Get to know the stories behind the first in-person live flamenco show in Cambridge since Covid-19. Produced by Laura Sánchez Flamenco, this short documentary aims to bring awareness about the importance of the arts to overcome difficult times, such as Covid-19, and the necessity to bring communities back together to heal.

After a challenging pandemic year, the Flamenco Community got back together for the first time since Covid-19 at Flamenco at Starlight, a live flamenco show produced by Laura Sánchez Flamenco. It was the first time Boston based flamenco students from different schools and professional dancers got back together to perform with live music on stage since Covid-19. It was an emotional and inspirational night for our community and we want to share that joy with you!

This short video documentary will be premiered during the Festival of Us on Friday July 23^rd at 7:30pm at The Dance Complex.

Filmed and Edited by Carven Creative Media. https://www.carvencreativemedia.com/about-me

Our Summer Classes are in-person at The Dance Complex in Cambridge, MA (Central Square) on Fridays.

6-7 pm: General Technique Class for All Levels

7-7:30pm: Adv Beginner/intermediate Choreography

What can students expect from this class? This is a multilevel class for students at different levels (from beginners to intermediate) to work on different technique exercises including: footwork, body-work, turns and all necessary steps to learn a piece of choreography. All students will have the opportunity to participate in our upcoming Student Showcase. This class is perfect to feel the joy of Flamenco while connecting with a supportive community! You can also join this class from home and feel the JOY and energy of the group!

The Choreography class is for Adv Beginner/Intermediate students looking to learn a piece of Choreography by Alegrías. Class available only to pre-registered students in the general technique class.

What background, training, and or relationship do you have with this style? What are your credentials to teaching it?

Laura Sánchez is an independent flamenco dancer, choreographer and educator originally from Cádiz, Spain. She began her flamenco education as a child and received professional training from the Dance Conservatory of Madrid. Laura also holds a Professional Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapies from Lesley University where she developed an emerging therapeutic dance practice, Expressive Flamenco©. Laura actively performs in flamenco venues in the Eastern U.S., and placed 3rd at the 2016 Flamenco Certamen USA, an international competition that takes place in NYC annually. She works as independent choreographer for organizations including Boston College of Fine Arts, Massachusetts Government, Bridgewater University, and Kingston Theater. She facilitates workshops, presents her work internationally and continues to serve annually as Guest Professor for the Lesley University Expressive Therapies Master’s Program. In her most recent work, AFTER DARK, Laura combined flamenco with other expressive arts and produced an award winner Short Film; telling the resilience stories of a community affected by the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Why are you passionate about teaching this style? Flamenco connects me with my authentic self and brings me pure joy. Flamenco is my life and who I am and sharing it with other people is what I was meant to be.

Get to know our performers.

Laura Sánchez

Founder of LS Flamenco, expressive artist, flamenco dancer, choreographer and producer originally from Cádiz, Spain. She began her flamenco education as a child and received professional training from the Dance Conservatory of Madrid. Laura holds a Professional Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapies from Lesley University where she developed an emerging therapeutic dance practice, Expressive Flamenco©. She facilitates workshops, presents this work internationally and continues to serve annually as Guest Professor for the Lesley University Expressive Therapies Master’s Program. Her most recent paper was published at the Journal of the American Dance Therapy Association in 2021. Laura actively performs as soloist in flamenco venues in the Eastern U.S., and placed 3rd at the 2016 Flamenco Certamen USA, an international competition that takes place in NYC annually. She works as independent choreographer for organizations including Boston College of Fine Arts, Massachusetts Government, Bridgewater University, and Kingston Theater. In 2019 she choreographed and performed a multimodal piece combining contemporary flamenco with poetry and drama for the Yo Soy Lola annual gala at Oberon Theater. In 2015, she choreographed and performed the dance pieces of Quixote in Kabul, a play directed by Boston College of Fine Arts. Laura works as independent producer and has presented several flamenco shows, both individually and in collaboration with other local artists, over the past few years. Her most recent work is an award-winning short film called AFTER DARK she created during the pandemic to tell the resilience stories of a community affected by the Covid-19 global pandemic.

IG @LauraSanchezFlamenco

María Aliaga – 

Mexican flamenco dancer. Creator of “Flamenco a la Mexicana”, artistic concept that fuses flamenco with mexican culture, producing dance shows, videodance (“La Catrina y La Llorona” and “Querida Remedios”) and flamenco fashion. 
María´s mentor is Mercedes Amaya, but she has studied with many other important flamenco dancers such as Antonio Canales and Alfonso Losa, among others, in Mexico and in Spain (Amor de Dios in Madrid and Fundación Cristina Heeren in Sevilla). Since 2000 she has been working in tablaos en Mexico, Germany and USA. She was part of Adonays Flamenco Company in 2004 and worked with Isaac and Nino de los Reyes in 2007. In 2010 she presented “Mestizaje” that shows Mexico´s history. Flamenco a la Mexicana started in 2014 and the show has been presented in some of the most important theaters in Mexico City. Her videodance of “La Catrina and La Llorona” (Dir. Nur Rubio) participated in several international cinematographic festivals and won Near Nazareth Festival, Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards and NYC Indie Film Awards in 2016. In 2018 she presented the videodance “Querida Remedios” (Dir. Nur Rubio), tribute to Remedios Varo. As a flamenco teacher she has been teaching in several dance academies, in jails, in foundations and in the Graduate School of Education in Harvard. In 2020 she presented her first flamenco fashion coleccion in SIMOF, the most important international flamenco fashion Salon in Sevilla. She studied Art History. 
Website: www.flamencoalamexicana.comInstagram: @mariaaliagaabad

Yu-Ling Hu 

She was born and raised in Taiwan. When Yu-Ling moved to Chicago, she joined Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater (EESDT). She received training in Flamenco, Classical Spanish Dance and Folkroic Spanish Dance in EESDT. She also toured with EESDT in the United States and abroad from 2007 to 2016. In addition to being a dancer, Yu-Ling is also a board certified Dance Therapist.
Yu-Ling moved to Massachusetts and founded Heart.Dance.Space (HDS) in 2017. HDS has provided Classical Spanish Dance classes, Flamenco classes and Authentic Movement groups in Cambridge, Brookline and Arlington areas. HDS is honored to receive the invitation from LS Flamenco and to participate in Starlight. Yu-Ling and her dancers, Sandra Liu, Amy Magin, Bonnie Wong, wish every audience a wonderful night of Flamenco at Starlight!

Edmy Ortiz 

Flamenco, Artistic Director of Flamenco Worcester
Architectural designer, fine artist and flamenco dancer. Edmy was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic surrounded by a family of artists. Edmy is the oldest daughter of the well known musician Eduardo Ortiz.
Edmy started studying flamenco at the Academy of Spaniard Dance “El Patio Andaluz” (2001), where she learned the basics of flamenco “Sevillanas, Castañuelas y Técnicas de Clásico Español” under the training of Paquita Acosta (Spanish dancer, bailaora). In 2003 she moved to Massachusetts where she continued to pursue dance under the training of the admired Maestro Ramon De Los Reyes. Ortiz has also integrated herself into workshops from Issac and Nino De Los Reyes, Soledad Barrio, La Lupi, Pastora Galvan, and more. She now leads the flamenco community in the city of Worcester by doing demonstrations, performances, teaching weekly classes & workshops.  

Alfonso Cid

Flamenco singer and flute payer, was born and raised in Sevilla, the heartland of flamenco music. His mother, an amateur singer from Triana, a flamenco enclave in Seville, and his grandfather, an aficionado of flamenco, were his earliest influences.  He also had the opportunity of attending the activities of one the
most significant flamenco clubs in Andalusia, the Peña Flamenca Torres-Macarena in Seville. He was awarded two scholarships to attend the intensive summer course at the Cristina Heeren Foundation for Flamenco Art on July 2007 and 2008. He had the honor
of recording backing vocals in the song titled “Mi Santa” by popular Latin artist Romeo Santos featuring the great flamenco guitarist Tomatito. Alfonso has toured extensively throughout the USA, Latin America, Israel and Europe, and has just toured Spain, France and Italy on 2017 and 2018 with the jazz/flamenco band New Bojaira by pianist
Jesús Hernández from Granada. This band has just released a new album titled “Zorongo Blu”. He released his first CD titled “Flamenco de vuelta e ida” on 2006 with the flamenco fusion project “Gazpacho Andalú”. He has also released an album with his own Spanish indie rock band “Dientes de Caramelo” titled “Pulpo” (Octopus) in March of2012 as well as three singles throughout the summer of 2015.

IG: @alfonsocidnyc

Website: alfonsocid.com

Adrián Alvarado

Adrian Alvarado, São Paulo, Brazil 1968. Spanish-Brazilian guitarist, composer, and arranger. (Monica Molina, Pastora Soler, Farhad Darya, Danilo Perez). Adrian Alvarado is a very versatile guitarist, with a solid career as a soloist, session musician, as well as a sideman for many artists in the Flamenco scene, Jazz, and Brazilian music.

Xianix Barrera

Xianix Barrera is a Bessie award nominated flamenco dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in New York City. Throughout her career she has shared the stage with revered artists such as Isabel Bayón, Raquel Heredia, Rosario Toledo, Soledad Barrio (Noche Flamenca) and Juan Ogalla on some of the most important stages in the world including The Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, The Red Theater in Abu Dhabi and Cafe Silverio in Sevilla. Xianix has received ongoing recognition for her work including a scholarship to attend the Flamenco Program at the School of Jacob’s Pillow and as an Artist in Residence with Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana. Most recently she was nominated for a Bessie Award for Outstanding Performer for her role in “Latido” as part of the Emerging Choreographer Series at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center produced by Mare Nostrum Elements.  Xianix is dedicated to the ongoing education of adults, children and elders throughout New York City.

IG: @XianixBarreraFlamenco

Para publicación inmediata 

Laura Sanchez

Directora de LS Flamenco

LSFlamenco.com 

+1(617) 229-9717

laura@lsflamenco.com

AFTER DARK 

(Tras la Oscuridad)

Boston, Massachusetts: AFTER DARK es un cortometraje artístico nacido durante la cuarentena que combina flamenco, arte visual, poesía, drama y movimiento expresivo. En él la artista y creadora, Laura Sánchez, logra plasmar su historia de resiliencia con el propósito de inspirar a otros a recuperar la esperanza así como crear consciencia sobre la salud mental y la importancia de las artes para sobrellevar momentos difíciles. Perdida y aislada en su habitación, y a kilómetros de distancia de sus seres queridos, encontró en AFTER DARK su refugio para sobrevivir el confinamiento acompañada en el proceso creativo por Belén Maya, coreógrafa y artista de renombre internacional. 

AFTER DARK cuenta la historia personal de resiliencia de la artista como mujer, madre e inmigrante y está inspirado en la historia que miles de personas han vivido a lo largo de esta pandemia. Historias que hay que contar y recordar porque marcarán un antes y un después en la forma en cómo vemos el mundo y nos relacionamos. Así mismo, este cortometraje representa una oportunidad para los artistas, cuya profesión se ha visto fuertemente afectada por la pandemia, para reinventarse y explorar nuevos métodos y formas de crear. 

“Este trabajo viene de la fuerte decisión de Laura de atravesar memorias traumáticas que salieron a la luz durante la pandemia. AFTER DARK prueba que el arte no es sólo un instrumento de sanación sino también un aliado vital en estos tiempos de sufrimiento, miedo y pérdida. El arte es lo bastante poderoso para enfrentarse a todo esto y transformarlo. La obra de Laura significa transformación y esperanza.” 

Así lo describe Belén Maya, co-directora de AFTER DARK. Juntas trabajaron para darle LUZ al concepto de Expressive Flamenco, modalidad de danza terapéutica que combina flamenco con artes expresivas desarrollado por Laura Sánchez durante su máster en Terapias Expresivas en Lesley University y que valida la importancia de las artes para emocionalmente sobrellevar situaciones traumáticas. 

AFTER DARK tambien fue creado con el proposito de crear conciencia sobre temas relevantes como la discriminación de raza y el cambio climático y así queda reflejado en el cortometraje a través de los diferentes elementos utilizados como forma de expresión.

A pesar de que AFTER DARK fue creado con recursos muy limitados en casa de la artista en Everett, MA, este cortometraje ha sido seleccionado en importantes festivales de cine independiente a nivel internacional en ciudades como Los Ángeles, Nueva York, Berlín, Lisboa y ha sido nominado a tres premios ganando la categoría de “Mejor Baile en Cámara” en el Independent Short Awards Festival de Hollywood, CA.

Para poder llevar AFTER DARK al siguiente nivel artístico y poder seguir presentándose en otros festivales y galerías de arte, la creadora ha lanzado una campaña para recaudar fondos. En los primeros días ya han recibido el apoyo de más de 100 personas de diferentes países, consiguiendo el 75% de los objetivos. Gracias a estos fondos podrán seguir presentando esta pieza de arte y así traer esperanza al mayor número de personas posible.

Para poder llevar AFTER DARK más allá de la historia personal de la creadora, las artistas han invitado a un grupo de mujeres de todo el mundo para que vean el cortometraje y que a través de su voz, le den luz a AFTER DARK.  Las palabras de todas estas mujeres validan la importancia de seguir presentando este cortometraje en nuevas plataformas para ayudar a traer esperanza y darle alas a otras almas del mundo.

“Qué cortometraje tan desafiante, penetrante e inspirador. Un increíble viaje de sentidos que se mueven a través de la ira, la frustración y la desesperación hacia una conexión profunda con uno mismo, mirando hacia el interior y permitiéndole sentir, explorar e imaginar; permitiendo que los sentimientos y expresiones de esperanza, confianza en uno mismo y en futuro desconocido emerjan se sientan y experimenten genuinamente. Las imágenes, palabras y movimientos que se desarrollaron al final me conmovieron especialmente.” Así describe una mujer de Massachusetts su experiencia viendo AFTER DARK. 

Laura Sánchez y Belén Maya ya están trabajando en la premier virtual que tendrá lugar en Enero de 2021, acompañada por una ronda de preguntas para hablar sobre el proceso así como compartir la historia de resiliencia de otras mujeres durante la cuarentena. 

Para conocer más sobre el proyecto de AFTER DARK podéis ir aquí. Para apoyar la campaña podéis ir aqui: 

Aquí podéis ver el teaser de AFTER DARK.

Biografía de Laura:

Laura Sánchez es artista, creadora, bailarina de flamenco y coreógrafa de San Fernando, Cádiz residente en Cambridge, Massachusetts. Inició su formación en flamenco desde niña y recibió una formación profesional en el Conservatorio Profesional de Danza Comandante Fortea de Madrid. Laura tiene un Certificado Profesional en Terapias Expresivas por la Universidad de Lesley, donde desarrolló Expressive Flamenco©,  una modalidad de danza terapéutica.  Facilita talleres, presenta este trabajo a nivel internacional y trabaja como profesora invitada en el Máster de Terapias Expresivas de la Universidad de Lesley. Laura tiene su escuela de Flamenco en Boston, Ma desde 2014 y trabaja como artista independiente presentando su trabajo en diferentes teatros de la costa Este de EE. UU. En 2016, ganó el tercer premio en el Certamen de Flamenco de Nueva York, competición que se lleva a cabo en el Lincoln Center de Nueva York anualmente. Trabaja como coreógrafa independiente para organizaciones como Boston College of Fine Arts, el gobierno de Massachusetts, Bridgewater University y Kingston Theatre. En su trabajo más reciente, AFTER DARK, Laura presentó el concepto de Expressive Flamenco  en forma de cortometraje contando las historias de resiliencia de una comunidad afectada por la pandemia global Covid-19.

Biografía de Belén:  

Hija de los artistas Carmen Mora y Mario Maya, Belén nace en Nueva York en 1966, durante una gira de sus padres. Inicia estudios de danza en Madrid a los 18 años en el mítico Amor De Dios y en la Escuela del Ballet Nacional. A los 19 años se va a vivir a Sevilla para ingresar como cuerpo de baile en la compañía de su padre Mario Maya en la que llega a solista y posteriormente primera bailarina en la Compañía Andaluza de Danza, e iniciarse como bailaora en el tablao Los Gallos, experiencia a la que seguirán Corral de la Pacheca y Café de Chinitas en Madrid, y El Cordobés y Tablao de Carmen en Barcelona entre otros.

Participa en la Película “Flamenco” de Carlos Saura y es solista y/o artista invitada en espectáculos tan diversos como Lo Real (Cia. Israel Galvan), Frontera (Cia. Ramón Oller), Los Caminos de Lorca (dirección Pepa Gamboa, junto a Rafaela Carrasco), Mujeres (junto a Rocío Molina y Merche Esmeralda) o Never Grow Old (Teatro nacional Sueco Riksteatern). En su propia compañía invita a intérpretes como Olga Pericet (Bailes alegres para personas tristes), Juan Carlos Lérida (Souvenir/La voz de su amo) Manuel Liñán (Los Invitados), Jesus Mendez (Tr3s), David Montero (Habitaciones) o Niño de Elche (YA!), recibiendo el premio “Mejor Espectáculo” 2014 a “Los Invitados” en el Festival de Jerez.

Principal representante en su generación del “Neo Flamenco” o Flamenco Contemporáneo, Belén Maya salta en la película de Carlos Saura “Flamenco” de un barco, el de la tradición, a un océano aún en aquel tiempo sin explorar. El océano de un Flamenco actualizado influido por la Danza Contemporánea, el jazz, el pop, el teatro, y otras técnicas como el butoh o el kathak.

Directora, coreógrafa e intérprete, su reciente labor docente ha elegido varias vías de comunicación y transmisión. Por un lado la docencia del Flamenco tradicional a nivel nacional e internacional, por otro el uso del Flamenco como herramienta de transformación energética y vivencial.

Y en tercer lugar las conferencias, en las que realiza un análisis crítico de los conceptos de género, tradición, identidad y representación, así como una detallada explicación del proceso creativo como método de investigación: “Creative process and composition in Contemporary Flamenco”: Duke University (Durham, EEUU), Drexel University (Filadelfia EEUU), Los Angeles EEUU “Flamenco and Gender”: Seattle Central College EEUU, “La Muñeca Subversiva” El Dorado Barcelona, Universidad Pablo de Olavide Sevilla y “Bailar Después” y “Mujeres Diversas” conferencias online para el Máster de flamenco de la Universidad Pablo de Olavide.

Su solo “Romnia” afronta a la mujer gitana contemporánea desde el universo musical de los Balcanes, un ejercicio desnudo de valentía en la que Belén Maya acepta su herencia y la hace cuerpo, obligando al espectador a ser testigo de una realidad incómoda. Estrena en el festival de Jerez 2020 “Ni Tu Ni Yo”, en colaboración con Juan Diego Mateos, dirigida por Fernando López.

Premios y nominaciones de AFTER DARK: 

• Los Ángeles Film Award, Los Ángeles: Award Winner “Best Dance on Camera” 
• Indie X Film Fest, Los Ángeles: Finalist & Award nominee
• Indie Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Semi-Finalist 
• New Cinema Lisbon Film Festival, Lisbon, Portugal: Semi-Finalist
• Venice Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Official Selection 
• New York Short Film Festival, New York City: Official Selection 
• European Short Film Festival, Berlin : Official Selection
• Asheville Fringe Arts Festival, North Carolina: Official Selection 
• InShadow Screen Dance Festival, Lisboa, Portugal: Official Selection
• Montreal Independent Film Festivals, Montreal, Canadá: Official Selection

https://www.gofundme.com/f/AFTER-DARKFilm

Laura Sanchez. Director of LS Flamenco (617) 229 9717

laura@lsflamenco.com 

AFTER DARK 

Boston, Massachusetts: AFTER DARK is an expressive art short-film created during Covid-19 that combines flamenco with poetry, visual art, drama and creative expression. In this short-film the artist and creator, Laura Sánchez, portrays her resilience story with the purpose of inspiring others to regain hope. She also wanted to create awareness about mental health and the importance of the arts during difficult times. While lost and isolated, and a thousand miles away from her loved ones, Laura founded in AFTER DARK the refuge she needed to emotionally survive the lockdown.

AFTER DARK narrates the personal resilience story of an artist, woman, mother, and immigrant during quarantine and is also inspired by the stories of thousands of people affected by Covid-19. Stories that must be told and remember because they will mark a before and after in the way we see the world, relate to others and exist. Additionally, it represents an opportunity for the artists, who’s profession has been strongly affected by the pandemic, to reinvent themselves and explore new methods and ways to create. 

“This work comes from Laura’s strong decision of overcoming traumatic memories that came to light during the pandemic. AFTER DARK proves that the art is not only an instrument for healing, but it is also a vital ally during times of suffering, fear, and loss. Art is the one thing that is strong enough to confront all of these and transform it. Laura’s piece signifies transformation and hope”. 

Those are the words Belén Maya, internationally renowned choreographer and co-director of AFTER DARK, uses to narrate the piece. Both artists worked together to bring LIGHT to the concept of Expressive Flamenco, a therapeutic expressive arts practice that combines flamenco with expressive arts developed by Laura Sánchez during her masters degree in Expressive Therapies at Lesley University in 2017. AFTER DARK was also created to bring awareness about relevant issues such as racial discrimination and climate change. Both issues are depicted in the short-film through different elements that are utilized as a form of expression. 

Although AFTER DARK was created with very limited resources at the artist’s home in Everett, MA, it has been selected to participate in different independent film festivals around the world including but not limited to the cities of  Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Lisbon and Montreal and it has been nominated for three awards winning the category of “Best Dance on Camera” in the Independent Short Awards Festival in Hollywood, CA. 

In order to continue presenting this work, the artist started a crowdfunding campaign to get the necessary funds to hire the professional talent to finish editing AFTER DARK and pay all post-production and promotional costs. The project has been supported by over a hundred people from different countries reaching 75% of their goal in just a few days. 

Laura Sánchez has started an initiative to bring AFTER DARK beyond her personal resilience story through the voice of other women around the world. A group of women have been invited to share their artistic response to AFTER DARK in a form of words or other expressive ways to bring LIGHT to AFTER DARK through their own voices.  The words heard from these women validate the importance of presenting AFTER DARK into different platforms to bring hope to other souls around the world. 

“What a powerfully challenging, penetrating, uplifting film! Amazingly lived, felt passages moving through anger, frustration and despair to deeper connection with self through looking inward and outward; through permission to feel, explore and imagine; through allowing feelings and expressions of hope, trust in oneself and the unknown future to emerge and be genuinely felt and experienced. The unfolding images, words, movements at the end were especially moving to me.” Those were the words of a woman in Massachusetts describing her experience watching AFTER DARK. 

The artists are now working on the virtual premier that will happen in January of 2021. Followed by a Q&A with the directors that will discuss the creative process and present not only the artist’s story but also the resilience stories of other women during the pandemic. 

To read more information about AFTER DARK you can click here. And if you want to to support the campaign with GoFundMe you can click here. 

To watch the Teaser here.

Biography of Laura

Laura Sánchez is an expressive dance artist, choreographer and educator originally from Cádiz, Spain. She began her flamenco education as a child and received professional training from the Dance Conservatory of Madrid. Laura holds a Professional Certificate in Expressive Arts Therapies from Lesley University where she developed an emerging therapeutic dance practice, Expressive Flamenco©. She facilitates workshops, presents this work internationally and continues to serve annually as Guest Professor for the Lesley University Expressive Therapies Master’s Program. Laura actively performs in flamenco venues in the Eastern U.S., and placed 3rd at the 2016 Flamenco Certamen USA, an international competition that takes place in NYC annually. She works as independent choreographer for organizations including Boston College of Fine Arts, Massachusetts Government, Bridgewater University, and Kingston Theater. In her most recent work, AFTER DARK, Laura found herself a filmmaker, telling the resilience stories of a community affected by the Covid-19 global pandemic. 

Biography of Belén: 

Daughter of the artists Carmen Mora and Mario Maya, Belén was born in New York in 1966, during a tour of her parents. She began dance studies in Madrid at the age of 18 at the mythical Amor De Dios and at the National Ballet School. At 19, she went to live in Seville to join her father Mario Maya’s company as a dance corps, where she became a soloist and later lead dancer in the Andalusian Dance Company, and started as a bailaora at the Los Gallos tablao, an experience that will be followed by Corral de la Pacheca and Café de Chinitas in Madrid, and El Cordobés and Tablao de Carmen in Barcelona, among others. 

She participates in the film “Flamenco” by Carlos Saura and is a soloist and / or guest artist in shows as diverse as Lo Real (Cia. Israel Galvan), Frontera (Cia. Ramón Oller), Los Caminos de Lorca (directed by Pepa Gamboa, together Rafaela Carrasco), Mujeres (together with Rocío Molina and Merche Esmeralda) or Never Grow Old (Swedish National Riksteatern Theater). In her own company, she invites interpreters such as Olga Pericet (Happy dances for sad people), Juan Carlos Lérida (Souvenir / The voice of her master) Manuel Liñán (The Guests), Jesus Mendez (Tr3s), David Montero (Rooms). 

The main representative in her generation of “Neo Flamenco” or Contemporary Flamenco, Belén Maya jumps in Carlos Saura’s film “Flamenco” from a ship, that of tradition, to an ocean still unexplored at that time. The ocean of an updated Flamenco influenced by Contemporary Dance, jazz, pop, theater, and other techniques such as butoh or kathak. 

Director, choreographer and performer, her recent teaching work has chosen various means of communication and transmission. On the one hand the teaching of traditional Flamenco at a national and international level, on the other the use of Flamenco as a tool for energy and experiential transformation. 

And thirdly, the conferences, in which she makes a critical analysis of the concepts of gender, tradition, identity and representation, as well as a detailed explanation of the creative process as a research method: “Creative process and composition in Contemporary Flamenco”: Duke University (Durham, USA), Drexel University (Philadelphia USA), Los Angeles USA “Flamenco and Gender”: Seattle Central College USA, “La Muñeca Subversiva” El Dorado Barcelona, Universidad Pablo de Olavide Sevilla and “Bailar Later” and “Mujeres Various ”online conferences for the Flamenco Master of the Pablo de Olavide University. 

Her solo “Romnia” confronts the contemporary gypsy woman from the musical universe of the Balkans, a naked exercise of courage in which Belén Maya accepts her heritage and makes her a body, forcing the viewer to witness an uncomfortable reality. She premieres at the Jerez 2020 festival “Ni Tu Ni Yo”, in collaboration with Juan Diego Mateos, directed by Fernando López. 

AFTER DARK Awards and Nominations: 

• Los Ángeles Film Award, Los Ángeles: Award Winner “Best Dance on Camera” 
• Indie X Film Fest, Los Ángeles: Finalist & Award nominee
• Indie Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Semi-Finalist 
• New Cinema Lisbon Film Festival, Lisbon, Portugal: Semi-Finalist
• Venice Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Official Selection 
• New York Short Film Festival, New York City: Official Selection 
• European Short Film Festival, Berlin : Official Selection
• Asheville Fringe Arts Festival, North Carolina: Official Selection 
• InShadow Screen Dance Festival, Lisboa, Portugal: Official Selection
• Montreal Independent Film Festivals, Montreal, Canada: Official Selection

Hola a todos,

Hoy quiero presento el proyecto que está manteniendo mi alma viva durante COVID-19: AFTER DARK.

AFTER DARK es un corto experimental que combina flamenco, arte visual, poesía, drama y movimiento expresivo y que nace como respuesta artística a los diferentes estados emocionales que como mujer, artista, madre e inmigrante experimenté durante la cuarentena. 

Este corto es sobre mi historia personal de resiliencia y se creó con la necesidad de inspirar a otros a recuperar la esperanza en tiempos difíciles así como crear conciencia sobre discriminación de raza, cambio climático y salud mental.

Este corto está inspirado en las historias de millones de personas afectadas por Covid-19. Historias que hay contar y recordar pues marcarán un antes y un después en nuestra forma de mirar el mundo, de relacionarnos y de existir.

Con AFTER DARK me convertí en productora, editora, camarógrafa, bailarina y artista al mismo tiempo. Aunque sin apenas recursos, he tenido la suerte de caminar de la mano de una artista y persona a la que admiro y respeto, Belén Maya.

LA HISTORIA DETRÁS DE AFTER DARK

Os quiero contar cómo nace esta pieza de arte.

Mi historia personal empezó hace varios años tras superar un momento existencial que me llevó a tocar fondo. Situación que se agravó tras sufrir discriminación racial por ser inmigrante hispanoparlante en Estados Unidos. Al llegar Covid-19 esas historias traumáticas grabadas en lo más profundo de mi resurgieron en forma de ansiedad y encontré en mi arte el refugio para emocionalmente sobrevivir la cuarentena. 

Como artista, tuve que reinventarme y encontrar nuevas formas de crear. Desde el aislamiento y a miles de kilómetros de mi familia, encontré en AFTER DARK la LUZ que necesitaba para visualizar mi camino en tiempos de oscuridad. Proceso creativo que ha supuesto una importante transformación en mi identidad como artista y una importante validación del trabajo experimental de Expressive Flamenco que llevo haciendo los últimos años.

Cuando estaba perdida, encontré en los sonidos de la naturaleza, la inspiración para sentirme tranquila y en paz. 

La frase “Arte es el placer del espíritu que penetra en la naturaleza y descubre, que ésta también tiene alma” de Auguste Rodin, fue una fuente de inspiración importante ya que me hizo reflexionar que la transformación de mi alma ocurrió cuando me permití escuchar y conectar con el alma de la naturaleza. Reflejar esto en el corto fue importante para crear conciencia sobre el cambio climático y entender que la naturaleza tiene sus propios ritmos, y hay que escucharlos. 

Hace tiempo encontré en Expressive Flamenco  mi forma personal de contar esas historias que “hay que hay que contar” porque tocan el alma, como ésta llamada Covid-19. Entre tanta incertidumbre decidí abrir un grupo virtual de Expressive flamenco durante la cuarentena para ayudar a personas de todo el mundo, experimentando emociones similares a las mías, a encontrar esperanza a través de las artes. Juntas exploramos, creamos y visualizamos un futuro en el que podíamos “volar” libres de nuevo.

La transformación que experimentamos cada semana fue inspirándome en el proceso creativo para contar no sólo mi historia, sino una con la que millones de personas podrían sentirse identificadas. 

La llegada de Covid-19 nos ha enseñado que estamos todos juntos en esto porque el virus ha afectado y seguirá afectando a millones de personas en el mundo sin discriminar por raza, edad, clase social, orientación sexual o género. AFTER DARK es mi forma personal de luchar por esa igualdad más allá de Covid-19. 

AFTER DARK representa la luz de un nuevo día, un nuevo principio y una oportunidad de convertirnos en mejores seres humanos para que juntos hagamos este mundo, un lugar mejor para vivir. 

GRACIAS de corazón por leer toda mi historia. Este proyecto esta hecho con mucho amor desde lo más profundo de mi alma y saber que cuento con tu apoyo me hace sentir muy agradecida. 

NOMINACIONES Y PREMIOS

• Los Ángeles Film Award, Los Ángeles: Official Selection
• IndieX Film Fest, Los Ángeles: Finalist
• Indie Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Semi-Finalist
• Venice Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Official Selection
• New York Short Film Festival, New York City: Official Selection
• European Short Film Festival, Berlin : Official Selection
• Asheville Fringe Arts Festival: Official Selection

Expressive Art Film to Inspire HOPE

Dear friends, I would like to introduce you the project that has kept my soul alive during Covid-19: AFTER DARK.

AFTER DARK is a multimedia short-film that combines flamenco with poetry, visual art, drama and creative expression. This was born as an artistic response to all emotional states that I experienced as a woman, artist, mother, immigrant and trauma survivor during quarantine.

This short film was created to inspire hope in difficult times and create awareness about racial discrimination, climate change and mental health.

AFTER DARK is inspired by the stories of thousands of people affected by Covid-19. Stories that must be told and remember because they will mark a before and after in the way we see the world, relate to others and exist. 

AFTER DARK was co-directed by Belén Maya.

I have reached to a point where I need support to move forward with this project and launched a Crowdfunding Campaign to get the necessary funds to continue presenting AFTER-DARK. The funds of the campaign are meant to pay post- production, promotion and distribution fees.

Please check it out and support in any way you can!

STORY BEHIND AFTER DARK

Let me tell you how AFTER DARK was born and what is behind this multimedia art piece.

My resiliency story started few years ago after overcoming an existential life crisis where I had hit Rock-bottom. Situation exasperated after experiencing racial discrimination as a Spanish Speaker immigrant living in the USA.

My past memories stored in my physical body and emotional reactions programmed into my nervous system due to trauma, were triggered by Covid-19 manifesting as anxiety.  I found in my art, the refuge to emotionally survive quarantine.

As an artist I had to reinvent myself and find new ways to create art. A thousand miles away from my family and in the midst of isolation, I founded in AFTER DARK the LIGHT I needed to visualize my path. This creative process has been an important transformation in my identity as an artist and a validation of my Expressive Flamenco arts based research work.

When lost and isolated, listening to the sounds of nature, helped me stay grounded and connected to my roots. 

A quote from Auguste Rodin “Art is the pleasure of a spirit that enters nature and discovers that it too has a soul”, became an important source of inspiration since it reminds us how the transformation of a soul can happens when one is allowed to be moved by the soul of nature.

The elements of nature were intentionally chosen to bring awareness about climate change and the importance of listening to the unique rhythms of nature.

During Covid-19 quarantine, I used my skills as an expressive flamenco  facilitator to connected people from all over the world experiencing similar emotions to heal together in a virtual therapeutic dance space.

Through arts, we transformed our emotions with weekly doses of hope during quarantine. Together we envisioned a future in which metaphorically we could would “fly” outside our windows. This metaphor became my muse and inspired me to use my art to tell a story that millions of people worldwide might relate to.

In AFTER DARK, I tell my story in my own word. Words that naturally spoke to me during the creative process and were kept in the film as they were expressed regardless the language to maintain the authenticity of the piece. This is my way to bring into the piece my struggles as a Spanish speaking immigrant living in the US who, despite having a “language barrier”, found my voice to speak up. 

This pandemic has shown us that we are all in this together because anyone, regardless of race, mother language, ethnicity, gender, age or sexual orientation has been and will continue to be affected by Covid-19. And AFTER DARK is my personal way to fight against racism and discrimination.

This short-film is about bringing the light of a new day, a new beginning, a new opportunity after the pandemic to become better humans who will make this world, a better place to live.

Whoever you are, THANK YOU for taking the time to read my story.

NOMINATIONS & AWARDS

• Los Ángeles Film Award, Los Ángeles: Award Winner “Best Dance on Camera”
• IndieX Film Fest, Los Ángeles: Finalist
• Indie Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Semi-Finalist
• Venice Short Film Festival, Los Ángeles: Official Selection
• New York Short Film Festival, New York City: Official Selection
• European Short Film Festival, Berlin : Official Selection
• Asheville Fringe Arts Festival: Official Selection

All Levels Outdoor Flamenco Class with Laura Sánchez @ the new exciting StarLight Square 2020 in Central Square.

Get back on your flamenco feet dancing with your friends while keeping social distance.

We are really excited to present this Outdoor Flamenco Class as part of the Dance Complex StarLight program this summer. Starlight Square is a parking-lot for cars transformed into a place for people. It is a temporary intervention designed to build capacity within the Central Square community for outdoor activities and WE are brining the spirit of flamenco to it with our dance home, The Dance Complex!

This general technique class is perfect for flamenco students at ANY level (from beginners to advance students) looking to reconnect with this art form and feel in their bodies the energy we have been missing. A combination of footwork technique, bodywork, and a piece of choreography by Alegrías will be taught.

Don’t miss this opportunity to fill your heart full of flamenco!

Limited Spots Available. Reserve yours now.

How do I sign up?

You have to use this link to sign up for the class using your Dance Complex MindBody Account: bit.ly/33Kckgj

If you don´t have an account with the Dance Complex, the system will ask you to create one. (Even if you have an LSFlamenco Account, you still have to create one for The Dance Complex).

Scroll down to find the Flamenco Class and click Sign up.

Mark this into your calendar and show up on August 27th (no earlier than 5:45pm) to the StarLight Location and get ready to HAVE FUN!

What do I need to know about starlight?

Starlight is located at 84 Bishop Allen Drive Cambridge, MA 02139 in Central Square. This is just 2 min walking from The Dance Complex and it used to be a parking-lot. All you need to know about this exciting place is here: https://www.starlightsquare.org/

What do I need to know about Covid-19 security measures?

The Dance Complex has been following State and City guidelines and National best studio practices on Health, Hygiene and Social Distancing during this pandemic. Please read carefully:

• All students should sign up in advance through the Dance Complex Mindbody system using this link: bit.ly/33Kckgj. No drop ins are accepted.
• All teachers will have their temperature taken upon arrival.
• Students might arrive NO earlier than 15 min before the class.
• Students must be in line, adhering to our social distancing demarcations in order to check in for the class.
• To comply with State guidelines on Social Distancing and health, all Teaching Artists and Students must wear masks wear masks covering their nose and mouth while in Starlight Square. (Specific exceptions include when someone is eating, drinking, or performing).

If any questions, please contact them at  caitlin@dancecomplex.org or thamar@dancecomplex.org

Hoy te escribo a ti para darte las gracias por estar ahi, por seguir mis pasos, por caminar conmigo y ayudarme a seguir adelante.

Hoy te escribo a ti para darte las gracias por tu cariño, tu empatía, tu amor y tus palabras de aliento.

Hoy te escribo a ti para darte las gracias por hacerme sentir que no estoy sola, que somos un equipo, una familia que se apoya.

Hoy te escribo a ti para darte las gracias por compartir conmigo tus alegrías y tus penas y por seguir apareciendo cada día detrás de esa pantalla.

Hoy te escribo a ti para darte las gracias porque TU eres el motor que mueve mi locomotora, y que aunque a veces parece descarriada por cambiar de pasos, el camino siempre va en la misma dirección.

Hoy te escribo a ti querida mujer bonita por seguir ahí, porque ahora más que nunca estamos bailando para nosotras, por nosotras, desde nosotras y CON nosotras.

GRACIAS por seguir siendo “La Clave de mi Alegría”

Laura Sánchez, Junio 2020

————————————————————————————-

Today I am writing to you La clave de mi alegría 

Today I am writing to you again, beautiful woman. Beautiful from inside out. 

Today I am writing to you to thank you for being there for me, supporting my steps and walking with me to keep going together.

Today I am writing to you to thank you for your affection,  empathy, love and your beautiful words of encouragement. 

Today I am writing to you to thank you for making me feel  I am not alone, that we are a team, a family that supports one another. 

Today I am writing to you to thank you for sharing with me your JOY and sorrows and for continuing to appear every day behind that screen.

Today I am writing to you to thank you because YOU are the engine that drives my locomotive, and although sometimes it seems misled by changing steps, the road always goes in the same direction. 

Today I am writing to you, dear beautiful woman, for staying there with me, because now more than ever we are dancing for ourselves, for us, from us and WITH us. 

Thanks for continue being "La Clave de mi Alegría"

 Laura Sánchez, June 2020 

Read the first poem written to our Mujeres Bonitas here

It may seem like going down memory lane is going to be part of our new normal. This may be the only way to relive those happy moments and achievements from a not so distant past. The uncertainty that makes us wonder when will we be able to connect in person with others and feel comfortable being surrounded by people. Sadly this affects experiences that we never thought would be gone, especially those related to the world of art. Going to the movies, enjoying a performance, or spending time at a museum are probably the kind of things that we took for granted thinking that there would always be a time to get to them. Now all we have left is to wonder when will we get another chance to enjoy all of that. 

We were supposed to have our End of Year Recital this past month and could not happen because of COVID, and although we are still finding ways to showcase our work, we really miss the times we had dancing together last year.

In our flamenco class the end of the spring brought the LS Flamenco End of Year recital where all our students and their families celebrated the joy of dance together. Our beginner flamenco students performed 6 pieces choreographed by Laura Sánchez showing all we had learned that year in class. Starting with an inspiring warm up that we usually do at the beginning of each class with students from all classes.

Followed by some Tangos Del Titi by Esperanza Fernandez with students from all levels as well, and then a mix of Sevillanas with Miguel Poveda’s Con Luna y Media followed by Alegrias de Cadiz by El Junco with advanced beginner level students.

Then the kids performed an adorable dance with the popular song Sarandonga by Lolita and Muchas Flores by Rosario.

The middle of the show was starred by the teacher Laura Sanchez performing Mi Pequeño Lucero, a piece inspired by her pregnancy and excitement to meet her baby with the song Nana de los Pinares by Sergio Gomez “El Colorao” followed by the last piece where beginners level students showed their beautiful mantones and abanicos dancing Alegrías by Miguel Poveda with his song Huele a Sal.

Our students and teacher Laura Sánchez also participated at the Teaching Artist Concert of the Dance Complex on May 19th along with several other teaching artists. It was a fun experience sharing the stage with other dancers from the community. It was an intense weekend since we had the technical rehearsal on Friday and performed Saturday and Sunday night with a sold out performance! Performing on stage was exciting and practicing and getting ready with the group was really fun. 

During the summer LS Flamenco were also invited to be part of the Dance for The World Community Festival on June 9th organized by Jose Mateos Ballet Theater. The students performed the same Tangos and Alegrias pieces in a beautiful indoor/outdoor setting in Harvard Square. Different academies, music genres, dancing styles and other Dance Complex fellow students also took part in this amazing festival. The teacher Laura also had an open class with people from all ages that wanted to get a sneak peak of what flamenco was. Along with the support of some students they enjoyed a fun introductory class. It was certainly a beautiful summer day full of dance, food, lovely people and flamenco!

After all the exciting shows the Fandangos Summer Workshop began and students started working on the new technique to follow with the new semester’s choreography class. They started then practicing for the upcoming shows that were supposed to take place this year during the summer as well. It is unfortunate to know that plans changed but there are still plans to adapt those experiences to our new digital reality so we can at least enjoy them from home. 

These are only a few of the great memories that have taken part for the LS flamenco experience. Luckily technology brings us many resources and platforms that allow them to now enjoy these experiences in a digital way but it will never compare to being able to feel the energy and the emotion that a certain atmosphere could make anyone feel. As well as connecting in person and leaving all interruptions behind. But for they will have to reminisce on the past and appreciate all the little things to enjoy them even more in the future. 

Verónica Montserrat

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