Bringing Spanish flamenco to Manitoba: Sol de España

Submitted by Geneviève LaTouche, Assistant Artistic Director, Bolera Dance Theatre

This past July, four youth members of Sol de España and Bolero Dance Theatre, Izabelle, Carmen, Rose and Angelica, travelled to Spain to study Flamenco, Spanish classical dance and Spanish folk dance with master teachers. Three of the dancers also had the chance to take a masterclass with Nuria Garcia at the London School of Flamenco, the largest flamenco school in the U.K.

In Spain, the dancers first studied Spanish folk and classical dance in Madrid with Beatriz Barceló at ExpresArte, a UNESCO-affiliated dance academy. Throughout the week, they learned folk dances from Valencia and Castilla-La Mancha, a Basque clapping game and a Spanish classical choreography. Beatriz Barceló also taught mini history, geography and theatre lessons within the classes. The dancers learned the influences of other countries or cultural groups on dances in different regions of Spain. They also learned how climate and terrain affects how people dance in certain regions. The theatre aspect allowed the dancers to understand how to express themselves organically onstage.

The second week in Spain, the dancers travelled to Jerez de la Frontera, where they participated in the Fama Flamenco course at Centro de Baile Jerez with Pilar Ogalla, Marta de Troya and Carmen Martínez. During the week, they learned two flamenco choreographies and another classical or “Estilizada” choreography. At the course, the dancers connected with other Spanish dancers from countries all over the world, such as Malta, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Greece and, of course, Spain. They were also given two opportunities to perform. Firstly, they performed a short choreography of a dance called Bulerías in a flashmob in Plaza del Arenal, the main square in Jerez. At the end of the course, they also performed what they had learned, plus a choreography prepared in Winnipeg, in a formal theatre with brand new costumes.

Overall, studying in Europe was a massive success. Rose, Izabelle, Carmen and Angelica returned home with seven new choreographies that they can now present to audiences here in Manitoba. They also learned important lessons about history and culture that gave them an in-depth understanding of the dances they perform. Studying in classes with dancers from Spain, as well as being given ample opportunities to go out and watch performances allowed the dancers to experience flamenco and Spanish dance in a way that is not always replicable outside of its place of origin.

This trip was made possible in part due to funds awarded by Folklorama’s Cultural Preservation Fund (CPF). Learn more about the CPF Awards and find out if your project is eligible.