The origins of the modern flamenco dress trace back nearly two centuries to Seville’s Feria de Abril, where gypsy women wore inexpensive calico dresses accentuated by layers of ruffles. As flamenco moved from the original gypsy communities and into Spain’s cafés cantantes in the second half of the 19th century, its costumes became more extravagant. Today, flamenco…
Perello Flamenco Fashion Show to Feature First Transgender Model
If you’ve ever experienced a flamenco show in San Antonio, chances are you’ve seen the work of Lisa Perello, who designs costumes and dresses for nearly every flamenco dancer in the city. Her clients include Arte y Pasión and the dance studio Raices de Arte Español among others. In 2012, she presented the first all…
Arte y Pasión’s ‘Algoritmos’ Lands at Jump-Start
There will be an unlikely meeting of minds this weekend when Arte y Pasión presents Algoritmos, a multidisciplinary, collaborative project that “juxtaposes” flamenco with modern dance, and yes, opera. In this latest work, artistic director Tamara Adira leads an ever-evolving cast of dancers, musicians and vocalists as they stretch the boundaries of an ancient genre while attempting to…