FESTIVAL FLAMENCO DE JEREZ

De Los Puertos

Director: Juan Fernández

One of flamenco’s most important annual events starts tomorrow: the Festival Flamenco de Jerez. This esteemed festival will feature Flamenco Vivo company member Emilio Ochando as Stage Director, Dancer, and Co-Choreographer in Juan Fernández’s much anticipated production De Los Puertos.

The Festival is also a prize sponsor for our very own Flamenco Certamen USA!

De Los Puertos, set to premiere on Feb. 22, is a journey back in time to the origins of flamenco song, a time when the Spanish town of El Puerto de Santa María became known for its flamenco singing— characterized by the “cante de los puertos,” or the style of song from its bustling ports. Legendary flamenco singers Tomás “El Nitri” and Negro del Puerto inspire Juan Fernández’s production, featuring dancers/choreographerss Emilio Ochando and Moisés Navarro, percussionist Javier Teruel, singers Pepe de Pura, Miguel Lavi, and Manuel Soto, and the guitar and musical direction of Miguel Pérez.

Juan Fernández, who won 2nd prize for solo choreography and a prize for best musical composition at the 29th Certamen Coreográfico de Danza Española y Flamenco de Madrid, collaborates with Stage Director Emilio Ochando to dive into the essence of flamenco at its purest. Their collaboration also explores creative use of the classic flamenco chairs that you see in nearly every flamenco performance, reflecting the hardness, fragility, intensity, sobriety, and joy that flamenco singing expresses.

TIPS FOR DANCERS

“4 Tips for Expressive, Safe Head & Neck Articulation”

by Dance Magazine

Articulation of the head and neck is crucial to dancing expressively, and flamenco is no exception––read on to learn how to safely approach this kind of movement in your practice! Included are instructions on how to find your true neutral head position and exercises for building neck strength.

FLAMENCO FIGURES

How did Pastora Pavón get her stage name La Niña de Los Peines (The Girl of the Combs)

Hint: It hails from a certain song.

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It is believed that one of the greatest flamenco singers to ever live, Pastora Pavón (1890-1969) earned her stage name from a tangos letra she created and sang often about her hair combs being sweet. Unfortunately the song was never recorded, but the lyrics were documented:

“Péinate tú con mis peines, que mis peines son de azúcar / quien con mis peines se peina, hasta los dedos se chupa / Péinate tú con mis peines, mis peines son de canela / La gachí que se peina con mis peines, canela lleva de veras”

“Comb yourself with my combs, for my combs are made of sugar / those who comb their hair with my combs even lick their fingers / Comb yourself with my combs, my combs are made of cinnamon / The girl who combs herself with my combs, is left with cinnamon”

Check out Flamenco Vivo’s playlist below that features her!