Flamenco update

Dear Students,

Happy New Year!

A quick note to update you on my flamenco classes. As you can imagine, in studio classes are unlikely to take place for some time. I hope everyone is managing in these very interesting times and finding ways to stay positive safe and healthy. If you have any questions or just want to connect for a chat, please do send me a note. I sure do miss sharing weekly moments with everyone.

There are a lot of great online performances, live interviews on instagram and facebook, and releases of past performances happening. It’s truly an unprecedented time for online access to flamenco in its cultural home and in intimate ways we wouldn’t normally have access to. Here are some pics of my favourite teachers and what they’ve been up to online:

Dancer Miguel el Rubio performing at the Peña Cultural Flamenca Torres Macarena de Sevilla in October.

Dancer la Farruca interviewing singer Antonio Villar on Instagram

Dancer Farru interviewing his brother dancer Farruquito on Instagram

Dancer Farru giving a talk about his family history via flamencos por el mundo.

Dancer Oruco performing with Juan Villar, Luis Amador, and Juan Jose Villar as part of regular online events at flamencolive.jp

Dancer Manuela Rios performing in T de Triana.

All the best for an inspiring 2021! Hoping to see you all again soon.

Jane

Fall flamenco update

Dear Students,

A quick note to update you on my flamenco classes. In what would have been the start of my 20th year of teaching flamenco in Edmonton I find myself instead taking a semester off for the first time. As an independent teacher, I’m not comfortable hosting groups of students in person in the studio at this point. Insurance does not cover this type of situation and Marrmac themselves have had to put some pretty strict protocols in place to keep their studio running. Many people are finding this a very uncertain time, I think it’s best to wait until the situation improves and we can see each other in person again.

I hope everyone is managing in these very interesting times and finding ways to stay positive. I am taking advantage of the time to work on my own development. I hope you are inspired to do the same! Since March I have been studying quite intensely with my own teachers in Spain and will have a lot to share with you when we finally meet again.

I will re-update everyone in the New Year about if a Spring session of regular classes will be happening or not. Until then, I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. If you have any questions or just want to connect for a chat, please do send me a note. I sure do miss seeing all of your lovely faces in class!

Here are some pics from the past few years to lift your spirits

Tangos master class with visiting Spanish dancer Farru, November 2019.
Tangos workshop with visiting Spanish dancer Carmen Ledesma, November 2019.
Romance workshop with visiting Spanish dancer Carmen Ledesma, November 2019.
Dancers Magdalena Difani, Jen Dunford, and Carmen performing the Alegrias from my Level IV class at the Flamenco Society of Edmonton’s 2019 Community Show. Photo – Earl Mckenzie
Song and Dance Workshops with Vancouver’s Stephanie Pedraza and guest guitarist Tosh Hayashi from Calgary – 2015
Soleá performers from my Level II/III class with guest singer Susan MacGregor and guitarist David Matyas at the Flamenco Society of Edmonton’s 2019 Community Show
Song and Dance workshops with Vancouver’s Oscar Nieto – 2015
Flashmobbers performing my tangos choreography created for the Edmonton Flamenco Festival in 2016/17

Class reminders. Flamenco Festival workshop deadline tonight!

News in this update:

  • Class Reminders – final group class Friday, March 6th 6:30 – 8:00
  • Edmonton Flamenco Festival – Workshop early-bird registration deadline tonight!

CLASS REMINDERS

Friday, March 6th final group class 6:30 – 8:00

A reminder that the final group class for all students is Friday, March 6th. Students will all get a chance to review their material from 6:30 – 7:00

    • 6:30 – 7:00 – review class work with your classmates. We will use available studios
    • 7:00 – group warm up and presentation of pieces

This is an informal opportunity for each class to perform their dance for the other students and to see what other classes have been learning. We will finish with a few videos to watch and coffee at a local café afterwards. It’s a really fun night and a great way to end the semester. There is no obligation to perform.

*Please note that March 6th’s group class is for current students only. Guests are not allowed.

If you registered but have missed a lot of classes or had to withdraw from class this semester, please feel free to come to the final class as an observer to see what others have been doing, watch some videos with us and meet other members of the community. It’s a fun night.

Next session

Classes will resume after the flamenco festival and will include rehearsal for the community concert. Info coming out later this week.


EDMONTON FLAMENCO FESTIVAL March 12 – 15

Festival Mainstage – Sevilla en Blanco y Negro – Winspear Centre March 13

Tickets here – edmontonflamencofestival.com/tickets/

Festival Workshops – Early-bird deadline midnight tonight! March 2nd

Don’t miss this chance to experience the artistry of our incredible guest performers from Spain!

Cante (song) class with José ‘El Pechuguita’  – for all levels.

I highly encourage everyone to attend. This class is designed to practice singing as a group and even if you are not interested in singing beyond the class, it’s invaluable for deepening your understanding of the dance. Never been to a cante class before? Not to worry we tend to all help each other out. This is a fun class with a lot of students attending. José ‘El Pechuguita’ was here as a guest of Jairo Barrull in 2018 and taught a fantastic class por tangos.

Compás (palmas) class with El Oruco  – for students that have experience with the 12 count.

El Oruco is a master at palmas and his compás classes are the best out there. This is the first class I look for when I go to study in Seville. If you are in my level I class or above, this class is for you.

Dance classes with El Oruco and Karolina González – have a look at which level is appropriate for you below.

    • Are you in my Beginner level tangos classes?
      The Introductory level Tangos with Karolina González is aimed at your level.
      You can sign up for Package A if you want to take both days of dance, and Package B if you want to add the cante class as well.
    • In my level I – III bulerías or soleá por bulerías classes?
      The Beginner/Intermediate level bulerías with Karolina González is aimed at your level. Level III’s, the Intermediate/Advanced level is also for you.
    • In my level III – IV classes?
      The Intermediate/Advanced level Alegrías with El Oruco is aimed at your level.

Full workshop information and registration can be found at this link.

Looking for private or semi-private classes? Guitar classes? Contact info at the link above.

hope to see you this Spring!
Jane

Want to keep up to date with the flamenco community? Click here for some tips.

Flamenco Festival workshop deadline

EDMONTON FLAMENCO FESTIVAL

Workshop early-bird registration deadline – March 2nd!

Don’t miss this chance to experience the artistry of our incredible guest performers from Spain. The Early-bird deadline for Festival workshops is this coming Monday, March 2nd. Classes are March 14th and 15th. See below for more information.

For this year’s festival, I’m beyond thrilled we are bringing dancer El Oruco from Seville who has been my mentor since 2010. His guests include his wife, dancer Karolina González, as well as 2 singers returning from past festivals. José ‘El Pechuguita’ was here as a guest of Jairo Barrull in 2018 and Jonathan Reyes was here as a guest of Sonia Olla and Ismael Fernández in 2019. Guitarist José Luis Medina rounds out the group.

El Oruco and guests – March 13th performance at the Winspear – Tickets now available!


Weekend workshops – March 14th – 15th

Early-bird deadline – March 2nd. Wondering what classes are for you?

Cante (song) class with José ‘El Pechuguita’  – for all levels.

I highly encourage everyone to attend. This class is designed to practice singing as a group and even if you are not interested in singing beyond the class, it’s invaluable for deepening your understanding of the dance. Never been to a cante class before? Not to worry we tend to all help each other out. This is a fun class with a lot of students attending. José ‘El Pechuguita’ was here as a guest of Jairo Barrull in 2018 and taught a fantastic class por tangos.

Compás (palmas) class with El Oruco  – for students that have experience with the 12 count.

El Oruco is a master at palmas and his compás classes are the best out there. This is the first class I look for when I go to study in Seville. If you are in my level I class or above, this class is for you.

Dance classes with El Oruco and Karolina González – have a look at which level is appropriate for you below.

    • Are you in my Beginner level tangos classes?
      The Introductory level Tangos with Karolina González is aimed at your level.
      You can sign up for Package A if you want to take both days of dance, and Package B if you want to add the cante class as well.
    • In my level I – III bulerías or soleá por bulerías classes?
      The Beginner/Intermediate level bulerías with Karolina González is aimed at your level. Level III’s, the Intermediate/Advanced level is also for you.
    • In my level III – IV classes?
      The Intermediate/Advanced level Alegrías with El Oruco is aimed at your level.

Dancers, there is a lot of interest from dancers in Edmonton and other cities in Canada and we anticipate our usual high registration levels. Class sizes are limited and we encourage you to register early so you don’t miss out.

Tickets and workshop registration: www.edmontonflamencofestival.com

hope to see you at the festival!
Jane

Want to keep up to date with the flamenco community? Click here for some tips.

Fall Flamenco Class update

The registrations are in and some classes are running this session, others are waiting to be confirmed until Sunday night. Classes begin October 4th.

Beginner and level I – classes are now full and drop-in is not possible. If you are interested in being on the waiting list should a spot open up, please sign up at the following link and I’ll inform you if a spot opens up. Class Waiting List

Level II/III – some classes with guest Spanish teachers are now full.
This level is still available but only on dates that Jane teaches ($105 to register, $22/hr drop-in)

Level IV and Cante with Irena – these classes are on the edge of being cancelled and are still not confirmed to run. If you are planning to attend, please register by Sunday night at 6pm so I know if the class is viable. So as not to be spamming everyone with more emails, I will be confirming or cancelling these classes directly with those that have registered. If you are planning to drop in, make sure you check the registration page first to see if class is running.

Masterclasses with Farru – **The Beginner/Intermediate level is now full but I anticipate there may be some adjustment. If you would like to be added to the waiting list for this level with Farru, please click here – waiting list

Click here to go directly to the registration page.

Hope to see you in class!

Jane

Want to keep up to date with the flamenco community? Click here for some tips.

Flamenco registration reminder

Class Registration Reminder

The Early-bird registration deadline for the upcoming Fall session of flamenco classes is tonight Friday, September 27th! Classes begin on October 4th or 9th depending on the level.

Class information and registration can be found here.

If you are planning to attend this Fall session, please make sure to get your registration and payment in by midnight tonight. Classes that don’t have enough registered will be cancelled.

hope to see you this Fall!
Jane

Want to keep up to date with the flamenco community? Click here for some tips.

ps – Some of you have thanked me for keeping you on the mailing list even though you are no longer taking classes. Just a reminder that I don’t maintain this email list, it is automated. At some point you subscribed to this list yourself. If you would no longer like to receive class updates, you can remove yourself anytime via the “unsubscribe now” link below  :)

Community Show this Sunday!

Hope to see everyone this Sunday May 26th! Don’t miss out on the Flamenco Society of Edmonton’s second annual Community Show, featuring local flamenco dancers, singers, and musicians!

Come and see what the broader flamenco community is up to and catch some of my students performing what we have worked on this year. My intermediate class will be performing por Soleá with guest singer Susan MacGregor. My advanced class will be performing por Alegrías with guest singer Irena Dumicz and Cat Moores on palmas. Calgary guitarist David Matyas is the invited guest for the show.

Community Show – Sunday, May 26, 2019 – 6:30 (doors at 6)
El Cortez Mexican Kitchen and Tequila Bar
8230 Gateway Boulevard, Edmonton
(kid friendly event)

Tickets: $10 in advance ($15 cash at the door – if seats still available)

Show info and tickets at this link


Guitar Classes – May 25 – 26, 2019

David Matyas is also offering guitar classes from May 25 – 26. A great guitarist and person if you’re looking to learn some flamenco guitar. David has wealth of experience to offer – playing flamenco solo pieces, accompanying flamenco dancers, singers and musicians for many years in flamenco communities.

Guitar class info at this link


A big shout out to the Flamenco Society of Edmonton for all their hard work in building community and bringing this event together.

Wishing everyone a great summer! Fall class session information will be posted at the end of the summer.

Jane

Cante Class Reminder and Festival tickets

News in this update:

  • Registraton deadline: February 15th –  Cante Classes with Irena Dumicz
  • Edmonton Flamenco Festival: Tierra Flamenca – April 12th – tickets now available!

Registration Deadline: February 15th – Cante Classes with Irena Dumicz

The Early-bird registration deadline for the upcoming Spring session of flamenco cante (singing) classes with Irena Dumicz is tonight Friday, February 15th. Classes start February 22nd!

These classes will be working on material por tangos and alegrias. No previous experience singing flamenco is needed.

Class information and registration can be found here.

If you are planning to attend Spring session cante classes, please make sure to get your registration and payment in by midnight tonight (Friday) for the Early-bird rate. A reminder that you are not registered until payment has been received.

hope to hear you sing this Spring!

EDMONTON FLAMENCO FESTIVAL – Tierra Flamenca – April 12th

Join us for the Edmonton Flamenco Festival featuring Sonia Olla & Ismael Fernandez Flamenco Company from Spain!

Tierra Flamenca – April 12th at the Winspear
Tickets now available!

Festival Workshops – April 13th and 14th, info coming soon

www.edmontonflamencofestival.com

hope to see you this Spring!
Jane

Want to keep up to date with the flamenco community? Click here for some tips.

NEW Cante classes and Flamenco Festival news

News in this update:

  • NEW Cante Classes with Irena Dumicz: February 22nd – April 5th
  • Edmonton Flamenco Festival – Tierra Flamenca – April 12th

NEW Cante Classes with Irena Dumicz – 6 classes

As part of this session’s classes, Irena Dumicz will be offering cante (singing) classes working on material por tangos and alegrias. No previous experience singing flamenco is needed.

Fridays 6:00 – 7:00pm at MarrMac
February 22nd – April 5th (no class on March 8th)
Early-bird registration deadline – February 15th

This 6 class session will focus on two styles (palos) of flamenco singing:

30 min – Tangos de Granada (4 count )
30 min – Alegrias de Cadiz (12 count )

Students will study verses – letras and colletillas for each palo, with palmas (clapping). Group and individual singing will be encouraged.

Click here for more information and class registration

EDMONTON FLAMENCO FESTIVAL – Tierra Flamenca – April 12th

Save the date for the Edmonton Flamenco Festival featuring Sonia Olla & Ismael Fernandez Flamenco Company from Spain!

Tierra Flamenca – April 12th at the Winspear (Tickets go on sale Feb. 14th!)
Workshops – April 13th and 14th

www.edmontonflamencofestival.com

hope to see you in 2019!
Jane

Want to keep up to date with the flamenco community? Click here for some tips.

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