« Femmenco »
On 24 April at 9:00 pm, as part of the Flamenco Nómada Festival and in partnership with the jazz club One More Time (AGMJ), Melodie Gimard presents Femmenco, a concert that brings together flamenco, jazz and female creativity. The French-Spanish pianist unveils her compositions in a universe where improvisation plays a central role, accompanied by double bassist Gal Maestro, singer Anna Colom and percussionist Nasrine Rahmani.
On this occasion, guest artist Karen Lugo, internationally renowned dancer and co-artistic director of the 2026 edition of the festival, will join the group for a vibrant performance that blends power, freedom and dialogue between music and dance.
Femmenco celebrates the strength of women in contemporary flamenco and offers a unique musical encounter.
Piano Mélodie Gimard
Double Bass Gal Maestro
Vocals Anna Colom
Percussion Nasrine Rahmani
Dance Karen Lugo
Location Centre de Musiques Actuelles (CHAUDRON)
Date vendredi 24 avril
Time 9:00 PM
Address Passage de Marie-Claude Leburgue 2, 1205 Genève
Full price: 23.-
Concert in partnership with AGMJ
Rebeca Castilla is a dancer, choreographer, and cultural promoter, deeply rooted in the flamenco tradition. Trained in classical dance, modern jazz, and music at the Geneva Conservatory, she fully dedicated herself to flamenco after years of study with Bernardo Méndez and later Antonio Perujo, who remains her mentor. She has enriched her training with renowned Spanish and international artists, including Eva la Yerbabuena, Antonio El Pipa, Lola Greco, José Granero, Fuensanta La Moneta, Macarena Mulero, Karen Lugo, Javier Latorre, Concha Jareño, and Chiqui de Jerez, in Seville, Granada, and Geneva.
Rebeca has performed at prestigious events such as the Geneva International Flamenco Festival, the Flamenco Biennale in Pully, and the Teatro de Carlos V in Madrid. She created her first personal work, “EnSueños”, in 2012, followed by “Flamenco for Chameleons” in 2014. In 2013, she founded the Association for Flamenco Creation & Culture, Flamenco-Genève, an organisation dedicated to promoting flamenco culture through performances, workshops, and community projects.
Since 2016, Rebeca has been the programmer of Soleil Rouge, Geneva’s must-visit tablao. She also directs the Cie Flamenco-Genève and continues to innovate with projects such as her podcast “Arsa y Toma”, which highlights discussions around flamenco. Rebeca shares her passion by inspiring a wide audience and transmitting the art of flamenco through her performances and teaching.
Antonio Perujo, born in Lausanne, is a Swiss flamenco dancer and choreographer. He began his training in flamenco and Spanish classical dance at a young age before fully dedicating himself to flamenco. He founded Flamenco Dance Academies in Lausanne and Geneva, where he has trained many dancers, and created several successful shows such as “Minotauro,” “Passion Flamenca,” and “Sigue mi Compás.”
In 2004, he focused on creating the Geneva International Flamenco Festival. Today, he directs his flamenco studio in Bern and teaches throughout Switzerland and Europe. He is the only teacher in Switzerland to cover all flamenco dance disciplines. Antonio Perujo also created a triptych of shows titled “Negro,” “Rojo,” and “Blanco,” exploring different dimensions of the art. Currently, he is dedicated to organizing a new event, the Berner Flamenco Festival in Bern.
Karen Lugo, a Mexican flamenco dancer and choreographer, is renowned for her deep respect for flamenco tradition. She has collaborated with prominent artists such as Pepe Habichuela, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, and Silvia Pérez Cruz. Karen has won several prestigious awards for her choreography, including at the Barcelona Spring Film Festival and the Almería International Festival.
In partnership with José Maldonado, she created the show “Fronteras” for the Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana company, touring across the United States. Her latest show, “Golpe de Tierra,” was nominated for the Premis de la Crítica d’Arts Escèniques in the Best Solo Show category. She is currently a choreographer and performer in Juan Gómez Chicuelo’s production.
Macarena Mulero, a dancer born in Murcia, began dancing at the age of five. In 1998, she won second prize at the Ribarroja Dance Competition in 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 13th Dance Festival of Torres de Cotillas in Murcia. In 2011, she moved to Barcelona, where she danced and taught flamenco for six years, working with artists such as Karime Amaya and “El Yiyo”. In 2017, she reached the semi-finals of the International Cante de las Minas Festival in La Unión. She currently works in various tablaos in Granada and has been teaching at the Carmen de las Cuevas flamenco school since 2018.
Illeana Gomez, a dancer born in New Mexico, holds a Master of Fine Arts and was trained by renowned artists such as Juana Amaya, José Maya, and Farruquito in various cities across Spain. She has competed in major dance competitions, earning distinguished placements, and has toured prestigious theatres and festivals, including the Joyce Theatre in New York and the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival.
In 2010, she became the first student in the United States to earn a Master’s degree in dance with a specialisation in flamenco. She currently performs in several tablaos in Madrid, sharing the stage with leading figures of flamenco.
Enrique Bermúdez “Piculabe”, a flamenco singer born in Madrid, began his musical career singing in the choir of the Evangelical Church. Thanks to a recording that made an impact in flamenco neighbourhoods, he met Juan José Suarez “Paquete,” recording his first track and signing with Universal Music.
He has collaborated with renowned international artists such as Jorge Pardo and Tomatito, and his discography includes *Camino y Tiempo* (2008) and *Canta y Sueña* (2012). Since 2012, he has been invited by the Antonio Gades company for various shows worldwide, performing in prestigious venues such as the National Theatre of Beijing and the Roman Theatre of Verona. In 2014, guitarist Juan Carmona invited him to join his international tour.
Alberto García is one of the most important voices in contemporary flamenco in France. He has collaborated with renowned singers such as Curro Fernández and El Extremeño, as well as prestigious dancers like Rafael de Carmen, Andrés Peña, Ana Morales, and Pedro Córdoba. His versatility also extends to guitarists including Oscar Lago, Jesús Guerrero, and Canito.
He has shared the stage with flamenco legends such as Manuel Agujetas, El Cigala, and Inés Bacán, and has opened for icons like El Grilo. He is also recognised for his projects that fuse flamenco with other musical traditions, notably Indian music in *Inde Fusion* and *Gipsy Connection*.
Alberto has taken part in major theatrical productions, such as *Yerma* at the Comédie Française, and *Questcequetudeviens?*, nominated for the Olivier Awards. Among his collaborations are 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.
Antonio Heredia, a singer born in Granada, developed an interest in flamenco singing within his family, following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, who were both great artists and passionate enthusiasts. His father encouraged him to express his talent and took him at a very young age to peñas such as La Platería, one of the oldest in Spain. At 19, he began his professional career in the tablaos of Granada and has continued to achieve success ever since. Antonio is an acclaimed singer among aficionados for his deep and expressive singing. The tradition continues with his son, Nono Heredia, an eight-year-old flamenco dancer.
Carlos Jiménez, a guitarist born in Madrid, is the son of Antonio Jiménez “El Chispas” and a member of the prestigious Jiménez family, well known in the flamenco guitar world. Carlos began his flamenco career at the age of 17, making his debut at the Torres Bermejas tablao in Madrid, and performing at various other tablaos such as Corral de la Morería, Café de Chinitas, and Cordobés in Barcelona.
Following the family tradition as a composer, Carlos has created significant works over the past decade, notably his collaboration with Belén López, which won the Desplante award at the Las Minas Festival in 2016. Additionally, he has accompanied renowned artists such as Antonio Canales and has also performed with the Medellín Philharmonic Orchestra (Colombia).
Juan Gómez “Chicuelo”, guitarist and composer, is one of the most influential artists in contemporary flamenco. He has accompanied artists such as Miguel Poveda, Duquende, Enrique Morente, Carmen Linares, and Mayte Martin. He has collaborated with dancers like Israel Galván and Antonio Canales. His versatility extends to jazz, working with musicians such as Chano Domínguez, Jorge Pardo, Carles Benavent, and Raynald Colom.
Author of two award-winning solo albums, *Cómplices* and *Diapasión*, Chicuelo is also recognised for his role as musical director of the musical *Tarantos*, winner of the Max Award for Best Music. In 2019, he released his third solo album, *Uña y Carne*.
In 2019, he also released a new work with Marco Mezquida titled *No hay dos sin tres*, and is currently involved in the project *Caminos*, accompanied by three remarkable artists: Karen Lugo, Manel Fortià, and David Gomez.
