The 30th anniversary performance of the Spanish dance "The Classico"-Foundation of flamenco dance, Elegance of Spain
Venue: Sogetsu Hall
Sponsored: Limited company Majestic
Ticket:: S seat: 9,000 yen / A seat: 7,500 yen
Contact information: TEL 03-3905-7900 (Hiratomi Spanish Dance Performance Office)
Girasol Flamenco Studio is a Flamenco-teaching school. Since opening a studio in Chiyoda Ward here, they have kept strongly the desire to convey the pleasure and splendor of flamenco to as many people as possible. Currently in their studio, students are working hard on flamenco, from hobbyists to aiming to professionals. Also, in the studio, they are working not only on flamenco but also on the classical Spanish classic (Classico Espanyol), which emphasizes the foundation of Spanish dance.
Many of students at Girasol Flamenco Studio continue for a relatively long time, not only to gradually tackle difficult dances but also to feel that they are physically and mentally growing. Through dancing like this, they are instructed to feel strong sense of responsibility and joy by the students who are confronted with themselves and discovering new things from oneself.
Antonio Rey Navas (Madrid, born 1981) is a Spanish flamenco guitarist and composer. He is a winner of several national and international flamenco guitar competitions including the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba (National Competition of the Art of Flamenco of Córdoba), the Concurso Nacional de Guitarra Flamenca Niño Ricardo (Niño Ricardo National Competition of Flamenco Guitar) and the Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Flamenca Los Cernícalos de Jerez (International Flamenco Guitar Competition in Kestrels, Jerez).
Antonio Rey Navas was born in Madrid in 1981 and began his artistic career at the age of ten when he accompanied his father Tony Rey in various tablaos (flamenco venues) in Mexico. A few years later, he made his first tour of Japan with the dancer Yoko Komatsubara. At eighteen years of age, he worked in the company of Antonio Canales and later composed the music for Gallo de pelea for the Nuevo Ballet Español (New Spanish Ballet). Rey composed other compositions, such as "Romeo and Juliet", for the Antonio Canales which was founded in 1996 by Angel Rojas and Carlos Rodriguez. He went on to perform in the capacity of accompanist for singers and dancers Manuela Carrasco, Rafael Amargo, Farruquito and singers Rafael de Utrera and La Tana, among others.
In 2003, he obtained first prize accompanying singers at the Festival de Cantes de Mina de La Unión competition in Murcia. In 2010, he won first prize in the Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba (National Competition of the Art of Flamenco of Córdoba). He also won the Concurso Nacional de Guitarra Flamenca Niño Ricardo (Niño Ricardo National Competition of Flamenco Guitar), the Premio del Certamen Nacional de Guitarra Flamenca de L´Hospitalet de Llobrega (National Flameno Guitar competition of L´Hospitalet de Llobregat) as well as the Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Flamenca Los Cernícalos de Jerez (international flamenco guitar competition in Jerez.) His first album was produced by Gerardo Núñez and is entitled A través de Ti. On his second album Colores de Fuego (Colors of Fire) he collaborated with Estrella Morente, Vicente Amigo and Josemi Carmona, among others.
Flamenco (Spanish pronunciation: [flaˈmeŋko]), in its purest sense, is a professionalized art-form based on the folkloric traditions of Andalusia. In the 21st century it has evolved to incorporate many modern influences. It includes cante (singing), toque (guitar playing), baile (dance), jaleo (vocalizations and chorus clapping), palmas (handclapping) and pitos (finger snapping).
Though popularly attributed to the Romani people of Spain, the origins of flamenco are unknown. Of the several theories in existence, the most widely accepted is that it developed through cross-cultural interchange between the Romani, Castilians, Moors , Andalusians and Sephardi Jews in Andalusia, although Federico García Lorca claimed that flamenco existed in Andalusia significantly predates the arrival of Romani people to the region.
Flamenco has become popular all over the world, especially the United States and Japan. In Japan, there are more flamenco academies than there are in Spain. On November 16, 2010, UNESCO declared flamenco one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.
There are many suggestions for the origin of the word flamenco as a musical term, but no solid evidence for any of them. The word was not recorded as a musical and dance term until the late 18th century, in the book Las Cartas Marruecas by José Cadalso (1774).
One theory is that it comes from the Hispano-Arabic term fellah mengu, meaning "expelled peasant", referring to the Andalusians of Islamic faith and the remaining Moriscos who fled with the Roma newcomers.
Another theory is that the Spanish word flamenco is a derivative of the Spanish word flama (fire or flame). The word may have been used for fiery behaviour, which could have come to be applied to the Gitano players and performers.