David "El Galli", Renowned Cantaor, Artist In Residence

World-renowned cantaor David "El Galli" will be in residence at the University of New Mexico, the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, and Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque. He will be teaching at the CFA & UNM, as well as performing at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque from Friday, April 7 to Saturday, April 15.

"El Galli" will work with flamenco students to deepen their knowledge of cante flamenco and guitar accompaniment for cante.

Known all over the world for his incredible singing, "El Galli" has performed at the best tablaos, including Tablao Cordobes, Los Gallos, Arenal, and Garlochi; festivals such as the Bienal de Sevilla, Festival Flamenco Alburquerque, and Iberica Contemporanea.

Born in Barcelona, from the age of 6 or 7 he began to listen to flamenco thanks to his family. At the age of 10, he moved to his family hometown, Morón de la Frontera. He has accompanied the great flamenco figures of his country: Antonio Canales, Angelita Vargas, La Lupi, Rocio Molina, Farruquito, Pepe Torres, Paco de Lucía, Sara Baras, among others.

Classes with "El Galli"

(photo: Paco Sanchez)

• Cante Flamenco - Tuesday, 4/11 and Thursday, 4/13 @ 5-6 pm

• Acompañamiento el Cante / Guitar Accompaniment for Cante* - Wednesday 4/12 @ 5-6 pm

• Combined Cante and Acompañamiento Class* - Saturday 4/15 @ 1-2 pm

Questions? Email education@nifnm.org

*Guitar 2 students: This class will take place during your regularly scheduled class.

This artistic residency is made possible by the University of New Mexico. 

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

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.

Welcome to Albuquerque, Alicia Morales!

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

Morales will teach cante (singing) at the 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. Register & sign up: https://www.nifnm.org/schedule-and-regsitration

Alicia Morales began her career at a young age under the guidance of great masters such as Antonio Gomez "El Colorao," Luis "El Zambo," Segundo Falcón, and Juan Mesas, who believed in her talent from the beginning. She worked with the poet José Luis Ortiz Nuevo and alongside the master guitarist Miguel Ochando in Morocco.

She participated in an important conference on Enrique Morente, "Talent, Work and Wisdom in the path of a Genius" together with Juan Mesas.

Morales has traveled through countless countries demonstrating her art, singing and sharing flamenco with different cultures and regions such as Russia, Italy, France, Morocco, and in the U.S. She performs at festivals and clubs in Andalucía with master guitarists such as Paco Cortez, Miguel Ochando, and Juan Habichuela Nieto.

She won the Miguel Hernández Prize for her artistic career. Alicia has performed at the Flamenco Festival in the Sadlers-Wells theater in London to great acclaim in the press from all over the \world. She composed music for the shows La Gaviota, Casa de las Muñecas, and Summer and Humo. Her full-length album La Novia de Cristal was released in 2019.

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.