Did you love Flamenco Men? Want more? So do we.
This past Sunday afternoon I was lucky enough to attend the last show of Flamenco Men at Gala Hispanic Theater. As a Mexican Folklórico dancer I was eager to see how the performers would present their art form. I wondered how the set and lighting design would accompany and compliment them. However, far more then mere accompaniment, the abrupt vanishing--then careful reappearance of light and sound create a Flamenco performance with edges so sharp your eyes labor in the darkness waiting for the next beat. Feet tapping and bodies pulsing obedient to the rhythms, crescendo and crash into a back-light silence louder than any final applause or note. The creative light design and the carfefully held silences between musicians and dancers orchestrate a space for all involved with this show to shine.
If you missed out this time, there’s always next year! And for those of you who did attend one of our Flamenco shows this season we want to invite you to dive deeper and continue the passion you felt at the end of the show. Below I’ve included ways you can learn more about Flamenco here in DC, whether it’s putting on some dancing shoes or reading a book.
Dance: Artists Edwin Aparicio and Anna Menéndez provide flamenco lessons in the area.
Reading: “Flamenco: Conflicting Histories of the Dance” by Michelle Hefner Hayes. This book explores Flamenco through film, music and performance while also giving a careful eye to the the female prespective and experience in the dance. It is available at the DC Public Library at the downtown MLK and Mount Pleasant locations.
Thank you for your support and we hope you continue learning!
*Caitlin is currently an intern at GALA Hispanic Theatre.
