Flamenco fans will flock to Albuquerque June 21–29, 2024, to take part in Festival Flamenco Albuquerque, the longest-running and largest flamenco festival outside of Spain. The 2024 festival will feature over 20 performances, more than 40 workshops, 13 international performance companies, one New Mexican company, two world premiere shows, and more than 100 performers. Festival Flamenco Albuquerque is presented by the National Institute of Flamenco, the University of New Mexico, PNC Bank, and the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
For 37 years, the prestigious Festival Flamenco Alburquerque (FFABQ) has hosted many of the world’s most renowned flamenco artists. Ticket packages and workshops are available at ffabq.org.
Performances
Prepare for unforgettable performances from an impressive range of artists, including traditional interpreters, such as dancer Karime Amaya, grandniece of the legendary Carmen Amaya, with her world premiere Contrapunto; internationally renowned dancer Farruquito, presenting the U.S. premiere of Concierto Flamenco; singer “El Pele,” one of flamenco’s greatest living singers, who opened for David Bowie’s 1990 concerts in Barcelona and Madrid; and the exceptionally talented Campallo family, featuring dancer Adela Campallo’s world premiere Fui Piedra, and her brothers, dancer Rafael Campallo and guitarist Juan Campallo.
The festival offers diverse interpretations of flamenco, including avant-garde and emerging artists. Exciting new performances from visionary artists such as Manuel Liñán, winner of the 2017 Spanish National Dance Prize; Estévez y Paños, winners of the 2019 Spanish National Dance Prize for Creation; Mercedes de Córdoba; and María Moreno push the boundaries of the art form. Rising stars such as Águeda Saavedra, winner of the 2022 Festival de Jerez Revelation Prize for best new artist, and Eduardo Guerrero, winner of the 2022 Lorca Prize for best male dancer, bring powerful, evocative energy to the stage. Yinka Esi Graves performs in her critically acclaimed solo work, The Disappearing Act.
Concert Venues
All of the scheduled concerts will make their U.S. debut during FFABQ37. Venues for the festival include the Journal Theatre at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, UNM’s Rodey and Experimental Theatres, and late-night tablaos at Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque inside Hotel Albuquerque.
Activities for All Ages
Children and teenagers are invited to take part in the 25th Annual Flamenco Kids Camp and the 5th Annual Festival Juvenil. The Flamenco Kids Camp is an engaging day camp introducing children ages 6–12 to the full spectrum of flamenco arts. Festival Juvenil is the youth section of Festival Flamenco Alburquerque and is the leading national camp for experienced young flamenco dancers aged 10–15. Students will take part in exclusive Festival Juvenil classes as a group, taught by guest artists from Festival Flamenco Alburquerque.
Festival Flamenco Alburquerque caters to everyone, featuring the Flamenco in Your Neighborhood Series, with free classes and outdoor concerts organized in collaboration with Bernalillo County, the City of Albuquerque, the Village of Los Lunas Parks and Recreation, and the Wildflower Playhouse in Taos. The Exposición Flamenca Juvenil offers a family-friendly Saturday morning showcasing free performances by Flamenco Kids Camp participants, Festival Juvenil dancers, and local and national student groups at Albuquerque’s Old Town Gazebo. As well as Flamenco En El Cine, a free and open to the public mini flamenco film festival held on Saturday June 22 at The Guild Cinema, located in Nob Hill Albuquerque.
About the National Institute of Flamenco
The National Institute of Flamenco (NIF) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that has developed into a globally important arts institution, with an extensive and profound range of programming.
NIF was founded in 1982 by Eva Encinias, a lifelong flamenco artist and 2022 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellow. The institute includes the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts, where flamenco training begins as early as age 3, and Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, the first U.S.-based group invited to perform at a Spanish flamenco festival. Since 1999, Yjastros, the current resident dance company at the University of New Mexico’s Department of Theatre and Dance, has embarked on an artistic journey, becoming North America’s most distinctive flamenco project.
This innovative performance group blends the diverse characteristics of the American repertory company with the authentic tradition of flamenco, creating a living archive of choreographic masterpieces. Yjastros is under the direction of Joaquín Encinias, who, together with his mother, Eva and sister, Marisol, established the Conservatory of Flamenco Arts in 1999. Marisol Encinias currently serves as NIF’s executive director, working alongside her mother, founding director Eva Encinias, and brother Joaquín to maintain the artistic relevance, cultural excellence, and educational quality that ensure NIF remains a leader in arts education and the promotion of flamenco.
About The University of New Mexico
The National Institute of Flamenco takes pride in its partnership with the University of New Mexico (UNM), whose Department of Theatre and Dance features the only accredited dance program in the United States with a flamenco concentration (BA, BAIA, MA, MFA). The debut of Festival Flamenco Alburquerque celebrated the 50th Anniversary of UNM’s College of Fine Arts, and the university has continued to be a presenting partner. Yjastros, the institute’s professional flamenco dance and music company, is the resident flamenco dance company in UNM’s Department of Theatre and Dance.
About the National Hispanic Cultural Center
The National Hispanic Cultural Center is devoted to the preservation, promotion, and advancement of Hispanic culture, arts, and humanities. The center presents a variety of exhibitions, lectures, book readings, performing arts, and educational programs that are significant to the local community. It provides a space for Hispanic, Chicano, and Latinx artists to showcase their work and gain national recognition. The NHCC strives to create a cultural home for the diverse identities that contribute to the community.
About PNC Bank
PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC), one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States. PNC is dedicated to strong customer and community relationships, providing local delivery of retail and business banking services. These services include an extensive range of lending products and specialized offerings for corporations and government entities, such as corporate banking, real estate finance, and asset-based lending. PNC also offers wealth management and asset management services. For more details, visit pnc.com.
This article is sponsored by
the national institute of Flamenco
