Flamenco Immersion Workshops
On 1 June, the flamenco school of Rebeca Castilla will host an event dedicated to immersing participants in the art of flamenco. This will be a day devoted to dance, singing, and flamenco percussion.
Dance workshops will be offered to refine technique and choreography in bulerías por soleá. One workshop will focus on singing, and another will explore compás through percussion.
These three workshops will be led by contemporary flamenco instructors: Macarena Mulero, Alberto García, and Juan Manuel Cortés. All three will be at Soleil Rouge, accompanied by guitarist Manuel Castán. The day will conclude with a tablao flamenco performance.
Macarena Mulero, a flamenco dancer born in Murcia, she began dancing at the age of five. In 1998, she won second prize at the dance competition in Ribarroja, Valencia. As an adult, she trained in Granada with renowned teachers such as Mariquilla, Manuel Liñán, Juana Amaya, and Alfonso Losa.
In 2008, she won first prize at the XIII Dance Festival of Torres de Cotillas in Murcia. In 2011, she moved to Barcelona, where she danced and taught flamenco for six years, collaborating with artists like Karime Amaya and “El Yiyo.” In 2017, she reached the semifinals at the International Festival Cante de las Minas in La Unión. Currently, she works in various tablaos in Granada and has been teaching at the Carmen de las Cuevas flamenco school since 2018.
Alberto García is one of the most prominent voices in contemporary flamenco in France. He has performed alongside renowned singers such as Curro Fernández and El Extremeño, and collaborated with celebrated dancers including Rafael de Carmen, Andrés Peña, Ana Morales, and Pedro Córdoba. His versatility extends to guitarists like Oscar Lago, Jesús Guerrero, and Canito.
He has shared the stage with flamenco legends like Manuel Agujetas, El Cigala, and Inés Bacán, and opened for icons such as El Grilo. He is also known for fusing flamenco with other musical traditions, including Indian music, in projects like “Inde Fusion” and “Gipsy Connection.”Alberto has participated in significant theatrical productions, including “Yerma” at the Comédie Française, and Questcequetudeviens?, nominated for the Olivier Awards. His collaborations include the duo Scarlatti / Chant Flamenco with pianist Alexandre Tharaud and the jazz album Caja Negra by Pierre Bertrand. He is currently touring with “Jaleo: For Paco”, a tribute to Paco de Lucía by Louis Winsberg.
Manuel Castan is a versatile guitarist who has performed in various musical styles, including Irish, gypsy, Argentine tango, and Latin American folk music, but his main passion has always been flamenco. As a child, he discovered flamenco while listening to a Paco de Lucía record with his Spanish-born mother, sparking a lifelong love for the art. He began studying flamenco guitar with Ricardo Salinas in Avignon, earned a diploma from the Flamenco Conservatory in Barcelona, and received guidance from renowned maestros such as Pedro Sierra, Niño de Pura, Eduardo Rebollar, and Paco Cortés at the Cristina Heeren Flamenco Foundation in Seville.
Manuel spent three years in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, where he honed his skills in accompanying flamenco singing and dancing alongside artists like Manuela Carpio, La Rubia de Jerez, La Chiqui, and Ana María López. In 2014, he returned to Geneva and performed in several productions with the companies “La Cueva Flamenca” and “Ensueños” by Rebeca Castilla.
Juan Manuel Cortes, musician and percussionist specializing in flamenco culture, is celebrated for his mastery of compás and his distinctive approach to the flamenco repertoire. He has collaborated with renowned artists such as Samuelito, Antoine Boyer, Kiko Ruiz, Lydie Fuerte, Alberto Garcia, Vicente, and Rafael and Paloma Pradal.
Deeply rooted in tradition, he is also a refined composer and a dynamic performer, adept at navigating the full spectrum of flamenco with subtlety and precision. In 2020, he produced, directed, and composed the album “À Fleur de Peau” for the Eva Luisa Flamenco Company, creating a rich and intricate percussive and sonic landscape.
A passionate teacher, Juan Manuel excels at unraveling the mysteries of flamenco, using sound demonstrations, visual aids, and rhythmic exercises to explain musical forms and guide students through the intricate styles of this art form.