Nélida Tirado is a New York Puerto Rican, from The Bronx, who is one of the most interesting flamenco dancers in New York City. Her flamenco is so traditional that she dances for visiting Spaniards in the Flamenco Festival New York. But Tirado also has Puerto Rican bomba and plena traditions in her blood, and can bring that Caribbean feeling into the dance as well.
Nélida Tirado in New York City
Bronx Music Hall
Nélida Tirado Flamenco Arte 718 dances traditional flamenco at the newly opened Bronx Music Hall in Melrose, The Bronx; on Saturday, April 20, 2024 at 7pm and 8:30pm. From $25. eventbrite.com 🇵🇷
The lineup is:
- Guitarist- “Ricardito” Ricardo Sanchez
- Flamenco singer- José Cortés
- Flamenco dancers- Marianna Gatto, Adriana Olivares, Nélida Tirado
Nélida Tirado dances traditional flamenco at Chez Messy, a Spanish tapas restaurant in Washington Heights, Manhattan; on Wednesdays from 8:30-10:30pm. chezmessy.com 🇵🇷 🇪🇸
Nélida Tirado Dances Traditional Flamenco
Tirado began studying Spanish flamenco at Ballet Hispánico at age six. Her mother wanted to connect her with our Puerto Rican bomba and plena roots. All of these traditions are blends. By her teens Nélida was already touring and performing across the United States and Spain, Europe and Asia.
Nélida mostly dances traditional flamenco, including for the Flamenco Festival produced out of Madrid. But she can also put on flamenco fusion shows, with a little something, something more, that is not traditional.
She was a featured flamenco star in Broadway’s “Riverdance.” That’s an interesting connection because the stomping feet are in many traditions. American tap dance is a mix of African Diaspora culture and Irish step dance. In Spain, the stomping feet are in flamenco. In Argentina they’re in the malambo dance of the gaucho men. In Mexico, they’re in the zapateado of fandango. Somehow, they are all related.
Tirado opened for the Buena Vista Social Club at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn, and collaborated with Wynton Marsalis. She also dances in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s acclaimed movie “In the Heights.”
Nélida is a double recipient of the Tito Puente Scholarship, earned the Rosario Dawson Muse Fellow in 2017, and the BRIO Award for Artistic Excellence in 2007 and 2010. She held the Gibney Dance Process Residence in 2018-19.
“Dance Magazine” put Nélida Tirado on their “25 to Watch” list. That’s a good call.
We were once New Spain. The flamenco of Andalucía is beautiful, and so is the flamenco of the Americas. Nélida Tirado represents the best of both worlds. ¡Olé!
Nélida Tirado Flamenco Arte 718
Nélida Tirado Dance Flamenco Arte 718 flamenco dancers come from all over the Caribbean and Latin America. In a way, that’s the true multicultural essence of flamenco. Clap your hands, stomp your feet, and show the world your biggest heart. Olé and WEPA! 🇪🇸 🇵🇷
Shows
“Dime Quién Soy” (Tell Me Who I Am) is a fusion of Spanish and Puerto Rican flamenco traditions. 🇪🇸 🇵🇷
“Travesia Flamenca” (Flamenco Journey) is a traditional flamenco show. 🇪🇸
New York Venues
This is just since 2022.
- BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn
- Bronx Music Hall
- Bryant Park
- Chelsea Table and Stage
- Chez Messy in Washington Heights, Manhattan
- Flamenco Festival New York 🇪🇸
- Jacob’s Pillow dance festival
- Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater
- Hostos Center 🇵🇷
- Instituto Cervantes New York 🇪🇸
- Metropolitan Opera
- Queens Theatre
- Repertorio Español 🇨🇺
- World Music Institute
Dime Quien Soy (Tell Me Who I Am)
Tirado premieres her expanded solo show “Dime Quien Soy” at Jacob’s Pillow’s 90th Anniversary Season in the summer of 2022. Jacob’s Pillow is one of the leading dance festivals in the Northeast. It’s a big deal to be invited there.
“Dime Quien Soy” (Tell me who I am) is a timely concept because even though we are just as American as anybody else, our American Latin cultural identity is often challenged. The same is true for non-Spanish flamenco dancers. Tirado is New York Puerto Rican. Puerto Rico was once New Spain. We were Spaniards, so we have flamenco culture too. We still have flamenco in Old San Juan and in Cuba as well. Our Caribbean and Latin American cultures also influenced flamenco in Spain. Word on the street is that Tirado is a great salsa dancer too.
Nélida’s description of this dance is instructive about who we are as Latins.
“Dime quien soy” is my lived in personal experience as a traditional flamenco artist. It’s me moving unapologetically, fully embodied in all the layers that make me who I am. These layers, though they are separate, are intertwined and intersect in all of our bodies, the music and in history. They serve as fuel and inspiration for us.”
Nélida Tirado ~ Olè y WEPA! 🇪🇸 🇵🇷
Nélida Tirado and her dance company have tapped into something powerfully current. If you get the chance, go see them. Regardless of your perspective, this is an excellent flamenco dance company.
Tickets and Information
nelidatirado.com
X (Twitter) @Nelidatirado
Facebook @nelidatiradodancer
Instagram @nelida_tirado