Siempre Flamenco’s Dynamic Festival de Cante Flamenco

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Back in 2022, I was contracted by the good folks at Siempre Flamenco to photograph their flamenco show at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. I was back at the Arsht Center a week ago photographing the 20th edition of Siempre Flamenco’s Festival de Cante Flamenco – and I was happy to be there. Having visited several of the top flamenco tablaos in Madrid, I know what truly dynamic flamenco is supposed to look and sound like and this show had it all.

Diego Amador Jr. on vocals and José Cortes “Panzekito” on guitar

This year’s program featured two of Spain’s most celebrated dancers, Rafael Campallo and Raquel Heredia, both performing at the festival for the first time. The festival also featured acclaimed singers Mari Peña, Diego Amador Jr. and Javier Heredia and exceptional guitarists José Cortes “Panzekito” and Antonio Moya. Siempre Flamenco’s founding members Paco and Celia Fonta also joined in with his guitar playing and her dancing.

Celia Fonta

Celia and Paco Fonta are acclaimed flamenco artists who lead the company Siempre Flamenco, which is based in Miami. Celia Fonta is a Chicago native who studied flamenco dance in Madrid with world-renowned masters. Her professional career began alongside the man who would become both her artistic partner and life partner — Paco Fonta.

Singer Mari Peña and guitarist Antonio Moya

Paco Fonta is an internationally recognized flamenco guitarist, singer, and composer from Andalusia, Spain. His guitar can be heard on Gloria Estefan’s hit album ‘Cuts Both Ways’, Olga Tañón’s ‘Tu Amor’, and numerous other Latin recordings. Together, Celia and Paco toured the United States with the prestigious Boston Flamenco Ballet before relocating to Miami in 1986.

Flamenco dancer Raquel Heredia

Flamenco dancer Raquel Heredia and guitarist Paco Fonta

After several years performing together performing at all the major tablaos in Miami, Celia and Paco took their commitment to flamenco to a new level in 2002 by founding Siempre Flamenco, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting awareness of flamenco music and dance and preserving its art and traditions. The organization’s name (“Always Flamenco”) reflects their lifelong dedication to this art form.

Raquel Heredia and Mari Peña

But I know what you’re asking: “Why black and white, Dan? It’s a flamenco show for goodness sake! Flamenco is all about color!” Now, ordinarily, you’d be right – but not in this case. Blacks and whites were the standout colors of this particular performance (in my eyes) and stripping away the color enhances the visual intensity of several of the images. But I’m just “speculating about a hypothesis”, so compare for yourself with this link to the gallery in living color.

Enjoy the photographs…