The wildly popular Flamenco Festival Miami, now in its 15th year at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, is expanding to eight performances with what’s shaping up to be a spectacular finale featuring three male and one female all-star dancers, representing the future of the genre.
“These are the emerging artists that bring freshness to flamenco,” said Festival founder Miguel Marin. “I’m very happy with this year’s programming because it’s a window through which audiences will see what is happening in Spain.”
Marin describes that journey as varied and colorful, and this year’s festival as an opportunity to present “los polos opuestos” – or the two faces of flamenco – the traditional and the nouveau.
(MIGUEL MARIN)
Miguel Marin, Flamenco Festival Founder
More on that in a moment, but first a unique aspect of Festival XV worth highlighting is a series of bold guitar virtuosos as a tribute Paco de Lucía.
De Lucía was arguably one of the world’s greatest flamenco guitar players and a key figure in the evolution of new flamenco. He was also one of the first flamenco guitarists to branch into classical and jazz.
“Paco de Lucía died 10 years ago this year, so in homage to his memory we are showcasing four guitarists with different styles who represent the varied techniques he was known for,” said Marin. “He revolutionized flamenco guitar and remains its primary inspiration.”
Latin Grammy-winning guitarist Antonio Rey opens this tribute series and the Flamenco Festival itself March 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Carnival Studio Theater. This program, titled “Historias de un Flamenco,” features his own compositions, including selections from his acclaimed 2020 album, “Flamenco Sin Fronteras" (“Flamenco Without Borders”).
(Ana Palma)
Ballet Nacional de España presenting “Invocación Bolera.”
Since beginning his musical career at the age of 10, Rey has worked with renowned artists such as dancers Antonio Canales, Joaquín Cortés and Farruquito, but on this evening, he will share the intimate stage with Miami-based dancer Irene Lozano, one of flamenco’s new-generation greatest talents. She is known for weaving traditional elements of flamenco, modern dance and ballet into her performances.
In typical festival style, which features multiple shows on different stages, audiences will have to choose between the Rey-Lozano show and the 8 p.m. March 1 performance of Ballet Nacional de España in the Ziff Ballet Opera House. Founded in 1978, the company aims to preserve Spain’s rich choreographic heritage, which includes ballet, folklore, bolero and flamenco dance forms. The group will perform again Saturday, March 2, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, March 3, at 3 p.m. This is the classic flamenco Marin speaks of as the traditional representing “the highest standards of ensemble choreography.”
(Courtesy of Artist Management)
Guitarist Alejandro Hurtado & Dancer Inmaculada Salomón
The guitar series returns March 2 at 2 p.m. with “Miradas” starring Alejandro Hurtado and guest dancer Inmaculada Salomón, who is currently a first dancer of Ballet Nacional de España. Hurtado is renowned for his powerful technique and clean execution and will represent the most classical flamenco style of guitar in this series. He’s been called one of the greatest flamenco guitarists of our time.
Later that evening at 7:30 p.m., Rycardo Moreno and guest dancer José Maya take the Carnival Studio stage in “Mi Esencia.” Moreno is a noted flamenco and jazz guitarist, producer, arranger and composer. His music represents his Roma heritage of Lebrija and the Cuban heritage of his great-grandmother. Aside from collaborating with renowned flamenco dancers such as Farruquito and El Güito, among others, he has opened for pop stars Marc Anthony, Beyoncé and Björk.
On March 3 at 7 p.m., the descendants of legendary flamenco artists will perform together as part of the guitar series. José Fernández, aka José del Tomate, will present “Plaza Vieja” together with guest dancer Karime Amaya. At only 19, Fernández is widely considered to represent the future of flamenco guitar. His father is “Tomatito,” one of the most prolific and legendary flamenco guitarists of all time, and his great-grandfather, Miguel Fernández Cortés, is “El Tomate.”
Besides the inspiration found within his own family, Fernández also recog
(Elliott Franks)
“Stars of Flamenco” will feature three male dancers and one woman.
nizes guitarists Sabicas and Paco de Lucía as influences but counts his uncle, “El Niño Miguel,” as his most significant influence. Fernández's debut solo album, “Plaza Vieja,” released in 2018, serves as the foundation for his Arsht Center performance.
Amaya is the great-niece of the legendary Carmen Amaya, and has reportedly inherited the wild and soul-stirring technique her great aunt was lauded for. She returns to the Arsht stage for the first time since Flamenco Festival 2014.
(Lorenzo Carnero)
Manuel Liñán is considered to be a maverick of the flamenco world for his gender-bending performances that are gaining acceptance in Spain.
The intergenerational “Stars of Flamenco” closes out the festival March 14 at 8 p.m. in the Knight Concert Hall. It will feature some of Spain’s greatest dancers, such as Manuel Liñán, Alfonso de Losa, Miguel Fernández “El Yiyo” Ribas and Paula Comitre, as well as flamenco vocalist Sandra Carrasco. In a genre where male singers dominate, Carrasco is one of the most versatile vocalists of her generation and an artist who has succeeded in expanding flamenco’s global influence.
Known as a maverick of the flamenco world for his gender-bending performances, Liñan is directing as well as dancing in this grand finale. He views his job as placing the right spotlight on each dancer as a soloist.
“More than anything else, each dancer will showcase their unique style as a different perspective of flamenco – alternate sides of the dance form that meet in the middle and naturally embrace – which is what is happening in Spain now,” he said.
Liñan went on to explain, for example, that Spain is now accepting the breakdown of gender norms in Flamenco.
“Men can now dance in skirts and with shawls and we’re starting to normalize this,” he said.
Liñan did so himself to critical acclaim in “¡VIVA!” in 2022, at the Arsht and around the world. Expect him to gender-bend again March 14, but don’t mistake his mission to collapse gender barriers in flamenco as a lack of serious bona fides.
The Granada-born artist has been dancing since age 5. Besides becoming an international sensation, he’s been invited on many occasions to choreograph for Ballet Nacional de España, Rafaela Carrasco, Teresa Nieto and the Spanish New Ballet 1.
While he’s previously collaborated with most of the all-stars in this show, it will be Liñan’s first time directing the 27-year-old “El Yiyo.” He’s also enthusiastic about offering “a feminine representation of voice as the principal singer surrounded by supporting male vocalists.”
Marin told the Biscayne Times this is one of the grandest festivals he’s ever produced, and that Miami will be seeing some of the youngest artists on the cusp of becoming the biggest flamenco stars of the future.
“In this showcase flamenco dance is what the public is most familiar with,” he said, “but guitar is universal and now, ‘se va a profundisar’ – we’re going deeper.”
If You Go
Tickets are on sale at ArshtCenter.org. Each of the four guitar performances are priced at $55 each. Seats range from $25-$135 for Ballet Nacional de España and "Stars of Flamenco."
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(Courtesy of Artist Management)
Antonio Rey
2 of 3
(Toni Kuraga)
José del Tomate
3 of 3
(Courtesy of Artist Management)
Rycardo Moreno