinea. A heady cocktail from a compelling stage presence, and a voice of raw emotive power.
Tickets: nch.ie

Dublin Dance Festival & Improvised Music Company present: Soledad Barrio y Noche Flamenca

The award-winning Noche Flamenca is renowned for its authentic and gritty performances of flamenco. The much-celebrated and unparalleled Soledad Barrio is known as the ‘Baryshnikov of flamenco’. Supported by the Instituto Cervantes… in association with the Embassy of Spain.

Date: Sunday 23 May Time: 7.30pm

Venue: Vicar Street, Dublin 8 E30/E26 Conc.

Places are going fast but you can still buy tickets online
here<https://dublindancefestival.ticketsolve.com/shows/23498021/events>

There will be a dance workshop with Noche Flamenca's lead
dancer, Soledad Barrio <http://www.flamencoindalo.com/en/education/special-collaborations/71-dance-workshop-with-soledad-barrio>,
on Saturday 22 May. For more information and to enrol, click
here<http://www.flamencoindalo.com/en/education/special-collaborations/72-enrollment-for-soledad-barrio>.
Places are limited and advance booking is required.

Felipe will again be coming from Spain for this workshop which will be held on 16th May in the beautiful new studio of the Crescent Arts Centre, 2-4 University Road, Belfast www.crescentarts.org.

The beginner dance class will run from 1-2pm, technique class will run from 2-3 pm and is good for all including complete beginners who have had no dance or previous flamenco dance experience.

The Intermediate class will now run from 3 – 5pm and is open to Flamenco dancers with at least 2 years of Flamenco dance experience. We will start a new choreography, Tientos, in this class so for elementary dancers who want to move up this is a good month to start.

Please wear flamenco shoes, character dance shoes or shoes/boots with a block heel – no stilettos, sandals or trainers may be worn.

Prices are listed below:

Class level

Beginner Class £15.00 Technique Class £15.00 Intermediate Class £35.00 Beginner Student £12.00 Technique Student £12.00 Intermediate Student £30.00 Full workshop Student £50.00

FlamencoNI and King Street Arts present our first Flamenco Tablao (party) night on Friday April 9th, 8pm. You are invited to come along and party with us.

This is not a formal evening and there will be no dance performance but there will be loads of Flamenco music and opportunities to dance Sevillanas, Fandangos, Bulerias or whatever else takes your fancy.

If you who have never danced the popular Spanish folk dance, Sevillanas, join Maureen for an Introduction Class at 8pm before the night kicks off.

Maureen (Maria Teresa) Connolly is an experienced flamenco dance teacher and has been teaching Flamenco dance for many years. The class is a one hour long and aimed at those who have never danced before or anyone who wants to try Flamenco or learn Sevillanas.

Here’s a little information on Sevillanas:
Sevillanas are a set of dances that form the core of Spanish folk dance. They are danced at ferias,weddings, and many other social events in Spain, and the stepsare the building blocks of flamenco.
Some flamenco enthusiasts insist that sevillanas are not flamenco but the dances are still taught to beginning flamenco students to help prepare them for the more difficult freestyle forms of flamenco.

Sevillanas are danced face-to-face with a partner to sevillana music, which is in three-quarter time. For public performance women often wear the beautiful polka-dot flamenco costumes; the dramaticturns and passes of sevillanas are emphasized by the colorful ruffled dresses. Unlike many folk dances, arm work in sevillanas is just as important and can be just as complicated as footwork. Despite this, you shouldn’t worry too much if you jump into a sevillana only to stumble through it. As with other folk dances, sevillanas are supposed to be fun. Getting to where you’re supposed to be is more important than how you get there.

So if you don’t know Sevillanas already – take the lesson – no partner is necessary but if you know the dance already come along and have fun with it or any other Flamenco dance you want to do.

BYOB, snacks, friends and yourself. Flamenco attire is encouraged and will add to the ambience of our tablao flamenco for the evening.

The cost for the Sevillanas lesson is £8.00 and includes admission to the party. If you wish to only take the lesson it will be £5.00. Admission to the tablao is £4.00.  Sign up using Paypal below or  alternatively, you can pay on the night if you want to just drop in.

Lesson payment

Sevillanas Lesson & Party £8.00 Sevillanas Lesson only £5.00

Felipe will again be coming from Spain for this workshop which will be held on

March 21st at An Droichead 20

Cooke Street, Belfast. This month we will be adding a new Beginner/taster class which will be for complete beginners or those who want to come and see what Flamenco is all about. This class will run from 1 – 2pm.

Flamenco Technique class will run from 2-3 pm and is good for all including complete beginners who have had no dance or previous flamenco dance experience.

The Elementary class will now run from 3 – 4pm and is open to dancers with at least 1 years of Flamenco dance experience.

The Intermediate class will now run from 4 – 5pm and is open to Flamenco dancers with at least 2 years of Flamenco dance experience.

Our first Flamenco dance workshop of 2010 with Felipe de Algeciras will take place on February 21st at An Droichead 20 Cooke Street, Belfast.

The Beginner class will run from 1 – 2pm and is suitable for anyone with 1 year or some previous Flamenco dance experience;

Flamenco Technique class will run from 2-3 pm and is good for all including complete beginners who have had no dance or previous flamenco dance experience.

The Intermediate class will run from 3 – 5pm and is open to Flamenco dancers with at least 2 years of Flamenco dance experience.

The new term of Flamenco dance classes offered through the Crescent Arts Center will start next Tuesday, January 19th. Please note that this class has moved from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday evening.

The beginner class will run from 6 – 7 pm. In this class we will look at the various rhythms of Flamenco, handclapping, posture, arm technique, introduce footwork and work on some basic choreography. Please wear comfortable shoes or boots with a low or cuban heel. No trainers, sneakers, flip flops, or stilettos.

SThe intermediate class will run from 7 – 8pm. To join this class  students need at least one year and preferably two years of Flamenco dance experience. We will study advanced Flamenco rhythms including contra (off the beat), more advanced handclapping technique/footwork and occasionally dance to a live guitarist. We will continue to work on Alegrias, Sevillanas and the other choreographies we have been studying . If possible please wear Flamenco shoes and a practice skirt.

Enrollments are still being taken for these classes. Please contact the Crescent Arts Centre to enroll http://www.crescentarts.org or alternatively come to the first class on Tuesday, January 19th at the Crescent Arts Centre, 165 Ormeau Road, Belfast BT7 1SQ.

Happy Holidays from FlamencoNI. We wish you a very safe warm and happy holiday season. Don’t forget to check back with us in the new year as we have a great program of workshops and classes coming up in 2010.

Enjoy these slides of some of our highlights from 2009.