flamenco - ottawa - ?

[meggo]

okay this isn't very jammy but it's music-related, so....

i've been trying to find someone to do some flamenco music and/or dancing for my spanish kids. anybody know of a resource like this in ottawa?

[PalacePrincess]

meggo, honestly, i'd just open the phone book and look under flamenco! if that fails, start calling around to dance studios. it's not uncommon for dancers/dance teachers to do volunteer demonstrations at schools. you could even try places like fred astaire or arthur murray dance studios, i bet a good ballroom teacher could probably give at least a basic demonstration (and some of the ballroom dancing skirts are very similar to flamenco style).

it's recital season, so this is a really busy time of year for regular dance studios (i.e. one offering tap, jazz, ballet, salsa, etc. "for kids up to adults!"), but you may luck out with some of the more adult-oriented places. you could also try contacting universities and see if they will put you in touch with someone in their dance program -- if anything, you might be able to get a student to come and perform (it will look good on their dance resumé). i can't remember off the top of my head if there's a college or university that has a good dance program in ottawa, but you may be able to find something.

good luck, and i hope you get someone! that is sure to be a very creative and fun lesson.

[AdamH]

Don Alfonso's restaurant (Bank and Gladstone) has a flamenco player on Friday nights I think. Try calling them as I was too drunk and full from the fried smelts to catch his name.

[TomFoolery]

A dude I work with is involved with Salsa dancing at an intermediate-ish level (whatever the hell that means in salsa dancing).

If you want me to hit him up for a group of dancers, let me know. It isn't flamenco, but it is latin...

[Velvet]

Fuck, don't get me started. James Cohen teaches in the room next to me on Mondays, and his students warm up right outside my door. Yesterday I opened the door and asked this dude if he knew any flamenco ballads. He looked very confused. Then I asked if he could play any dynamic other than "louderlouderlouder". Once again, very confused.

I could've strangled an entire musical style yesterday, given the chance.

James is your man, but I doubt he'd work for free.