Yjastros to perform at the prestigious Festival de Jerez!

Albuquerque Journal Arts Editor Adrian Gomez and Photographer Chancey Bush created this excellent piece covering Yjastros and their upcoming performance in the 27th Annual Festival de Jerez.

FULL ARTICLE HERE

For 40 years, NIF has been devoted to building a home for flamenco in the United States and for introducing the incredible flamenco created in New Mexico to the larger world. We are honored and excited that Yjastros, our professional flamenco company founded in 1999, will perform at one of the most prestigious flamenco festivals in Spain, the Festival de Jerez. The invitation to perform is an honor in and of itself and made yet more special by its rarity.

The Festival de Jerez, now in its 27th year, has presented few non-Spanish flamenco artists, and Yjastros will be the first U.S.-based company to perform in its history and in the history of any festival in Spain!

One of the world's greatest flamenco events, the Festival de Jerez gathers flamenco aficionados from all over the globe for two weeks of total flamenco immersion. The 2023 edition boasts 46 performances, including 14 world premieres, in venues throughout the city, along with workshops and intensive courses from the morning to the evening.

Yjastros will perform their concert Xicano Power February 28 at the Museos de la Atalaya. Learn more here.

Yjastros in Çiertas Danças Featuring Estévez/Paños with Special Guests Alicia Morales & Ángel Ruíz

The National Institute of Flamenco and the National Hispanic Cultural Center present Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company in Çiertas Danças, featuring invited artists Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños, and musical guests, singer Alicia Morales and guitarist Ángel Ruíz.

The concert’s title stems from an original work Estévez and Paños created for Yjastros, and the season features new choreographies and performance by Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños. Çiertas Danças showcases the depth of Artistic Director Joaquín Encinias and Yjastros’ artistic collaboration with creators at the global forefront of the art form and Estévez/Paños' thrilling artistic vision. Guest choreographers and dancers Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños, winners of the Spanish National Dance Prize for choreography, will present their work SILENCIOS. In addition to stunning dance from Yjastros and Estévez/Paños, audiences will delight in new music from Alicia Morales and Ángel Ruíz.

Yjastros is the flamenco company in residence in the University of New Mexico Dance Program

Footage of SILENCIOS courtesy of Estévez/Paños

Music by Jesús Torres

Trailer by Incredible Films

Artist Talk with Estévez/Paños

Join us for a special Artist Talk with guest choreographers and dancers Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños on Friday, October 28 at 1 pm in Carlisle Gym! This event is free and open to the public. Carlisle Gym is located on the University of New Mexico Main Campus.

ESTÉVEZ/PAÑOS

In 2001, Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños formed an artistic tandem after discovering that they had much in common regarding artistic concepts and vision of dance. They began an arduous work together that involved research and experimentation, combining tradition and the avant-garde. From the beginning of this artistic and creative journey, they investigate movement, experimenting with contemporary dance forms, Spanish dance and flamenco, and create a language and concept of dance and choreography that is characteristically their own.

Together they have choreographed, directed, and collaborated with artists such as Carlos Saura, Lola Greco, Antonio Canales, Mayte Bajo, Gala Vivancos, Kira Gimeno, María Vivó, Tamara Rojo, José Martínez, Mats Ek, Ana Laguna, Ángel Corella, Nacho Duato, Carmen Linares, Miguel Poveda, Israel Galván, Rocío Molina, El Terremoto, Arcángel, Patricia Guerrero, Daniel Navarro, Rubén Olmo, Olga Pericet, Marco Flores, Manuel Liñán, Amador Rojas, Fuensanta la Moneta, Pastora Galván, Ana Morales, David Coria, Concha Jareño, Alfonso Losa, among others.

In 2019, Estévez and Paños were awarded the Premio Nacional de Danza in the modality of choreographic creation.

The National Institute of Flamenco is proud to welcome these artists back to Albuquerque to work with Yjastros again, and to choreograph and teach as visiting professors in the University of New Mexico Dance Program.

Welcome Back to Albuquerque, Rafael Estévez & Valeriano Paños!

The National Institute of Flamenco welcomes Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños back to Albuquerque! Estévez and Paños are setting new choreography on Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company and working as Visiting Professors in the University of New Mexico Dance Program's Flamenco Concentration. 

We are honored to have Estévez and Paños as invited artists in the fall season of Yjastros, Çiertas Danças, November 11 and 12 at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Estévez and Paños will present their acclaimed work SILENCIOS. The fall concert season's name comes from an original work the artistic duo created for Yjastros, and will feature guest musicians Alicia Morales and Ángel Ruíz, and thrilling new dance and music.

Don't miss this very special performance, and stay tuned for information about their free-to-the public artist talk on October 28!

Photo of Estévez y Paños by Beatrix Mexi Molnar 

This residence is made possible in part with support from SPAIN arts & culture.

Yjastros & Estévez/Paños present Çiertas Danças with Special Guests Alicia Morales and Ángel Ruíz

The National Institute of Flamenco and the National Hispanic Cultural Center present Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company in Çiertas Danças, featuring invited artists Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños, and musical guests, singer Alicia Morales and guitarist Ángel Ruíz.

The concert’s title stems from an original work Estévez and Paños created for Yjastros, and the season features new choreographies and performance by Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños. Çiertas Danças showcases the depth of Artistic Director Joaquín Encinias and Yjastros’ artistic collaboration with creators at the global forefront of the art form and Estévez/Paños' thrilling artistic vision. Guest choreographers and dancers Rafael Estévez and Valeriano Paños, winners of the Spanish National Dance Prize for choreography, will present their work SILENCIOS. In addition to stunning dance from Yjastros and Estévez/Paños, audiences will delight in new music from Alicia Morales and Ángel Ruíz.

Yjastros is the flamenco company in residence in the University of New Mexico Dance Program.

Welcome to Albuquerque, Ángel Ruíz!

Welcome to Albuquerque, Ángel Ruíz! Guitarist Ángel Ruíz will be in residence at the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque, and El Farol Santa Fe through December 18th.

Ruíz will teach Guitar II at the Institute's Conservatory of Flamenco Arts. The National Institute of Flamenco is excited to have this excellent musician in residence to teach, perform, and enrich the community. Sign up & register: https://www.nifnm.org/schedule-and-regsitration

Ángel Ruiz (born 1979) began studying flamenco guitar at the age of 12, under the guidance of mentors Philippe Donnier and "Merengue de Córdoba." At 18, Ruiz began his professional career at the tablao El Cardenal in Córdoba, where he played for 3 years as an accompanist for baile. From that point until 2001, he toured the United States with the Boston Flamenco Ballet, and toured both France and Italy with the company Al Badulake.

He soon after moved to Sevilla, where he became part of the Compañía Andaluza de Danza, under the direction of Antonio Gades and José Antonio Ruiz, performing on stages such as the Emerson Majestic in Boston, the City Center in New York, and the Teatro Maestranza in Sevilla. In 2004, he joined Cristina Hoyos Flamenco Ballet on a tour of Japan with the show A tiempo'. He performed in residence at the tablao 'El Flamenco' in Tokyo for half a year, accompanying dancer Juan Ogalla and singer David Lagos.

In 2007, he participated in the Eutopía and Sound'aquí Festivals in Córdoba and directed the show Destiempo together with the Córdoba-born bailaora Laureana Granados presented in Maputo, Mozambique on Hispanic Heritage Day.

In 2009, he collaborated as lead guitar with the National Dance Award-winning choreographer, Javier Latorre, in the show Hijas del Alba for the Murcia Ballet, with whom continued collaborate in choreography courses taught by Latorre at the Córdoba International Guitar Festival.

He worked with Daniel Navarro in the tablao La Buleria (Valencia) and in the show Daniel Navarro y Timbila Muzimba in a fusion between Flamenco and African music. He continued his guitar collaborations in Pa ti y pá tu prima at the Luis del Rio Superior Dance Conservatory in Córdoba, under the direction of Nuria Leyva. In 2010, he returned to the tablao El Flamenco in Tokyo with the dancer Pedro Córdoba for six months. Ruíz later moved to Panama working as a guitarist and musical director in the Tablao Flamenco de la 21, where he also taught and accompanied the dancer Laureana Granados.

He was accompanist in the course offered by Farruquito in Panama in 2011, and has since taught, accompanied classes, and performed all over the world.

Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company Awarded 2022 National Dance Project Grant

Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company was recently awarded the 2022 National Dance Project Dance Grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts (NEFA) for their production of MESTIZX.

MESTIZX is a work of flamenco dance theatre by Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, framed by archetypal figures in Chicano history, exploring 21st century Mestizo/a/x identity and shared histories through flamenco, addressing issues of cultural hybridity and tensions stemming from historical events, power dynamics, and colonization. MESTIZX is inspired by the work of Chicano/a/x artists, activists, and storytellers of previous decades. MESTIZX seeks to honor generations of people living in the liminal spaces of the United States Southwest borderlands, creating a work of art that is of, by, and for nuestra gente (“our people”).

Established to support the creation and U.S. touring of new dance projects, the National Dance Project Production Grant offers a unique funding framework that centers the agency of dance artists and companies to deepen, interrogate, and share their creative process, lineages, and community engagement practices, as well as experiment with new collaborative, operational, and touring models.

MESTIZX was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts' National Dance Project, with lead funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.

General Operating Support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with funding from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Yjastros Named National Dance Project Production Grant Finalist

Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company has been named a finalist for the National Dance Project Production Grant for their show MESTIZX. 

MESTIZX is a work of flamenco dance theatre by Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, informed and inspired by the work of Chicano/a/x artists, activists, and storytellers of previous decades. Framed by archetypal figures in Chicano history, MESTIZX explores 21st century Mestizo/a/x identity through flamenco, addressing issues of cultural hybridity and tensions stemming from historical events, power dynamics, and colonization. MESTIZX seeks to honor generations of people living in the liminal spaces of the United States Southwest borderlands, creating a work of art that is of, by, and for nuestra gente (“our people”).

The National Dance Project (NDP) Production Grant was established to support the creation/development and U.S.* touring** of new dance projects.

Thank You For Another Great Season

Thank you to everyone who came to see Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company with the Orchestra of New Spain this past weekend at the National Hispanic Cultural Center!

Don't miss these incredible artists in their next performance season during this year's Festival Flamenco Alburquerque as part of the Late Night Series.

Welcome, Marco Flores!

Welcome back to Albuquerque, Marco Flores! Marco will be setting choreography for the University of New Mexico (UNM) Flamenco Company in Residence, Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, and, as part of the UNM Visting Guest Line, teaching students in the flamenco concentration at UNM's Department of Theatre and Dance.

Photo of Marco Flores by Paco Villalta
This residency is made possible in part with support from the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain.

La Estrella Tickets On Sale NOW!

Tickets for La Estrella: A Flamenco Story of the Kings' Quest are on sale NOW!

Witness the famous story of the three kings told through the beautiful art of flamenco! La Estrella is a magical holiday production, featuring members of Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company and students of the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, that will delight all ages!

The Language of Tablao Episode 1 - Now Showing!

Join Joaquin Encinias, Artistic Director of Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company for an in-depth look at the Language of Tablao! In the first episode, Joaquin recounts his formative experiences and begins to demystify some foundational elements of what happens in a tablao.

Watch the episode on our Vimeo channel: https://vimeo.com/532432213
Watch the episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/451Op8y5PMA

We hope you enjoy this look at the Language of Tablao!

Be sure to catch Yjastros perform April 9th and 10th streaming live from Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque! Details and viewing passes at nifnm.org/yjastros-current-season.