Following feedback from our students, we will be offering an additional technique class on Tuesdays. This class is aimed at all levels and will only run for the first 6 weeks of the term. It will be the perfect complement to either the Monday or the Thursday class.  

More details on all three classes are provided below.

Mondays: Beginners Technique & Choreography Class aimed at complete beginners and students with a basic knowledge of flamenco. This class will focus on technique and style, and students will learn a full choreography, accompanied by live guitar. When: Mondays 8.15pm - 9.30pm Term: 11 weeks from April 20 to July 13 (excluding May 4 and June 1) Price: €15 per class or €140 for the term (save €25)

Thursdays: Improvers Technique & Choreography Class aimed at students with a good knowledge of flamenco who want to strengthen their technique and style, and learn a full choreography. The term will focus on a single “palo” (dance form). Classes will be accompanied by live guitar. When: Thursdays 8.00pm - 9.30pm Term: 12 weeks from April 23 to July 9 Price: €17 per class or €180 for the term (save €24)

Tuesdays: Flamenco Technique & Compás Class aimed at students of all levels who want to work on technique, and in particular improve their understanding of compás (flamenco rhythm). This class will be accompanied by live guitar and cajón. When: Tuesdays 8.00pm - 9.00pm Term: 6 weeks from April 21 to May 26 Price: €13 per class or €68 for the term (save €10) Special offer! Students enrolled in the Monday or Thursday class only pay €50 for the term as it complements their training.

Fees for the full term may be paid in installments. You do not have to pay the full amount up front to reserve your place.

All classes are held in DanceHouse studios, Foley st, Dublin 1 View a detailed map

Mondays - Beginners Technique
Time: 8:15pm to 9:30pm
Duration: 11 weeks from April 20 to July 13 (excluding May 4 and June 1)

Thursdays - Elementary Technique & Choreography
Time: 8:00pm to 9:30pm
Duration: 12 weeks from April 23 to July 9

The full details of each class including the content and price will be posted soon.

In 2009, Sólo Flamenco travelled to Jerez de la Frontera, in Andalucía, in order to participate in the classes organised by the
XIII Festival de Jerez.

The group had the honour to learn from Matilde Coral, Javier Latorre, Andrés Peña, Andrés Marín, Manuel Liñán and Antonio El Pipa.

For the second year in a row, this trip was partly funded by The Arts Council.

For all the reviews, photos and videos of the festival, go to FESTIVAL DE JEREZ 2009.

]]> http://www.flamencoyalegria.net/?feed=rss2&p=155 http://www.flamencoyalegria.net/?p=97 http://www.flamencoyalegria.net/?p=97#comments Sat, 14 Mar 2009 12:47:44 +0000 Nathalie http://www.flamencoyalegria.net/?p=97 Sólo Flamenco are proud to present two special flamenco dance workshops with acclaimed Spanish flamenco dancer, choreographer and teacher Felipe de Algeciras.

Did you know that Felipe’s footwork can be heard throughout the soundtrack of the movie The Mask of Zorro with Antonio Banderas? To learn more about Felipe, read a short biography. You can also see some videos here, and here.

These two workshops will provide us all with an unmissable opportunity to build up our flamenco technique and learn a choreography piece. Felipe will offer a Technique workshop for all levels on Friday 20th March, and a Technique & Choreography workshop for more advanced students on Saturday 21st March.

Important notes:
The Friday workshop will take place in Carman’s Hall, Francis St.
The Saturday workshop will take place in DanceHouse studios, Foley St.

Technique Workshop Date: Friday 20th March Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm Venue: Carman’s Hall. Click here for a map. Price: €30 This workshop is open to all levels.

Technique & Choreography Workshop Date: Saturday 21st March Time: 12.00pm-2.00pm Venue: DanceHouse studios. Click here for a map. Price: €30 This workshop is open to dancers with at least 12 months experience.

This workshop will provide us all with an unmissable opportunity to build up our flamenco technique.

Did you know that Felipe’s footwork can be heard throughout the soundtrack of the movie The Mask of Zorro with Antonio Banderas? To learn more about Felipe, read a short biography. You can also see some videos here, and here.

Important note: This workshop will take place in Carman’s Hall, Francis St.

Date: Friday 20th February Time: 7.30pm-9.30pm Venue: Carman’s Hall. Click here for a map. Price: €30

The workshops are aimed at dancers of all levels, no previous experience is required. Sevillanas are danced in couples, so feel free to bring your partner or a friend!

Date: Saturday 14 February Time: 2pm - 4pm Venue: DanceHouse Studios, Foley St. Price: €30 Date: Saturday 14 March Time: 2pm - 4pm Venue: DanceHouse Studios, Foley St. Price: €30

All workshops are held in DanceHouse studios, Foley st, Dublin 1 Please click here to see a detailed map

The concert was to be Felipe’s last show with his students before returning to his home in Algeciras. He organised the event to provide an opportunity for his students to showcase some of the pieces they learned from him over the years, and so we were particularly pleased when he also invited us to come and perform.

We were accompanied on the trip by guitarist Lucas González, who was an invaluable help to us in preparing for the show. During the performance, Lucas joined with the other musicians - Tito, Jasmine and Alex - to accompany not only Sólo Flamenco, but all of the dancers who performed on the night.

We arrived at the theatre mid-afternoon and ran through the choreographies a few times while waiting for Felipe to arrive. Eventually he came and immediately set about preparations for the show. One by one the other students began arriving, until eventually the stage was filled with dancers rehearsing their pieces and a cacophony of the competing rhythms of the different palos filled the auditorium. Things were really warming up now.

Finally, at 8pm the show began. Felipe and the musicians took to the stage and after a short introduction the first group of students opened the show with a Tanguillo. They were followed by Nathalie and Carina from Sólo Flamenco, performing a Soleá por Bulería. There were two more performances from the London students, and then Nathalie, Carina and Damian closed the first half of the show with an Alegría.

Throughout all of the performances, Felipe stayed on stage to provide palmas and jaleos. Those of you who have been fortunate enough to attend a workshop with Felipe will know the energy he carries and imparts to every member of the class. Being on stage with him is no different. Somehow he reached deep inside us, drawing out an energy that - after the early start on Friday morning and the many hours of travelling - none of us even suspected we had. The experience was further enriched by Jasmine’s singing, and the wonderful guitar of Tito Heredia, Alex and Lucas.

With our own performances behind us we were able to sit back and relax and enjoy the second part of the show. It was amazing and inspiring to see pieces that we are only now beginning to learn being performed in such an accomplished manner by some of Felipe’s more advanced students.

Towards the end of the show, Felipe led his students in the performance of two pieces. The first was a Martinete, an old palo originating amongst miners who would keep the rhythm by beating an anvil. In Felipe’s interpretation, the anvil was replaced by a bastón. The piece started simply enough with the accents of the palo marked by the tapping of the bastón on the stage and slowly developed in complexity as Felipe and his students added layer after layer of varying contratiempo patterns, until finally it reached a mesmerising crescendo of rhythms and counter rhythms. This was of particular interest to us as it is a piece we have just started studying with Felipe.

The second piece was a beautiful Alegría, featuring a wonderfully energetic solo by Felipe himself. The evening closed with an impromptu set of Sevillanas, for which Felipe invited both the dancers and members of the audience up on stage.

All in all it was a wonderful evening, and a truly inspiring and memorable experience that will stay with us for a long time.

For pictures from the evening, check out our galleries page.

¿Y qué más? Pues que te queremos Felipe y que no te vamos a echar de menos porque vas a volver a Dublín cada mes. Sacas lo mejor de nosotros con tu energía, tu afán de enseñar y tu arte. Sin ti no habría flamenco en Dublín y te lo agradecemos de todo corazón. ¡Gracias maestro!

The class is aimed at dancers of all levels, no previous experience is required. Sevillanas are danced in couples, so feel free to bring your partner or a friend! Date: Saturday 24 January Time: 2pm - 4pm Venue: DanceHouse Studios, Foley St. Price: €30

There will be a discount price of €20 for students who have enrolled for the term in either the Monday night or Thursday night class.

All workshops are held in DanceHouse studios, Foley st, Dublin 1 Please click here to see a detailed map

The primary purpose of the trip, which was partly funded by The Arts Council, was to participate in workshops organized by the festival.

For more details, read the posts on our news page and check out our trip report.

There will be classes for Beginners and Improvers, and each class will begin with a free taster:
- Beginners Taster class at 8:15pm on Monday 12th January
- Improvers Taster class at 8:00pm on Thursday 15th January

Mondays: Beginners Technique Classes aimed at beginners with no previous experience of flamenco, and those seeking to improve their technique. When: Mondays 8.15pm - 9.30pm Term: 19th January to 30th March Price: €13 per class or €130 per term Special offer! Pay for the term on the first night and get an extra €10 off the full term price: only pay €120.

Thursdays: Improvers Technique and Choreography Classes aimed at students with a basic knowledge of flamenco who want to improve their technique and work on various “palos” (guajira with fan, bulería, alegría, soleá…). When: Thursdays 8.00pm - 9.30pm Term: 22nd January to 2nd April Price: €16 per class or €160 per term Special offer! Pay for the term on the first night and get an extra €10 off the full term price: only pay €150.

Both classes will be held in a small studio with a capacity of 12 students. We expect places to go quickly, so enroll now to avoid disappointment.

All classes are held in DanceHouse studios, Foley st, Dublin 1 View a detailed map