News Archive

The Fabulous "Festival 9" Performed 2009, the Weekend Before Thanksgiving!

"Festival 9", our "Once-Every-Two-Year Anda Flamenco School Extravaganza" was presented at the Lowry Lab Theater in St. Paul the Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgivin.! This was no cheesy dance school recital that families secretly dread attending! It takes us two years to prepare this spectacular flamenco event. Three monster guitarists accompanied intricate solos performed by students who have been studying for over a decade, group choreographies that will become the new unforgettable dances of the upcoming soloists, and of course - "The Few Flamenco Kids" who will stole our hearts while amazing us with their budding talent!

Kristina and Las Rompe Corazones on YouTube

Kristina hooked up with a support group for women with heart disease at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. She lovingly whipped them into shape in just three half-hour sessions in order to perform a snippet of flamenco for a YouTube video. The flamenco moment was set to Garcia-Lorca lyrics, sung rather miserably by Kristina herself. But the ladies were truly magnificent, and this is just another example of how the joy of dance energizes the body and inspires the soul Just go to you tube and type in "anda flamenco"!

Kristina Hosts KFAI Radio's First Flamenco Show, "Poquito y Bueno," on Sunday, September 28

Kristina received a grant through KFAI's Program Development Project to receive the training necessary to develop and produce an hour-long flamenco broadcast.  "Poquito y Bueno" was aired on the Wave Project, and featured a lively and entertaining mix of both traditional and modern flamenco music, in addition to an intimate telephone interview with our own flamenco legend, singer Maria Elena "La Cordobesa."  The show was dedicated to Mario Maya - master dancer, teacher, and choreographer - who died unexpectedly two days earlier at home in Sevilla, Spain.

Anda Flamenco Received a Grant From the "Very Small Arts Fund" June 2008

Our thanks to the Very Small Arts Fund for providing the means to allow Anda to purchase the AV equipment for our studio. The 24" flat screen monitor is an invaluable teaching tool that permits us to tape, view and critique what we've just performed in class, as well providing us a communal venue to see and hear flamenco from Spain.

Anda Flamenco's Official Open House Was Held on Sunday, June 8, 2008

Anda Flamenco Company and School rang in the New Year with a new home! We moved into our spacious new studio in the Ivy Arts Building (ivyartsbuilding.com) on January 1, 2008.

Walls built, mirrors hung and floors installed, Anda Flamenco officially inaugurated our new home on Sunday, June 8th.  The students were the real stars of the day, however.  Their mini-performances were many, due to several encores after each piece they danced.

Our beautiful, new studio has a lounge, dressing room, and a gorgeous 21' x 26' maple dance floor. It is currently available to rent for rehearsals or classes, with still some daytime and evening openings. Click here for more information.

The Zapatistas Celebrated Their 10th Anniversary

On a chilly April evening, Anda Flamenco School's guerilla-flamenco, street-dancing Zapatistas opened their 2008 season by revisiting the site of their first "outing" in November of 1998—The Riverview Cafe on the corner of 38th Street and 42nd Avenue in Minneapolis. Lots of wonderful changes have taken place on that corner in ten years—and The Zapatistas have continued to grow and improve as well! Keep an eye out for them this summer—with their full schedule this summer, you're sure to be zapped!
 

Kristina Taught Sevillanas in Reno, Nevada in 2008

Teaching Sevillanas simply and quickly to both dancers and non-dancers alike has long been a specialty of Kristina's. Before the turn of the century, she taught annual spring workshops on the rooftop of a restaurant overlooking Loring Park. Here, after a mere six hours of classes, non-dancers were sipping sangria and working up a sweat dancing all four Sevillanas in their goose-down coats, surrounded by a bevy of propane heaters.

Kristina took her specialty to Reno during Anda's break in late May. She enjoyed meeting with the small but growing flamenco community there, and demystifying Sevillanas once again.
 

Our Cordobesa Received a Medal from the King of Spain and the Minister of Culture in 2008

King Juan Carlos I and the Minister of Culture have authorized the presentation of "La Cruz de la Orden de Mérito Civil" to our local flamenco treasure, Spanish-born flamenco singer María Elena "La Cordobesa." The award is in recognition of 46 years of La Cordobesa's significant contributions to Spanish song and culture in the United States. It was presented in a ceremony at the Spanish consulate in Chicago by Ambassador Sr. D. Javier Ruperez on October 29, and is the same award that was presented to José Greco.

"La Cordobesa" moved to Minnesota 46 years ago after her marriage to poet B. E. Marsh. What luck her love has brought to us!

Zapatistas Juana María and María Luisa became Anda Flamenco Company's New Apprentices in 2008, and Company Members in 2010

Anda Flamenco Company is proud to welcome Juana María and María Luisa into the company. Their sheer dedication, continually growing dance skills, and maturity of emotional expression made them perfect candidates for this "promotion." Keep an eye out for them in future performances and collaborations.
 

Anda Flamenco Designed an Innovative Workshop for Children 4 -7

Kristina de Sacramento has received many requests to teach classes for young children. In July of 2007, she went to Western Springs, Illinois to observe classes at Jo's Footwork, taught by Corey Magel, an acclaimed teacher of children's dance. Kristina came away inspired! Her new approach to flamenco for the very young is designed to encourage creativity while fostering the discipline needed to continue in dance. Classes are held on Saturdays from 1:00 to 1:45 pm. See our Classes page for more details.
 

Our Guitarist Trevor "El Rebujito" Showed Target How It's Done!

When Kristina received a phone call asking her to recommend a guitarist who could lay down a flamenco/hip-hop fusion track for an upcoming Target commercial, she didn't hesitate to send in Anda Flamenco's guitarist, "El Rebujito." Kristina saw the rough cut recently, and WOW! Keep an eye out for the commercial, which features a man flying all over a room doing a mix of hip-hop, capoeira, and kung-fu. The dazzling guitar piece you'll be hearing was composed by "El Rebujito" on the spot. He did all the sound tracks, including both tracks of "palmas" (the percussive hand clapping). Rumor has it they're surely going to use him again. May he bask in riches!

February and March 2008 Workshops kept Anda Students Challenged

Kristina didn't make it to Spain for her usual mid-February to mid-March recharge of her creative batteries. Instead, like many flamencos and other folks this year, she went down hard with the super-flu. Kristina stayed in America and took the month off anyway. She was able to supervise the final stages of construction in the new studio. She also had the opportunity to work closely with the newly formed Advisory Board developing exciting plans for the company and the school in the year to come.

The workshops Kristina had scheduled for her "absence" were a great success. Anda Company member "La Chispita" kept heart rates up in her bulerías classes, and whittled waistlines teaching students how to really move their hips in her tangos classes.

New York/Sevilla-based teacher and dancer La Magadalena (http://www.flamenco-con-magdalena.com) brought that smooth Sevilla-style to Minneapolis during her four-day residency. Tangos and soleá por bulerías were the palos she taught to three different class levels. A performance class and a compas class included in the residency were well-attended, and much appreciated by the students who are beginning to perform professionally. Magdalena's dog, Osito, also attended classes but was more enthusiastic about his potty-breaks than the dancing.
 

"Festival 8" Performances in November 2007 Praised by All!

Anda Flamenco School's “Festival 8: A Gala Presentation of Flamenco Dance and Music” was a spectacular celebration of all that is flamenco! Kristina de Sacramento and her students worked for two years on these very lush and beautiful choreographies, which were enjoyed by over 200 audience members. Wells Fargo Bank graciously provided the food and wine for the two shows’ intermissions.

The only element missing (and missed) was our dear La Cordobesa, who has sung the previous seven shows. She was in sunny Hollywood for the christening of her latest grandson, Desi Echevarría.
 

Kristina de Sacramento Featured in "Minnesota Ballroom and Latin Dancing Stars Celebration" in November 2007

Kristina de Sacramento and guitarist Michael "Rafa de Tresa" Zieghan joined super-talents onstage for a multi-faceted extravaganza that was the brain-child of dancer/choreographer Eliecer Ramirez Vargas. In addition to the flamenco numbers, Mexico Lindo brightened the stage with top-notch folkloric numbers, and four couples of ballroom champions alternately graced and seared the stage. All this was perfectly balanced by the smooth and sultry voice of Molly Sue McDonald, smartly accompanied on piano by Dan Chouinard, and by the soulful strength of Cuban pianist/singer Viviana Pintado.
 

Las Zapatistas presented a "Command Zapping" for the Rainbow Families' Gala Benefit at Solera Restaurant in October 2007

Rainbow Families requested a "Command Zapping" at their benefit in October at Solera Restaurant in Minneapolis. Moments before the auction began, authentically and colorfully costumed Zaps, wearing sunglasses and with dance boards in hand, slowly meandered through the audience before assembling to present a five-minute fury of "bulerías a palo seco." The Zaps worked the crowd into a bidding frenzy for the auction that followed. ¡Olé!
 

Las Zapatistas Performed Another "Command Zapping" at a Benefit for the Lupus Foundation of Minnesota in September 2007

Joined again by Kristina de Sacramento, Las Zapatistas performed a "Command Zapping" at the Pavillion in Minnehaha Park on Saturday, September 8, 2007. The performance in the band shell marked the culmination of the Lupus Walk for Hope, a 2-mile walk to raise funds for lupus research. The rain fell gently and politely while the Zaps performed some flamenco "snippets" and then taught their enthusiatic audience a few cool flamenco moves on the tenth anniversary celebration of the Walk for Hope.
 

Las Zapatistas Opened the Ethnic Circle at Minneapolis MOSAIC on Saturday, June 9, 2007

Las Zapatistas, the student performance company of Anda Flamenco School, specialize in hit-and-run flamenco. They appear with their dance boards and their sunglasses to perform "snippets of flamenco." They'll zap you when and where you least expect it, like at your favorite coffee shop or grocery store. But the growing popularity of their performances now has them doing “command zapping.” Las Zapatistas were chosen to christen the 2007 "Ethnic Circle" on the opening night of Minneapolis MOSAIC (www.minneapolismosaic.com) This summer-long, multi-cultural festival of the performing arts is Mayor Rybek's "gift of art from and to the community." Created to showcase the ethnic and cultural diversity in the arts that make our city so exciting, this festival is made a reality by the hard work of, among others, Colette Marie Illarde, an accomplished flamenco dancer in her own right. Anda Flamenco's interactive performance on that lovely summer evening brought smiles to the faces of over 200 people.
 

The Zapatistas Got Great Press in the Star Tribune & in Three Local News Broadcasts!

Zaps María Luisa, La Doña Azul, and Marilena were joined by Kristina de Sacramento during the noon-hour on Thursday, May 31, 2007. The dancing took place in front of the windows that form the backdrop for the news broadcast of television station WCCO. The Zaps were promoting the upcoming kick-off of the city's summer festival of the arts, MOSAIC.

Their midday performance was blessed by a cool breeze, and was enjoyed equally by passersby, camera-persons, and the Zaps themselves! The event was covered by Star Tribune photographer Kyndell Harkness and by local news on Channels 4, 5, and 9.
 

Kid-friendly 2007 Summer Zapatistas Performances Hosted by General Mills & Rayito del Sol Academy

Las Zapatistas, the student performance group from Anda Flamenco Company and School, were joined by the company's director, Kristina de Sacramento, for kid-friendly performances and interactive workshops at the Midtown Global Market in 2006 and 2007 at the General Mill's employee picnic, and in 2007 at the Spanish immersion school, Rayito del Sol Academy in Plymouth. Playing to audiences of fascinated children and their parents, Las Zapatistas brought the heart of flamenco to the heart of the Twin Cities. In addition to these two "Command Zaps," our usual surprize "zapping" was also requested for the 2007 opening of "Mosaico," and for the Fall-Out Art Festival (the site of our first official performance in 2005) in both 2006 and 2007.
 

Anda Flamenco Joined Rincón del Flamenco for 2007 Cinco de Mayo

Dancers Kristina de Sacramento, María Luisa, and Estrella Morena performed with Rincón del Flamenco's founder, singer María Elena "La Cordobesa," and guitarist Trevor "El Rebujito" at Castillo Park in St. Paul on Saturday, May 5th, 2007. This was one of the few times in our many years of performing at this legendary West St. Paul Cinco de Mayo celebration that the event actually fell on May 5th! The rain fell in sheets until moments before we walked onstage. As our performance began, the sun came out and blessed us and our audience with the incredible energy of a once-wet, now-sunny spring afternoon.

Kristina de Sacramento Taught Cincinnati Workshop in April 2007

Shortly after returning from her annual month in Spain, Kristina de Sacramento taught a four-hour bulerías workshop in Cincinnati in late April 2007. (In 2006, she taught a four-hour tientos/tangos workshop there.) The workshop was sponsored by former Cincinatti flamenco teacher April Johnson. (April recently moved to the Bay area with her Spanish husband, whom she met in España Cani in Madrid while on the first flamenco-study trip shepherded by Kristina in 1999.) April's students in Cincinnati were joined by students from Dayton and Columbus, as well as by a Lexington, Kentucky contingency. The level of experience of the students ranged from my-first-day to professional. By the end of four hours, however, the videotape that was shot showed 18 amazing flamenco dancers literally tearing up the floor!
 

Anda Flamenco Was a Presence in Jerez, Spain, in March 2007

In March 2007, a group of flamencos from Anda Flamenco Company and School arrived in the town of Jerez de La Frontera, which is located in Andalucía, a region in the south of Spain that is known as the “cuna” (cradle) of flamenco. Kristina de Sacramento was joined there by guitarist Michael "Rafa de Tresa" Zieghan, Anda Flamenco Company's two apprentices (Juana María and María Luisa), six Anda Flamenco students (Katharine, Kethrin, Leslie, Lynn, Teresa, and Vanessa) and Ross, Katharine's travel-loving and flamenco-guitar studying husband.

The occasion was the 10th Festival Flamenco in Jerez. In addition to taking master classes and attending unforgettable nightly concerts by the best-of-the-flamenco-best, daily events like eating as many tapas as possible in one sitting while drinking many glasses of sherry (all in the interest of educating our palates, of course...) and dining after the theater like royalty all fit into our travel plans.
 

Anda Flamenco opened at the Minnesota Children's Museum in February 2007

Kristina de Sacramento is featured as part of an ongoing exhibit at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. Girls from a Hmong dance group from the West Side of St. Paul trained on cameras and computers and then worked as the crew to make a video, which they titled "Conversations with Minnesota Dancers." The video features Kristina de Sacramento, along with the Jane Addams School Dancing Girls, Danza Mexica Cuauhtemoc, and Tou Ger Xiong. Kristina and Virginia "La Chispita" also donated costumes for the exhibit.

The video is part of Our World, a permanent gallery that focuses on culture and community. For hours and admission, check out the museum’s website at http://mcm.org.