Experience Flamenco Portland
In Person & Online flamenco classes + workshops, residencies, events, performances in Portland area Making flamenco accessible.
Experience Flamenco Portland
... provides a broad flamenco experience of Community, Instruction & Performance.
08/25/2024
Show your love to Experience Flamenco by casting one vote per day in the Best of the Rose City contest through August 30th.
You'll find Experience Flamenco in the "Things To Do" category under "Dance Studios."
Here' the link to vote:
https://www.voterosecity.com
Thank you for your love and support!
💕Laura
07/31/2024
August workshop details are in!
Here's what's coming up:
August 10 & 11
Tangos Made Simple (Live guitar & cante)
Bulerias Made Simple (Live guitar & cante)
August 24 & 25
Intro to Abanico
Castanets
¡Olé!
Link to more details in comments.⬇️
07/22/2024
Flamenco lovers from Portland and throughout the US and Canada gathered for what was an incredible flamenco weekend with Mercedes Ruiz & Santiago Lara. 🙌🙌🙌
Thank you SO MUCH to everybody who came out to support the workshops and show with This couldn’t have happened without you.
And of course a HUGE GRACIAS to COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ and Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor. Sois increibles y os quiero mucho!!!!Gracias por haber hecho este viaje tan largo para compartir vuestro arte con nosotros.
The workshops were so. much. fun. (as always) and the show was out of control amazing.
🤩Seriously. WOW!!!!!!
“Thank you for putting together a wonderful weekend with Mercedes and Santi. I loved loved loved every workshop class, and the performance was amazing! Mercedes was definitely one of the best teachers I've ever had. She did such a wonderful job of setting the right pace for each level, paying attention to each student, giving a perfect mix of critical feedback and affirming winks and smiles. What a treat to study with her!” - Ali J.
Thank you SO much for introducing me to the most beautiful unique dancer I have EVER seen, and her talented husband. Her performance was amazing. I LOVED every minute of it. I have never seen anyone dance like this. Mercedes is so gifted. You have expanded my world! Thank you for a job well done. - Leigh Y.
(Those are just a couple of the many glowing messages we’ve received about the weekend. :)
P.S. Thank you for providing a top notch flamenco guitar for Santi to play while he was here Nat Hulskamp.
And thank you Jeff Trapp for hooking us up with a great microphone for Santi’s guitar.
And thank you STEPS PDX for allowing us to use your beautiful studio!
¡Olé!
THIS is about to happen.
DUAL with COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ and Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor at TOC Portland
Olé!
07/20/2024
TONIGHT: Flamenco lovers of Portland - The ticketing site is back up!!
(It was down earlier today but is now working, phew.) You may purchase in advance using the link below or get your tickets at the door.
Show 8pm
Doors 7pm
TOC Portland
Mercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland
♥️ DUAL ♥️
“Throughout the show, Mercedes Ruiz will play with her own incarnations of femininity.
Sublime in the bata de cola, radiant in the shawl, she seems to have put his thought into each fringe that he swirls and spreads with precision.
Here, without frills, everything has its place in a dance far from being superficial, where the stage is powerfully inhabited.
Dual offers us the feeling of the beautiful, the strong...from the depths
The link with the music and with the presence of Santiago Lara is the true red thread, from the very beginning to the shared chord that marks the end.”
— Journal- La Terrasse.Fr
This Saturday, July 20th at TTOC Portland!
MMercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland
Ticket Link in comments
CCOMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZSSantiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor
♥️ Another peek at Mercedes Ruiz practicing for DUAL, the latest creation with her husband Santiago Lara coming to Portland , this Saturday, July 20th!
Mercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland
📰 “Once she starts dancing, she takes over the stage. It is impossible to take your eyes off of her… Taken separately, the two artists are among the best of their generation. Together, they offer a moving and forceful show where the exploration of flamenco will take you to a moment of grace. Time passes too quickly and we would like to stay two or three more hours to enjoy their talents.”
- Vicente Pasquinelli /The Night Owls of Avignon
See you at the show?
Ticket link in comments ;)
COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor TOC Portland
👀 Sneak peek at rehearsal with Mercedes Ruiz
🎶 Here she runs through a piece where she dances to the guitar of Manuel Morao, a prominent guitarist from Jerez de la Frontera whose company she danced with when she was just six years old!
🧳 At the young age of six, Mercedes toured with him and his company all over Europe and even to New York.
💒 Watch her perform this whole piece next Saturday, July 20th at The Old Church in Portland.
🎵 This will be one of many numbers she dances in DUAL, a collaboration with her equally talented husband, Santiago Lara on flamenco guitar.
Live flamenco right here in Portland with two of Spain’s biggest flamenco artists, Mercedes Ruiz & Santiago Lara on July 20th:
Mercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland !!!
Some thoughts from COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ on collaborating with her husband, Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor
“The truth is it’s great because we began working together before becoming a couple.
We’ve always spoken the same language. He music and me dance. But both of us had the same language. So really it’s completely easy working together. I can’t say otherwise…
If he weren’t here it would be so hard for me.
It’s like he is my right hand and he understands me perfectly on stage.”
Experience their collaboration first hand at TOC Portland in just a couple of weeks.
🎟️💃🏻🎶♥️Ticket link in comments
¡Olé!
07/09/2024
Summer classes begin THIS EVENING!
WHAT'S HAPPENING:
💃🏽Tuesday & Wednesday evening classes throughout the summer
💃🏽+ Two weekends of workshops, August 10 & 11 and August 24 & 25
💃🏽Kids classes in August
🌳 Some outdoor pop up classes if people are interested!
We'd love to dance with you this summer 💃🏽
♥️ L O V E ♥️
🎥 This clip comes from Mercedes Ruiz & Santiago Lara's recent performance of DUAL in Shanghai…
📰 “The audience surrendered to the artistic talent of the Jerez couple, who through dance and guitar structured an intimate and impactful show that has already achieved other successes in other parts of the globe.
…Mercedes’s dance, which defends tradition while also advancing her artistic concept a step further, is intermingled with the powerful guitar of Santiago Lara, who in the show blends his own compositions…with works by guitar masters such as Sabicas.”
- Diario de Jerez
We are 𝘀𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 that these two are bringing the show , Mercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland , to Portland’s TOC Portland July 20th!!!
🎟️ Ticket link in comments .
Here’s the original excerpt in Spanish from the Diario de Jerez:
“El público se rindió al talento artístico de la pareja jerezana, que a través del baile y la guitarra estructuraron un espectáculo íntimo e impactante que ya ha conseguido otros éxitos en otros puntos del globo terráqueo.
El baile de Mercedes, con el que reivindica la tradición pero dando un paso más a su concepto artístico, se entremezcla con la guitarra poderosa de Santiago Lara, que en dicho espectáculo alterna composiciones propias, algunas de las que han conformado los trece espectáculos de la Compañía de Mercedes Ruiz, con obras de maestros de la guitarra como Sabicas.”
DE MERCEDES RUIZ & Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor
➡️ July 20th direct from Jerez, Spain
Mercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland
🎟️ Ticket link in comments.
“A grand blaze of Artistry” - Financial Times
“Taken separately, the two artists are among the best of their generation. Together, they offer a moving and forceful show where the exploration of flamenco will take you to a moment of grace. Time passes too quickly and we would like to stay two or three more hours to enjoy their talents.”
— Vicente Pasquinelli /The Night Owls of Avignon
COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ & Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor
(Limited number of preferred reserved seats available in addition to general admission seats. )
💃🏻🎶♥️
¡Olé!
♥️🎶💃🏻DUAL is coming to Portland July 20th!
COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ & Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor will bring their latest work to TOC Portland this summer.
Mercedes Ruíz & Santiago Lara: DUAL! Live in Portland
I can’t wait to see this live…
Mercedes and Santiago unite their talents and their common vision of flamenco to create something very special in this performance:
An intimate work, rich in expression and styles.
Get ready for a thrilling journey through different forms of the dance, where the evolution of tradition is the common denominator.
This is gonna be so goooooooooood.
Reserve your tickets now.
(There are a limited number of preferred reserved seats available in addition to general admission seats. )
Ticket link in comments.
💃🏻🎶♥️
¡Olé!
05/26/2024
Maravillosa gira nos espera !!
Gracias a todas las personas implicadas !!
This amazing woman is coming to Portland July 19-21!!!! Workshops & a performance with her husband, Santiago Lara!!
05/03/2024
New sessions begin this month. In Portland, Lake Oswego, and Online
¡Olé!
03/26/2024
COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ & Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor Coming to Portland July 20th with Dual, which just finished two SOLD OUT shows in London.
Details coming soon!! Comment below if you want the details as soon as they're released...
03/01/2024
¡Olé tú!
Way to go!
Today is world compliment day.
This is a beautiful thing.
What's even more beautiful is that basically every day is compliment day in the world of flamenco.
Encouragement is embedded into the spirit of flamenco.
And one of the best ways to express this is with jaleos.
Jaleos are calls of encouragement used in flamenco to cheer one another on.
They inspire positive energy for both giver and receiver.
And flamenco cannot exist without them.
Learn some common flamenco jaleos and see how to use them here.
¡Toma que toma!
Laura
You Got It! 🤩 ¡Eso Es! Today is world compliment day. This is a beautiful thing. What's even more beautiful is that basically every day is compliment day in the world of flamenco. Encouragement is embedded into the spirit of flamenco. And one of the best ways to express this is with jaleos. Jaleos are calls of e...
🗓️Mark your calendars!
These two are coming to Portland July 19-21!!
💃🏻🎶Three days of workshops and a performance you don’t want to miss.
Stay tuned for more details.
🙌♥️🎶💃🏻🕺🏽
02/15/2024
I’ve been biting my tongue for weeks, and finally I get to share the exciting news with you...
The one and only COMPAÑÍA DE MERCEDES RUIZ is coming to Portland with her insanely talented husband, Santiago Lara Guitarrista/Compositor
As you know, I LOVE Mercedes.
She was my inspiration for the Flamenco Tour to Jerez
There’s no place I’d rather be than in class with her.
And now you can join me for workshops with her right here in Portland, Oregon.🙌
🗓️ So, mark your calendars for July 19-21.
Mercedes and Santi will be in town for three days of workshops and a show at the Old Church that is not to be missed.
Comment below if this sounds amazing! 🙋🏻♀️
01/20/2024
New classes begin this weekend!! (Normally they are available online or in person, but this Saturday we’re online only) 💃🏽👏🥶♥️
Multilevel Body Technique 1:40-2:10pm
Castanets 2:15-3:15pm
And of course, Ins & Outs of Tangos 12:30pm
Click here to claim your Sponsored Listing.
Our Story
Experience Flamenco Portland provides a broad and accessible flamenco experience of instruction, performance and community through classes and events with local and international artists in Portland, OR, retreats in the Western US, guided trips to Spain to get to know flamenco in its birthplace, and flamenco articles posted to the blog. Founder Laura Onizuka is driven by the challenge and beauty of flamenco. She believes anyone who is moved by this art form has the capability to access it.
Our Portland classes emphasize technique, improvisation, and the relationship between the cante (singing), baile (dancing), and compás (rhythm) in a positive community based learning environment. Focusing on these skills and paying respect to where flamenco comes from are essential in allowing students to grow into strong flamenco dancers.
We believe that learning is an interactive process that should be fun & that anyone who is moved by flamenco has the capability to access it.
Come unlock the mysteries of flamenco dance and music with us.
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