Nos vamos pa la feria.  Memories of my past life.

 Festival de Jerez 2022

Festival de Jerez

Feb 17 - Mar 5 2022

For more up to date information please visit Festival de Jerez

17 febrero
Ballet Nacional de España
Centenario Antonio Ruiz Soler

18 febrero
Recordando a José Manuel Caballero Bonald
Una copa con Pepe

Ballet Nacional de España
Centenario Antonio Ruiz Soler

19 febrero
Recordando a José Manuel Caballero Bonald
Una paseo con Pepe

Lucía Álvarez «La Piñona»
Abril

Víctor Monge «Serranito»
Como un sueño. Gira de despedida de los escenarios

Compañía Mercedes Ruiz
Segunda piel
-Estreno en España

20 febrero
Macarena López
Reverso
-Estreno Absoluto

José Cortés «Pansequito»

Compañía de Danza Flamenca Carmen Cortés
¡Gira, corazón!, bailando con Lorca en la Edad de Plata
-Estreno en Andalucía

21 febrero
Ganadores del Concurso de Turín de la Frontera 2020
-Estreno absoluto

María Moreno
More (no) More

22 febrero
Juan Fernández
De los Puertos 
-Estreno Absoluto

Ana Morales
En la cuerda floja

23 febrero
Salvador Gutiérrez
11 Bordones

Manuela Carpio
La fuente de mi inspiración
-Estreno absoluto

24 febrero
Beatriz Morales – Agujetas Chico
Flamenco sin sulfitos
-Estreno absoluto

Alfonso Losa
Flamenco: espacio creativo
-Estreno en Andalucía

25 febrero
Sara Jiménez
Adioses
-Estreno absoluto

Rocío Molina
Vuelta a uno. Extracto de trilogía sobre la guitarra
-Estreno en Andalucía

María Terremoto
Terremoto, un siglo de cante

26 febrero
Olga Pericet
El avance de la leona

Ángel Rojas Dance Project
Ser Baile. Capítulo 1 Triología. Geografía Flamenca del Pensamiento

Farruquito
Farruquito

Anabel Valencia
Frutos de mi voz

27 febrero
Sara Cano Compañía de Danza
Mujer de pie

Rafael Campallo
Puro

Manuel Liñán
Pie de hierro

Luis «El Zambo»
Aroma a Jerez

28 febrero
Compañía Musa Carmen Fernández
La Rosa Mutábile
-Estreno absoluto

Daniel Casares
Guitarrísimo

Manuela Carrasco
Aires de mujer

1 marzo
Juan Requena
Cenachería

Compañía Javier Barón
Entre mujeres

2 marzo
Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía
El maleficio de la mariposa de Federico García Lorca

3 marzo
Rosario Toledo con Javier Galiana y Alba Haro
Playeras
-Estreno absoluto

Antonio Molina ‘El Choro’
#SiDiosKiere
-Estreno absoluto

4 marzo
Joselito Acedo
Triana D.F. (Distrito Flamenco)

Mercedes de Córdoba
¡Si, quiero!- Estreno absoluto

5 marzo
Final abierta del taller de coreografía de Javier Latorre

Antonio «El Pipa»
Bodas de plata. XXV Aniversario
Estreno absoluto

Estévez/ Paños y CIA
La confluencia

SIMOF 2022

It is here again!( Happy dance)

Flamenca/Feria fashion show in Seville.  

for more information go to SIMOF2022

Fun in drawing and illustrating Feria

Drawing Feria, dancers, friends and Andalusia in general…

Before Covid 19, other family priorities had me move away from the south of Spain, but it has always stayed with me, it is part of who I am.  There is a frase in Cadiz “El gaditano nace donde le da la gana”, and I means that you can be born somewhere else but if you feel you belong in Cadiz, it is your right (more or less, very loose translation). 

So I started drawing just to stay busy during hurricane Irma (2017).  I knew the power lines would fail and the lack of electricity would makes days very slow and I needed a new hobby anyway.  Then I moved again and then came Covid 19, so it was a good thing I kept myself entertained.  Jumping to the present time now I draw many memories from Andalusia.  Slowly I started buying pencils, crayons, watercolors, brushes and now I have a room full of crafty things to express my ideas, my trips and memories.  This is my way of remembering Feria, my friends left behind and a way of thanking them for the good times.  

Everyday is a new challenge to draw, paint and post my drawing on Instagram.  That took a lot of courage.  At the beginning I just would not do it, now, I don’t care, I post for myself, to keep a record of my evolution as an artist (big word). 

One of my first drawings with my feria buddy, Ana.  

We both play the castanets and were inseparable while in the feria. 

Feria fashion, this is inspired by the feria catwalks during the first months of the year.  Beginning in mid January, feria fashion shows are a must.  Here you can see the trends for fabrics, compliments, flowers and hairdos.

Inspired by dancers in Jerez.

Watercolor

Now on top of watercolor I am learning digital painting which is quite difficult but so much fun.  Some of the designs I have uploaded to print on demand site such as Redbubble and Society6, if you’d like to peek.  Thanks for stopping by.  

Jerez - Viernes Flamenco 2019

At the Alcázar of Jerez

Friday, July 12
Felipa del Moreno,
Guitar: Manuel Valencia.
Percussion: Luis de Perikín,
Palmas: Manuel Cantarote, Juan Diego Valencia and Juan Grande,
Piano: la Reina Gitana.

Friday, July 19
Part I 
Peña Flamenca La Buena Gente,
Cante: Alfonso Carpio ‘Mijita’,
Guitar:José Gálvez,Vocals: Estefanía Zarzana and Sandra Zarzana,
Palmas: José Rubichi and Carlos Grilo,
Dancer: Marta Carpio.
Part II
Cante: Pedro ‘El Granaino’
Guitar: Diego AmayaPalmas: Manuel Vinaza and José Peña.


Friday,26 de July,
Centro Cultural Flamenco Don Antonio Chacón presenting
Cante: Antonio Malena, Tomás Rubichi, Alfonso Núñez ‘El Purili’, Coral de los Reyes, Ana de los Reyes and Eva Rubichi
Dance: Rocío Martín
Guitar: Domingo Rubichi and Ismael Heredia
Palmas: Ali de la Tota and José Rubichi.

Friday, August 02
Peña Flamenca Los Cernícalos presenting
Cante: Luis Moneo, Nano de Jerez, Carmen Grilo, David Carpio, Pedro ‘Niño de la Fragua’, Manuel Moneo Carrasco, José ‘El Berenjeno’ and Manuel Fernández ‘El Gordo’,
Dance: Mª José Franco
Guitar: Juan Manuel Moneo and José de Pura
Special guests: Ana María López, Pepe ‘El Zorri’ and José Rubichi.

Friday, August 09
Tomasa ‘La Macanita’ with guest Fernando Soto.
Guitar: Manuel Valencia,
Palmas: Chicharito and Manuel Macano,
Piano: José Zarzana,
Harp: Ana Crismán,
Percussion: Carlos MerinoVocals: Mila Méndez, May, Rocío and María del Cañero.

To buy tickets click here.

 We Love Flamenco 2019

You know that spring is fast approaching in the south of Spain when you see an explosion of colors and ruffles.  The first fashion show(s) for feria presented us with designs evoking mother earth and cosmic vibes.  There were many romantic and classic styles too.  New this year, were dresses with geometric patterns, lines, triangles, houndstooth, and of course dots, huge dots!

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A post shared by Rosa Pedroche (@rosa_pedroche) on Feb 4, 2019 at 7:12am PST

Dresses by designer Mónica Méndez showed us big bold dots over jewel tones.  These were some of my favorites.  They were classic with a modern twist, most had v necklines, but a few caught my attention with high necks covered with lots of chockers.  Just beautiful.

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A post shared by Monica Mendez (@monicamendez_modaflamenca) on Jan 23, 2019 at 6:27am PST

Other shows presented us with very simple dresses and skirts with just a single ruffle swirling up the dress.  Very elegant and refreshing.  Ladies, this year there are lots of skirts, which is great news if you are worried about your outfit on your instagram feed, change the blouse and you have a new look. Problem solved. 

Spotted many floral dresses, very romantic, like a Botticelli painting. I even think some had empress waistlines.  

For the graphic dresses, designers used flowers and polka dots, to balance the lines on them.

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A post shared by Úrsula Sánchez (@ursulasanchezdesignandcouture) on Jan 31, 2019 at 6:18am PST

There were monochromatic dresses, white on white dots, and black on black dots.  Everything but boring.  Skirt lengths were pretty much the same as other years, above the shoe and ruffles came in many shapes and sizes.  However, the skirts seemed looser (still tight, but less) allowing for easier movement and more comfort. 

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A post shared by We Love Flamenco (@pasarela_weloveflamenco) on Jan 19, 2019 at 3:00pm PST

Shawls were present in some shows, but they weren't the main accessory.  The show stoppers were the extra large ones, saved for special occasions and weddings.  Accessories are big, layered, evoking summer, corals, like a Sicilian vacation or an Italian summer.  Others fantasized with yesterday's Cuba and its people, some dresses brought memories of  "Celia Cruz", the uber salsa queen.  One in particular design, a model all in white from head to toe, transported me to the city of Miami, where many times I have seen these Cuban ladies, head wraps and long dresses in white, by the beach, with offerings to the water Gods.

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A post shared by Rocio Olmedo Ramos (@rocioolmedoramos) on Jan 19, 2019 at 11:14pm PST

I leave you here with Pol Nuñdz fashion show at We Love Flamenco 2019 in Seville.

Happy New Year!!

SIMOF FASHION Show, Seville
photo credit: Janelle Burton

Here are the first fashion shows of 2019:

We Love Flamenco (WLF) fashion show. 
When: January 16 - 20 
Where: Salón Real of Hotel Alfonso XIII, Sevilla

Buy Tickets

Viva by WLF
When: January 23 - 26
Where: Casino de la Exposición, Seville

Buy Tickets

SIMOF
When: Feb 7 - 10
Where: FIBES convention center in Seville

by the way, if you are from Rota, you will be delighted that the 2 top dancers in your town will be performing in SIMOF.  Laura Pirri (Feb 7) and Ofelia Marquez (Feb 9)

Buy SIMOF Tickets

Pasarela Flamenca of Jerez
When: Feb 14 - 17
Where: Bodegas González Byass in Jerez

Buy Jerez Tickets

SIMOF 2018 SCHEDULE

SIMOF SCHEDULE AND LIST OF DESIGNERS 

For every taste and size, 1500 dresses and styles on the catwalk until February 4th. To buy tickets here.

Thursday 1 Feb
11:30 Emprende Lunares (2017 finalists)

16:30 Lina

17:30 Aurora Gaviño

18:30 Alejandro Santizo & Luis Fernández

19:30 Pilar Vera

20:30 Ángeles Copete & Álex de la Huerta

21: 30 Patricia Bazarot & Pedro Béjar

Friday Feb 2
11:30 New designers contest

16:30 José Galvañ & Alonso Cózar

17:30 Consolación Ayala & Carmen Raimundo

18:30 María José Blay & Ana Morón

19:30 Verónica de la Vega & José Raposo

20:30 Antonio Gutiérrez

21:30 Rosapeula & Javier García

Saturday Feb 3

11:30 Sonibel Curvi with Adelina Infante (plus size)

12:30 Andrew Pocrid

13:30 Yolanda Rivas & MM Garrido Accessories

16:00 Sara de Benítez

17:00 Mof & Art

18:00 Carmen Vega

19:00 Loli Vera

20:00 Sonibel & Chocolate accessories

21:00 Molina Moda

22:00 Pilar Rubio

Sunday Feb 4

11:30 Yolanda Moda Flamenca

12:30 Atelier Rima

13:30 Teresa Ninu Atelier & De Lunares & Volantes

14:30 Calandria & Mayka Santos

16:30 Miriam Galvín & Ernesto Sillero

17:30 Hermanas Serrano

18:30 Hita & Arcos & Inés de la Fuente

19:30 Leticia Lorenzo & Francisco Tamaral

20.30 Ballet Flamenco of Andalusia

Feria Posters 2015

If you like to collect feria posters, stop by the corresponding tourist office of every city/town.  Every year, they seem to release them a bit later, usually after Holy Week.  I haven't found all of them.  Stay tuned for updates on these posters.

Holy Week and Seville's fair, 21 - 26 April

Seville's poster actually represents Spring festivities, Holy Week, Bullfighting season and Feria represented by the Amazonas over a horse.

Jerez, Horses are always the main atraction

Feria del Vino Fino, El Puerto de Santa Maria's fair is May 6 - 1. Picture from the recent press release.

El Puerto de Santa Maria, dedicates it to Sevilla.

Sanlucar, 2-7 June 

San Fernando, 14 - 19 July

Holy Week - Semana Santa

Holy Week in the Village of Rota

Semana Santa in Jerez

Right around February, in the town of El Puerto de Santa Maria, and then in other neighboring towns, I saw a few young men working out with cement sacks, they were wearing what looked like towels on their heads.  The sacks were on their shoulders, other sacks were over their heads, some men were also pulling a cart with more cement sacks. They were everywhere! I was walking back home after dinner one night, and there they were. Night after night, I saw the same thing. Then I forgot all about it, and Semana Santa arrived.  I remembered the men with the cement sacks, they were preparing for Holy Week.

Getting in shape for the real thing

As you probably know, Semana Santa, it is a week long festivity full of beautifully orchestrated marches recreating the Passion of Christ, with life size statues of Christ and the Virgin. Even if you are not Christian, it is a sight to see.

The first procession of the week is "La Borriquita" just for children
on Palm Sunday, El Puerto de Santa Maria

All the participants are dressed in colorful long robes, on their heads, pointy hoods with covered faces.  Each color, represent different brotherhoods, and each one is in charge of one stage in the Passion of Christ.  Most members have belonged to their brotherhoods for generations, passed down from father to son. 

Girls waiting for the procession.

Future Nazareno. Adorable.

Some processions take place during the day, while others are out marching all night. People from all over Spain travel to Andalusia to see them. The most famous ones are in the big cities like Seville, Granada, Málaga, Córdoba.  Hotels with the best views and balconies are booked months in advanced. The streets get really crowded, but if you don't want to leave the comfort of your home, the local television has enough TV coverage for folks that don't want to miss one single detail. Some narrators will walk you through the entire procession, as if it were a soccer match. 

Hermandad del Olivo, with their electric blue hoods.
One of the biggest in El Puerto de Santa Maria

The majority of towns and villages have processions too, just in a smaller scale. I have visited the ones in Rota, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Sevilla and Jerez de la Frontera. They are all unique and beautiful.

Hermandad del Olivo, El Puerto de Santa Maria

In order to understand a little about what the locals say about Semana Santa, here is a basic vocabulary (by no means official, this is my interpretation):

Nazarenos: are the brothers that walk side by side and keep the procession company. They carry candles, sticks, canes, flags and other religious symbols

Cofradías: it is the organization that organizes all the different brotherhoods and their processions, and everything related to it.

Paso: In some places it's also called throne, and it is the ornamented base in which the sacred images are carried and transported throughout the procession.

Costaleros: are the men that carry the Paso during the procession. In many cases you cannot even see them, just their feet under the Paso, like a giant centipede. In Málaga, for example, the Paso is huge, with long beams supporting the throne, and the costaleros, sometimes up to 250 men carry the Trono, and are quite visible.

Mantilla: it is the black veil and black outfit fitted with a large comb that symbolizes morning, which women wear while accompanying the Paso. Malaga province has one of the biggest assembly of Mantillas in Andalusia.

Peineta or Teja: large comb that is placed at the back of a woman's head and supports and displays the mantilla.

Capirote: the conical shaped hat, that was used to ridicule offenders or the church, but now represents penance for sins committed.

Cirio: large Candle. 

Recorrido oficial: the official route, with time, days and streets. This is really well coordinated and they stick to the schedule, because if they don't, other processions are delayed, and late one's may even my get fined. If you know the official route, you can choose where you want to see the procession.

Costalero with head dress in Rota

Cristo de la Expiración in Jerez, has a unique dress code, black velvet.

During my first procession here in Andalusia, I could not stop taking pictures, I don’t know what was more interesting, the swaying of the Virgin covered in flowers and golden robe, or the dozens of feet underneath the statue’s Paso, moving in unison like a giant centipede. Wherever you look and turn, there is something wonderful to photograph and experience, so keep your eyes open.

Under the Paso, a Human Centipede

The band, is professional and the best get hired
by many towns to play during the processions.

At the front and following the procession, are the bands.  They play typical Semana Santa music, with drums and trumpet in a steady beat to keep the feet below in perfect sync. With a swish, swash, swish, swash, the Virgin and Christ move along. There are rest intervals, the music stops, the feet stop, the Virgin and Christ are lowered, this is an excellent time to take pictures. The costaleros under the float change places with others that are well rested.  The Nazarenos (with robes), and men in suits following the procession, all wear their brotherhood's medals with colorful cords.  Many Nazarenos also carry Cirios (candles) as tall as them. Children approach them, they want some of the wax that drips off the candles. The children bring balls made out of aluminum foil, they reach up to the candles to catch the drippings, and slowly the melted wax covers the ball.  By the time Holy Week is over, children have accumulated huge wax balls with different colored wax.

by the end of the week, children have a huge wax ball
 made of different colors, depending on how many processions they have watched.

As a tourist, it is better to check at the tourism office for the official route of the procession, maybe even get a souvenir poster. Many bars and tobacco stands carry little flyers with the week’s processions schedule, it lists the date and time of processions, but ultimately the weather is the one that dictates if the procession parades the town or not. You see, the Virgin’s dress is sewn with precious metals and stones, and a drop of water can ruin the dress forever. If the weather doesn't cooperate, television crew and people in the background begin asking “¿Sale o no sale la Macarena?", “Will the Virgin go out today or not?” It hardly rains in Andalusia, but it is spring and the beginning of rainy season, so the possibility of canceling is high. If it happens, all the preparation and weeks of hard work put into it, go to waist, and it is very sad day for the brotherhood and it's followers.

Window decoration in Jerez with miniature procession

Window shopping during Holy Week is interesting; you’ll see that almost all the stores, have their windows decorated with miniature versions of their favorite procession. Some souvenir stores will sell you little hooded men with the brotherhood colors. School children in art class, will make little procession scenes out a tissue boxes to take home.

Specialized stores where you can order your "Capirote" to size.

My favorite night however, was in Jerez de la Frontera, south of Seville, where lots of great Gypsy artists and their families live. "Cristo del Prendimiento" is one the Gypsies favorite procession. It takes place at the church located in the gypsy quarter's of Santiago. “El Prendimiento” or just simply "El Prendi", it is the stage in which Christ is apprehended.  The procession lasts almost all night, and since Jerez is the birthplace of great singers, many want to honor their Christ with a song called Saeta.

El "Prendi"on Wednesday, in Jerez

This image of Christ in "el Prendi", has chains around his arms and legs, and looks in pain. The Saeta songs, are painful prayers offered by singers and by some people that, spontaneously, are moved to sing during the procession's rest, but mostly Saeta songs are heard at designated balconies. Saetas are very hard to sing because they are sung at cappella, and require great talent to sing them. Folks around here have singing competitions which require months of rehearsing. It is hard to explain what one feels, you have to be there, it will give you goose bumps. The most famous cantaores (singers) wait in a decorated balcony in town, with television cameras waiting to record the performance, so later everyone can relive.

Balcony view, everything is ready for the singer and his/her "Saeta".
San Miguel neighborhood. 

Saeta: 

Saeta video

Good Thursday and Friday of Holy Week, are the most serious days.  Folks dress in dark colors, and men wear suits and ties. Now the procession turns into a funeral, one should be respectful. Some women following the procession choose to wear mantilla and peineta.  Until "Jueves Santo", Holy Thursday, these women dress in black and on their heads the mantilla and comb, but allow some of the hair to show, likes bangs, for example, but if it is Good Friday, all the hair should be covered by the mantilla.  There is a proper way to wear a mantilla, impossible to do it alone, and it's better to leave it to an expert or hair dresser to adjust the mantilla in the proper form.  And hardly ever used today, during Resurrection/Easter, women would wear a white or ivory mantilla.

Not as common as a feria dress,
but some women like to wear a "mantilla" during the procession

Painting of Raquel de Meller wearing
 mantilla and peineta
by Julio Torres

Semana Santa lovers, follow the processions as long as it takes, many watch until the last moment in which the sacred image enters the temple.  One thing that really surprised me, was the "bowing" of the Virgin.  In the following video in the town of El Puerto de Santa Maria, the Virgin is turned around and "bows" to the crowd (runs quickly outside and then back in) and everybody claps. 

Virgins thanks the public -Video

Times have changed,  there could be
 a woman under the hood and tunic

Jerez de la Frontera's Cathedral