Flamenco in the United Kingdom, by Sarah Chambers
Sarah Chambers, bailaora (flamenco dancer) and founder of the flamenco collective Espíritu Flamenco, will inaugurate the I Yorkshire Flamenco Cultural Week with her conference Flamenco in the United Kingdom.
In her presentation, Chambers will go back to the origins of flamenco in the British Isles: when the interest in this centenary art was born here, when the first flamenco performances arrived, where the first flamenco clubs emerged, which of them are still alive today, or which, new or old, are the most active nowadays, are some of the things Sarah will talk about.
A violinist and music graduate, Sarah Chambers first came across traditional flamenco at Tablao Flamenco Cordobés, a famous Barcelona venue. Immediately after that she started to study flamenco music and songs, developing a deep love and knowledge of this art form.
Over the years, Sarah has studied flamenco with many leading dancers from Spain including La Lupi, Olga Pericet, Maricarmen Guerrero, Pilar Fajardo and David Nieto. She has performed at the Leeds Flamenco Festival, Hebden Bridge Arts Festival, Goostry Festival, Manchester Festejar and Manchester International Festival. She has also collaborated with Instituto Cervantes Manchester and Manchester International Festival to bring flamenco events to the city.