Local flamenco dancer María José Salmerón welcomes Spanish superstars Alfonso Losa Flamenco and Vanesa Coloma from Madrid, Spain, to New Orleans to help tell the story of her search for identity and the joy of finding community through her Spanish roots and flamenco.  Her experience pulses with the ghosts of past, important artists and contemporary duendes that connect the art of flamenco and New Orleans. The premier of Chateau Flamenco is a night of flamenco dedicated to Teresa Torkanowsky who re-Lit the Spanish flair of New Orleans culture a half a century ago.

The master artists will be debuting their show “PRENDIDOS,” which in Spanish means “Lit” or “Illuminated.” Their artistry on stage reflects a series of sequences which represent different important moments in life, in general and in art: past, present, and future, in the moment of maximum splendor of flamenco through its cante (song) which is so essential for flamenco.  These songs are the artists’ interpretation of the Spanish “Tonadilla” (Spanish song form of theatrical origin/opera/zarzuela). Thus, the spirits that lived at the Chateau Flamenco in the French Quarter on Chartres Street during the Golden age of Flamenco in New Orleans will come alive once more. In honor of Torkanowsky, ALFONSO LOSA’S flamenco concert will be part of the inaugural presentation of the New Orleans Château Flamenco Festival. And as writer for the Times Picayune wrote in 1966, “There is no better entertainment in New Orleans….”

The festival will take place from November 2-5, culminating with the “PRENDIDOS” – “LIT”-NOCHE DE GALA on Saturday, November 5, 2022. Master classes will be imparted from November 2-4, at Peña Flamenca la Pepa in Uptown New Orleans.

ALFONSO LOSA was awarded the 2022 Critic’s Award of the most famous Flamenco Festival in the World: The 26th Edition of the Festival de Jerez, Spain for his creation “Flamenco: creative space” “. “Brilliant and powerful, Alfonso Losa delivered his personal version of flamenco with a learned mix of avant-garde and tradition.”

Alfonso Losa (‘Flamenco: Espacio Creativo’) from Festival de Jerez Televisión on Vimeo.

About the Performers

Because of his personality, because of his contribution to the new language of flamenco dance, because of his ability to integrate schools, because of his mastery and many other things, Alfonso Losa (Madrid, 1980) is an essential figure for understanding flamenco dance in our time. He began official studies at the Rafael de Córdoba academy to finish them with an outstanding grade at the Royal Conservatory of Dance. And a year before finishing, he already won the Special Mention for Best Dancer in the Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography Contest (Albéniz Theater, Madrid). Later, he sought flamenco specialization with the best teachers: El Güito, Manolete, María Magdalena, Cristóbal Reyes, Juan Ramírez, Domingo Ortega, La China, Antonio Canales, Javier Latorre, etc. Meanwhile, just one year after his graduation, in 1997, he received the Best Dancer Award at the aforementioned Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography Contest. This same award was granted to him the following year, in 1998. His professional career began in 1996 with the company of Adrián Galia. Later, Alfonso Losa was claimed as First Dancer and Soloist Dancer in the companies of Ricardo Franco, Manolete, Manuela Carrasco, El Güito and Rafael de Córdoba.

Born in Madrid, Vanesa Coloma began her studies at eight years of age at the Conservatory of Madrid where she specialized in flamenco, working under master artists such as Maria Magdalena, El Guito, La China, and Ciro. Coloma has appeared as a soloist in Souvenir by Belen Maya, Tauro by Manuel Liñan, Camino flamenco by Alfonso Losa, 4adjetivos and Equilibrio flamenco by Jesus Carmona, and 5 mujeres al borde de una bata de cola by Yolanda Heredia. Coloma has performed and taught in various flamenco festivals around the world, including el Festival de Jerez, Bienal de Sevilla, Festival Flamenco Albuquerque, and festival de Nimes. Vanesa Coloma is without a doubt, one of the most important flamenco figures of her generation.

Coloma won the 2008 Premio Nacional de la Perla de Cádiz for her Alegrias, and presented her concert and production, Flamenklorica at the 2015, Certamen de Danza Española y Flamenco in Madrid. Due to its critical acclaim, the show formed part of the 2016 Festival Flamenco de Madrid, festival Tio de La Juliana, the Corral del Carbon, Otoños Flamencos, and most recently at the 2019 Festival de Jerez, the epicenter of flamenco. Currently, she appears as special guest artists in various dance companies and at prestigious tablaos such as Corral de La Moreira, Las Carbonera, Villarosa, and Cardamomo.

The artists will be accompanied by the powerful José Cortés on vocals and José Manuel Alconchel Ortega will accompany on flamenco guitar, tying the sights and sounds together with dramatic melodies and rhythm that make flamenco like no other art form. 

For more information visit https://flamenconola.com