This December, The Flamenco Nutcrackerreturns to the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center for its fourth year! Celebrate the season with this unique twist on the holiday classic in an unforgettable evening filled with the passion of Flamenco. Follow the clicking castanets of the Sugar Plum Fairy as she leads us into an enchanted winter wonderland. Direct from Spain, guest dancer Manuel Gutierrez dazzles with his powerful footwork and commanding stage presence in the role of the Matador Prince. The original Tchaikovsky score is woven with the music of Spain and the hispanic diaspora in an original score performed live. Join us for a magical holiday celebration like no other in this family friendly performance.
Run Time: 65 min. No intermission. A show for all ages
A fun time collaborating with @mspattyortega and @josemorenoflamenco for the @ensembleespanol performance at the University of Wisconsin Whitewater in Whitewater, WI. Thank you @ensembleespanol for the invitation to accompany the professional dance company and bring artists together.
Flamenco Communication Intensive
with Marija Temo and guest dancer/teacher, Kerensa DeMars
(for all levels in Dance, Guitar, & Vocal, working separately & together)
The flamenco intensive focuses on working with different disciplines to enhance your abilities to lead, accompany, and to better support one another with feedback from M. Temo and K. DeMars
This year is designed for participants to be able to take one or more days. Different material will be taught each day.
Coaching sessions are a supportive environment for you to workshop parts of your dance solo, falseta, or letra with other students (dancers, guitarists, singers, palmeros) and the instructors. The goal of these sessions is to help you improve your performance communication skills with constructive and positive feedback.
(Best to arrange with other students if you want a 2 person or group coaching, or inquire with M. Temo if someone can be put with you. You may also sign up for an individual coaching where M. Temo will accompany via guitar and singing, and/or K. DeMars will dance for you.)
Email Marija Temo to register for your slot time. First come, first serve. Slot times are guaranteed with payment.
Workshops Workshops are for all levels (beginners to more experienced dancers). The material will be shown in a basic and more advanced version. (Students are welcome to record the material.)
Bamberas (Llamada, Letra, Escobilla, Salida) Separate Workshops for Dancers, Guitarists, and Singers
Application Workshop Combining Dancers, Guitarists, and Singers together.
The Bamberas or ‘Swing Songs’ are a flamenco adaption of Andalusian folk music. Originally sung in a fandangos style, Paco de Lucia reworked the Bamberas in the Solea por Buleria rhythm which is most commonly used today but with a different aire that’s more fluid, reminiscent of the swings….
Dance Technique Friday:
Footwork Drills and Building Escobillas. This technique class includes a series of footwork drills for stamina and musicality followed by phrasing patterns to create escobillas in 12 count palos. We’ll look specifically at how to create strong, musical footwork sections, how to extend or shorten a pattern and how to create patterns that work well for a guitarist to accompany.
Saturday:
Upper body movement and mantón technique. This class will include a series of drills focused on upper body control and using the torso to create more depth and power in your dancing. We’ll explore the dynamic torso movements that are unique to flamenco and how to cultivate the flexibility and strength needed to create those lines. We will also explore mantón work and how to engage the torso to complement this technique. BYO mantón if you have one, some will be provided.
Palmas (Technique & Application): Learn various styles of palmas, which include different patterns for accompaniment and how to create strong accents, and how to hold the body to prevent fatigue. We will also learn how to find musicality in your palmas, play supportively without rushing or overpowering what’s happening musically.
We’ll put our technique practice to the test accompanying falsetas, escobillas, llamadas and letras, and discuss how to get in and out of contra sections, how to listen to your fellow palmeros to stay in synch, and how to give jaleo while playing palmas.
Palos to be covered: Friday: Bulerias, Sat: Tientos/Tangos.
Jam sessionsFree time, without the instructors, to jam with other dancer, guitarist, and singer workshop participants.
Observation All workshops and coachings are open for an observation fee. (Observation is free for the days that you are registered for a workshop or coaching.)
