Flamenco is in vogue in the country of the Aztecs. Mexico is the third country with the greatest number of flamenco academies, after Spain and Japan, according to Adriana Covarrubias, founder and general director of the Festival Ibérica Contemporánea.

This festival has been held every two years in Querétaro state since 2007, and in July 2019 it celebrated its seventh edition. It is without a doubt the biggest flamenco event in all Latin America, and it focuses on baile flamenco and Spanish classical dance. Eighty artists performed at the Metropolitan Theater, the Art Museum and the City Museum, in Santiago de Querétaro, between July 6^th and July 20^th, 2019. Among the performing artists were La Truco, Manuel Montoya El Carpeta, María Juncal, Eduardo Guerrero, María Moreno, Cristóbal Reyes, Ana Morales, Compañía Ibérica de Danza and the Larreal choreographic workshop of the Mariemma Conservatory in Madrid. One of the novelties in this edition was the participation of the Symphonic Orchestra of Querétaro State.

«We carry flamenco in our veins, even more so as it was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO» (Adriana Covarrubias)

Another festival with immense popularity in Mexico’s northern states, and among many Americans who cross the border eager to experience flamenco, is Flamenco Tam Fest. It is one on the most important international festivals in the northeast of Mexico. It’s 2019 edition took place between May 16^th and May 19^th in the city of Tampico. Flamenco Tam Fest 2019 included a multitude of open-air activities, a flashmob and a gastronomic showcase, besides the Great Gala at the Espacio Cultural Metropolitano, featuring bailaor Iván Vargas.

Adriana Covarrubias stated to Mexico’s Diario Rotativo that «flamenco and Spanish dance are very popular in Mexico, because people relate to its music, its lyrics and everything that can be expressed through body language». According to the founder of the Centro de Danza y Arte Proart in Querétaro, flamenco has become a universal dance genre, as more and more people around the world becomes passionate about this art form. This is particularly true in Mexico, as «flamenco is part of our heritage, because even as we may have aboriginal roots, everything from Spain is familiar to us. We carry flamenco in our veins, even more so since it was declared Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO».

Between June 7^th and June 8^th, the 1^st Flamenco Conference in Mexico 2019 was held at the Centro Cultural de España en México, located in Mexico City’s historic downtown. The main goal of this Conference, which included workshops and lectures, was to «provide management tools for artists and students of flamenco and Spanish dance in Mexico who wish to undertake theatrical or academic projects, giving them a foundation where they can structure their ideas and bring them to fruition with all the necessary theoretical aspects». This event was organized by the academy and company Tauro Flamenco A.C. and the Escuela de Flamenco de Andalucía.

Photo: Compañía Tauro Flamenco (México DF)