Enjoy a rare virtual conversation with living flamenco legend Carmen Ledesma. Tune in as she shares personal anecdotes, sources of inspiration, and her infinite wit and wisdom. NYC Flamenco Passholders attend free!
This conversation will be in Spanish with English translation.
A recording will be available for viewing through Nov. 28.
With her unique style and vibrant personality, Carmen Ledesma is one of today’s most highly recognized dancers and performers in flamenco. She is a strong advocate of flamenco puro (traditional flamenco) and has been accompanied by the biggest names in flamenco cante (singing) including the great Camarón de la Isla.
What would you ask this living flamenco legend?
Opening night for Peña Flamenca NYC is SOLD OUT! But we’re already planning our next big event. Make sure to get tickets early and remember that NYC Flamenco Passholders get priority access.
Hear from Freddy about his experience attending one of Sevilla’s most iconic peñas, and get a tip on how to snag tickets given the peña’s eternal waitlist.
In 1974, the Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena was founded, and in all these years they’ve had legendary singers, dancers, and guitarists–name an artist, any artist, and you’ll surely find them in the library archives housed on the first floor of the peña.
Recently, I was lucky enough to attend the peña’s annual Concurso de Baile (dance competition) where they give young people a stage. I watched each and every contestant and the level of artistry was very high. Andalucía guarantees that–it’s one of the reasons I am living here, to enjoy that talent. In my whole time living here, I’ve never seen a bad show.
Here at Torres Macarena, they have two dance events and two singing events a week. The cost is low, less than 10 euros a ticket, but getting a ticket sure isn’t easy.* The peña has 130 socios (members) who pay monthly fees to guarantee seats at the shows. The lista de espera (waiting list) is 60 people long. I joke that only when someone dies is there a chance to become a member.
I go every single Wednesday and Sunday to the great Peña Flamenca Torres Macarena–may we all meet here one day!
*Juan, Paco, and Jesus are always manning the door––if you get to know them and come a couple hours early, you just might get a ticket!
Flamenco is more than just performances, it’s a communal activity connecting performers and audience. In the US, most audiences sit quietly through a performance and clap at the end of a piece or show. In flamenco, however, it is customary to shout your jaleos (shouts of encouragement) during the performance, clapping and becoming part of the show while it is going on. The most popular jaleo is OLE, which comes from the Arabic word Allah, meaning God.
Here are some tips on how to say OLE like a pro:
1. Remember that, when used in flamenco, the accent is on the “o” (OH-ley)
2. Know that ole can be used at any moment during the show but it is especially effective after a close.
3. There are no hard and fast rules, so just go for it–the more oles the better!
Here are some other words to shout out in encouragement:
¡Arsa!
¡Toma!
¡Bien!
¡Eso es!
¡Vamos!
Check out this great demonstration below:
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