Flamenco Latino Más Allá is at the Jamaica Center for the Arts and Learning in Jamaica, Queens, Friday – Saturday, June 22 – 23, 2018 at 8 pm. There is a FREE open Flamenco dance rehearsal on Monday, June 18 at 12 noon.
Get tickets at www.jcal.org
Flamenco Latino
Flamenco Latino is a New York-based Flamenco dance company focused on Rumba Flamenca, Spanish Flamenco influenced by the music and dance of the Americas.
Flamenco Latino is led by jazz guitarist Basilio Georges and Flamenco dancer Aurora Reyes. The two have been doing this in New York City for over 30 years. They are great teaching artists.
Rumba Flamenca
We were raised to believe that all things European are superior to all things Latin American. European culture is not superior, it’s just more European.
Anyway, Rumba Flamenca is European culture that was influenced by the Americas. It’s kind of cool that the Europeans learned something from us.
Rumba is an ambiguous term today, but originally meant Afro-Cuban party music and dance. It could be spiritual or just for fun, and is the root of what we now call Latin music.
The Spanish-American War of 1898 ended the Spanish Empire. When we took over New Spain (Cuba), many Spanish – Americans returned to Spain and took their music with them.
They brought the music of Cuba and Argentina back to Spain, where it spread out around the world again. The category of music is called Cantes de ida y vuelta, which means roundtrip songs.
The most famous Rumba Flamenca artists are the Gipsy Kings. Spanish flamenco singer Diego El Cigala also works in this style. In fact, he moved to the Dominican Republic because the weather is good and it’s easy to fly from there to Europe or the Americas.
Flamenco Latino Más Allá Series
“Más Allá” means “beyond” in Spanish. The performances go beyond Flamenco to incorporate the music and dance of Black America and the Caribbean. It makes sense. Tap dance and Flamenco both stomp the floor.
The latest iteration of Flamenco Latino’s Más Allá series is part of their residency at the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL).
For these performances, the dancers are Aurora Reyes, American tap artist Omar Edwards, and Xianix Barrera (not pictured). The musicians are Basilio Georges, Danny Rivera on baritone saxophone, and Hamed “Mookie” Traore on bass / percussion.
The Flamenco Latino 2018 Más Allá Series is made possible, in part, with funds from the Decentralization Program, a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Queens Council on the Arts.
Open Flamenco Dance Rehearsal
Jamaica Center for the Arts and Learning
Jamaica, Queens
Monday, June 18, 2018 at 12 noon
FREE
Flamenco Performances
Jamaica Center for the Arts and Learning
Jamaica, Queens
Friday – Saturday
June 22 – 23, 2018 at 8 pm
General Admission: $20
Seniors & Students: $15
Flamenco Latino Más Allá Tickets
Tickets are available online or at the door.
General Admission: $20
Seniors & Students: $15
Online
Get tickets at www.jcal.org
Visit the Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning (JCAL)
161-04 Jamaica Avenue, Jamaica, Queens, NY 11432
(between 160th St & Union Hall St)
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica Station and Jamaica Center are a major transportation hub.
Subway
- (E) to Jamaica Center (last stop). Walk 1-1/2 blocks
- (J) (Z) to Jamaica Center (last stop). Walk 1-1/2 blocks
- (F) to Parsons Blvd. Walk 4 blocks
Bus
Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5, Q6, Q8, Q9, Q9A, Q21, Q24, Q25, Q31, Q34, Q36, Q41, Q42, Q43, Q44, Q54, Q56, Q65, Q83, Q84, Q85, Q110, Q111, Q112, Q113, N1, N2, N3, N6, N22, N22A, N24, N26 & X32.
Train
- Long Island Railroad (LIRR) to Jamaica Station. Walk 6 blocks.
