At the moment Sólo Flamenco are in Jerez de la Frontera for the 12th Annual Flamenco Festival. The primary purpose of the trip, which is partly funded by the Arts Council, is to take classes with some of the greatest Flamenco dancers of our day. Nathalie is studying Tientos y Tangos with Andrés Peña; Carina, Lynn and Sarah are studying Siguiriya with María del Mar Moreno; and Damian is studying Martinete with Javier Latorre.

While we’re here we’ve also been lucky enough to see some wonderful performances. Highlights so far have been “¡Viva Jerez!”, featuring María del Mar Moreno, Mercedes Ruiz, Fernando Terremoto and Angelita Gómez, and choreographed by Javier Latorre, and “Puertas adentro”, performed by the Compañía de Antonio El Pipa.

The former show was a selection of pieces by each artist, and included a breathtaking Siguiriya danced by María del Mar Moreno. The climax of that piece, when she danced face to face with the singer, left us all with goose bumps. The latter show was inspired by events from the life of Antonio El Pipa, and told of the death of his mother and the subsequent birth of his second son. This was an intensely emotional performance, and showcased two stunning young stars, Macarena Ramirez and Christian de los Reyes, who simply have to be seen to be believed.

Last night we saw Isabel Bayón in “La puerta abierta”. This award winning show was elegant and simple in its concept, and hugely effective in its execution. The set was designed to resemble the interior of a home, with doors leading to various rooms. Isabel never left the stage during the performance; costume changes happening modestly at the back of the stage while the musicians played on. This lent an air of intimacy to the show that served to bring the audience closer and make the experience all the more personal.

We have our daily routine now. Breakfast at 10am, a short walk from the hotel, sitting outside under the sun and reading the critiques of the previous evening’s performances in the festival supplement from the Diario de Jerez. Actually, yesterday’s and today’s editions had special significance for us. Each edition features an interview with one of the students who has comes to Jerez for the festival. Yesterday they interviewed Damian, and today they interviewed Nathalie. People here have been warm, friendly and very helpful, making us all feel very welcome.

For more information on the festival, check out the online edition of the local newspaper, Diario de Jerez.