The Artistry and Legacy of Flamenco
New Mexico is regarded as the center for flamenco in the United States. Through festivals, events, programming, and community building centered around the performing art of flamenco, New Mexico’s rich multiculturalism can be seen, heard, and felt all around.
Meet La Emi
Emmy Grimm, who goes by the stage name La Emi, began her love affair with flamenco dancing at the age of four when she began taking classes at the Institute for Spanish Arts.
By age 12, La Emi was teaching the art of flamenco within the Northern New Mexico public school system.
“The stage is a sacred place, and it has to be honored in that way,” La Emi said in an interview with New Mexico Magazine. “Every day I show up and do my absolute best.”
La Emi studied intensively in Spain and performed at major venues and events from Spain to New Mexico. For her excellence in art, La Emi was honored with the Melissa Engestrom Youth Artist Award by the City of Santa Fe.
In 2017, La Emi launched EmiArteFlamenco Academy and Flamenco Youth de Santa Fe company with the vision to provide year-round work for flamenco artists in New Mexico.
“Dance does things for you that go beyond the stage,” La Emi said. “I’ve seen it in my dance academy. It gives you discipline; it gives you confidence, it humbles you, and it gives you the drive to always do your best. It feeds your soul.”
Enjoy Flamenco Around New Mexico
Performances:
El Flamenco is a Santa Fe restaurant and cabaret, offering an evening of Tapas, wine and live performances by their resident Flamenco company. Honored with the Mayor’s Arts Award by the City of Santa Fe in 2017. El Flamenco also offers dance classes for adults and free classes for children through a partnership with Santa Fe School of Flamenco.
The passion and energy of flamenco come alive nightly as you experience flamenco in its most intimate, powerful setting in the heart of historic Old Town Albuquerque. Tablao Flamenco presents a dynamic schedule of performances, featuring premier artists from Spain and the United States.
Catch flamenco star La Emi in her seasonal residency at The Lodge at Santa Fe. Here, she’ll be joined by performers, singers, and other flamenco artists to celebrate this traditional Spanish art form. These evening shows run Wednesday through Sunday from July to October.
Anyone — from toddlers to adults — can learn the traditional artform of flamenco with La Emi herself. Alongside her frequent collaborators, La Emi teaches interested dancers to learn the cultural power of dance and to appreciate the community it builds.
Exhibits:
National Hispanic Cultural Center
Dedicated to the preservation, promotion and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts and humanities, the National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) is in Albuquerque’s historic Barelas neighborhood. NHCC hosts exhibitions, lectures, book readings, performing arts and educational programing that are meaningful to the local community. NHCC also houses a branch of the Spanish Embassy.
Festival Flamenco Alburquerque
Festival Flamenco Alburquerque (FFABQ) is a thrilling eight-day event that showcases the power of Flamenco. Celebrating its 36th event, FFABQ is the oldest and largest Flamenco festival outside of Spain. Taking place from June 9-17, FFABQ includes 23 performances, over 60 free and paid workshops, 12 internationally based performance companies, one New Mexican company, and a total of 114 performers.
Performance Classes:
National Institute of Flamenco
A Flamenco arts education and performance training nonprofit organization based in Albuquerque. Their mission is to preserve and promote Flamenco’s artistry, history, and culture by presenting the finest Flamenco in the world and by educating the American family in this art form while emphasizing the positive influence of art on family and community.
A nonprofit performing arts organization based in Albuquerque whose mission is to teach, present, and preserve the art of flamenco. They pride themselves on being a place where anyone can come and learn Flamenco dance and music, regardless of age, experience or background.