Inspiracion

Inspiración at Broad Street Boardwalk

Inspiración was a series of free-to-the-public flamenco lecture performances that showcased traditional flamenco dance and music, blended harmoniously with classical and world music. The audience found a connection with flamenco, was motivated by the energy emanating from the performance, and enthusiastically participated by shouting óle, rhythmically clapping to the music, and even taking to their feet to dance along.

Inspiración was showcased as a series of five performances on the Broad Street Boardwalk in collaboration with Downtown Atlanta. It was a component of the Broad Street Boardwalk Wednesday lunch performance series. Each lecture performance had a designated theme and aimed to educate our audience about the historical and cultural context of flamenco. The repertoire for each performance was customized to align with the theme and to offer live examples to the audience:

March 29: Celebration of Women’s History Month, highlighting women’s role in flamenco.
April 26: Celebration of International Guitar Month, focusing on flamenco, Spanish, and Latin Guitar.
May 24: Celebration of spring and an overview of Spring Fairs as part of the flamenco culture in Andalusia, Spain.
June 14: Discovering flamenco in connection with Spanish dances and Spanish classical music.
July 26: Summary of flamenco history and highlights of La Candela Flamenco’s favorite pieces from Inspiración.

At the heart of each performance was the interaction with the audience, who seamlessly became an integral part of the flamenco performance. Encouraged to join in with spirited shouts of óle and rhythmic claps, attendees became an essential part of the rhythmic heartbeat of flamenco. Furthermore, each show featured an engaging, hands-on segment, guiding the audience through various rhythmic clapping techniques and imparting the foundational elements of flamenco movements.

Funding provided by Arts & Entertainment Atlanta and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District.