About the Company


Since inception in 1979, Flamenco Latino's professional company has explored and developed the genre known as Ida y Vuelta. This "Round Trip" genre had its birth during the late 18th century, when Spain and other countries in Europe were influenced by Latino dance and music, most notably the Cuban Habanera and Rumba, which led to flamenco tangos, tanguillo and rumba.


Flamenco Latino's recent Más Allá Series has pushed flamenco boundaries. Flamenco dance structures have been flavored with jazz, blues and salsa, and have included the collaboration of tap dancers like Omar Edwards. Productions like “Flamenco Gumbo I & II” combined flamenco with the music of New Orleans, the northernmost Caribbean city. Since 2018, Flamenco Latino has presented its Series in collaboration with Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning.


Going back 30 years, Flamenco Latino's interpretation of Ida y Vuelta included exploration of flamenco guajiras and many rumba styles, such as Peret, Bambino and the Gipsy Kings. It has also created many unusual amalgamations referencing mambo, cha-cha, danzon, bomba y plena, cumbia and merengue. Drawing on Basilio Georges' early professional career as a jazz musician, the music has reflected many jazz harmonic and improvisatory concepts.


With such a career reference, Flamenco Latino produced a great deal of exciting and innovative repertoire presented in Seasons at Pace University and the Duke Theater, and through touring from 1997 to 2006. It has gone even further with collaborations at Thalia Spanish Theatre from 2003-2009, where Director Angel Gil Orrios involved Flamenco Latino to interpret the art of Picasso through plays written by the artist, and through "Amor Latino," a musical involving both tap and flamenco. From 2006-2016, Flamenco Latino ran a Studio Theater space in Midtown Manhattan where they offered classes in dance, guitar, cante and palmas for adults and children, presented performances and recitals, and produced workshops with artists from Spain.


Flamenco Latino currently offers both live and online classes and performances. Classes are offered at studios in Jackson Hts. Queens, and in Greenwich Village Manhattan.

Flamenco Latino Board

Gerhard Schlanzky, Board Chair (Interim)
Creative Director, Director of Exhibitions, New-York Historical Society Museum & Library, guitar and cante aficionado.


Basilio Georges, Treasurer (Interim)
Co-Founder, Guitarist, Singer, Composer.
basilio@flamencolatino.com


Aurora Reyes, Secretary (Interim)
Co-Founder, Dancer, Singer, Choreographer.
aurora@flamencolatino.com


Alice Lemos, NEW Secretary Elect
Legal Administrative Assistant, Community Work: a director of Jewish Pro Life Foundation; previously, Secretary of Co-op Board, Tutor/Volunteer St. Theresa School, Woodside; former director of The Bridge to Life. Language skills: Spanish, Portugese, Italian, Catalan. Published articles in Bulletin of the Comediantes and Actas of the International Society of Hispanistas. Avid flamenco dance student, studying with nearly every teacher in NYC, and participant in workshops offered by touring Spanish artists.


Linda Bergnes, NEW Member
Certified Spanish Interpreter NYS Family Court. Previous positions, Sanwa Bank, corporate banking, mergers & acquisitions; Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration, NY, sales, promotion and marketing. Fundraising, grant writing, exposition planning and financial administrative volunteer for Viva Galeria, Hell's Kitchen (now closed). Supporter and member of diverse non-profit performing arts organizations, museums, institutes and radio.


Hector Vazquez, Member
Air Force Vet with a Persian Gulf War disability, Member of Community Board 4, previous employment at CBS Viacom, Deutsche Bank, Fox News & Sports.com, Citibank in IT departments.


Eva Zelig, Member
Self Employed Documentary Film Producer. Worked for many years on documentary projects at WNET. Flamenco Aficionada and Cante Student.


Sharday Jones, M.A.Ed.
Grants and Strategic Development Consultant
With nearly a decade of collaboration with small businesses and non-profit organizations as a grants and strategic development consultant, Jones has joined Flamenco Latino to aid our fundraising and strategic development efforts. We look forward to expanding our operating capacity and garnering more foundational support to expand our mission.
sjones@flamencolatino.com


Volunteer

Mary Rodriguez
Computer Consultant (per diem),
Volunteer PS11 M, Volunteer Manager Lego Robotics FLL Team, Volunteer HealthCorps.


Flamenco Latino Staff

Basilio Georges, Executive Director

Aurora Reyes, Artistic Director


Artists
(Independent Contractors)

Dancers: Julissa Cadenillas, Leslie Carmen Irizarry, Natalia Starkova

Guest Artist: Omar Edwards

Musicians: Luis Ossa, Danny Rivera

Musician/Stage Mgr: Walid Guzman

Junior Member: Malia Fay Vazquez


Flamenco Latino is a 501c(3) non-profit. Click on the Buttons below to find links to IRS 990-EZ reports for the past five years 2018-2022.

© 2021 Flamenco Latino, Phone 347-771-2440, 646-667-7621 Contact Us
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