Festival de Jerez 2010

For many aficionados living in Australia, good flamenco is worth traveling for, but Jerez is over fifteen thousand kilometers away...A 26hr flight to Madrid ($2000 return) and then a 5hr Train trip to 'Jerez de la Frontera', south of Sevilla and within the province of Cadiz (which lies on the south western coast of Spain). Jerez is a small place with a population and size similar to that of Hobart, the region is world famous for Sherry, Horses and Flamenco.The Festival Flamenco de Jerez has to be one of the top 5 flamenco pilgrimages any Australian Flamenco Afficionado can make, apart from an intensive study course at one of the many flamenco schools like, 'Carmen de las Cuevas' or Amor de Dios, but an intensive course is a journey, while a festival, that is a destination! At the top of the festival list is of course the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla which is scheduled for September/October 2010 and its alternating partner Bienal Málaga en Flamenco (2011).Planning a trip to any of these holy of holies, will often start a year ahead, so lets just assume for a moment that we're all going to Jerez, Seville, Málaga or Granada in 2011 and we'll continue now by torturing ourselves with a glimpse into what we will be missing in Festival de Jerez 2010.

XIV Festival de Jerez - 2010

26th February to 13th March

14 years on and this popular festival of Flamenco Dance has become well known for it's unique blend of traditional and experimental performances.In 2009 two performers danced on, around and through a wooden table as they tumbled it between them. This year Joaquin Grilo will dance suspended by puppet strings in 'Leyenda Personal'.The 2010 line-up boasts 47 shows and over 40 workshops

The Performers

In order of appearance at Festival de Jerez 2010:

flamenco-dancer-cristina-hoyos

1. Ballet Flamenco de AndaluciaScenic Direction - Jose Carlos PlazaChoreography - Cristina HoyosMost Australians will know Cristina Hoyos from the classic Carlos Saura films; El amor brujo, (Witched Love), Carmen and Bodas de sangre (Blood Wedding). Cristina Hoyos took over the direction of Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia in 2004 and will be presenting, 'Poema del Cante Jondo en el Cafe de Chinitas' a show based around the versus of poet Federico García Lorca.

2. La Truco

3. María José Franco

4. Fernando TerremotoGuitar - Moraíto

5. María Canea and Carmen Herrera

6. Lola Greco, Amador Rojas, Carmelilla Montoya and Alejandro GranadosDirector - Miguel NarrosMusic - Enrique MorenteChoreography - Javier Latorre

7. Mariana Cornejo and David Palomar

8. Jesús Mendez (Cante)

9. Farruquito

10. Diego Carrasco and Remedios Amaya

11. Matilde Coral

12. Ramon Trujillo (guitar) and Nino de la Fragua (cante)

13. Maria Bermudez and Capullo de Jerez

14. Victoria Eugenia

15. David Lagos (cante)

16. Andres Marin (new show) with Concha Vargas, Lole Montoya and Jose de la Tomasa

17. Ana Morales with Ruben Olmo, Encarna Anillo and Antonio Campos

18. Karen Lugo and Saray Garcia

19. Antonio Canales and Mie Matsumura with Leonor Leal (baile) and Jose Valencia (cante)

20. Juan Diego, Jorge Gomez, Ignacio Pindado, Chispa

21. Jose Luis Balao

22. Javier Latorre

23. Compania Rafaela Carrasco

24. Ines Bacan, Pedro Pena and Pedro Ma Pena with Diego de la Margara, Fernanda Funi and El Palao

25. Compania Maria del Mar Moreno

26. Juana la del Pipa, Dolores Agujetas and La Macanita

27. Patricia Ibanez and Abel Harana with Pedro Ricardo Mino

28. Compania Joaquin Grilo with Dorantes

29. Soniquete

30. Silvia Duran

31. Londro (cante)

32. Compania Belén Maya (new show) with Olga Pericet

33. Manuel Valencia (guitar) and Kina Mendez (cante)

34. La Farruca

35. Belen Lopez

36. Luis el Zambo (cante)

37. Compania Fernando Romera with Manolo Marin and Isabel Bayon

38. Adrian Sanchez

39. Encarnacion Marin 'La Sallago'

40. Dospormedio , Rafael Estevez, Nina Panos, and Cia (new show)

41. Antonio Reyes and Rancapino

42. Pepe Torres and Almudena Serrano

43. Compania Rafael Campallo with Adela Campallo

44. Los Delinquentes and Tomasito

45. Javier Latorre

46. Fernando Belmonte and Joaquin Grilo

47. Fernando de la Morena and El Torta

3 shows a night for 15 days and none of them overlap!

I will leave you with a video clip of one of my favorite avant-garde performers and a brilliant Flamenco Choreographer, Rafaela Carrasco (with Daniel Doña).

Rafaela will bring her Compania Rafaela Carrasco to Festival Jerez de la Frontera in 2010 and present a major production titled 'Vamos Al Tiroteo, versiones de un tiempo pasado' (Let's Go Shooting, versions of a time past), inspired by the work of avant-garde poet, dramatist and pianist. Federico García Lorca - who was murdered by Franquist soldiers at the start of the Spanish Civil War, (just 4 years after he wrote Blood Wedding) - was an avid collector of old folk songs and in 1931 he collaborated with singer and percussionist Encarnación López "La Argentinita" to record a number of songs that now serve as the core of Rafaela Carrasco's production.

Federico Garcia Lorca 'Sevillanas del Siglo XVII'

Rafaela Carrasco's latest show originally premiered at the Biennial Flamenco Festivalin Seville (2008) and won two awards for best choreography.

Flamenco will take three more steps towards a new, modern form at Jerez 2010 as Belén Maya, Andrés Marín and Dospormedio present the world with their latest productions.

For more details on the performances and courses offered throughout the program...» visit Festival de Jerez