ARTE Y PUREZA FLAMENCO COMPANY HAS MOST RECENTLY MOVED ITS TOURING BASE FROM SEVILLE TO LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA!
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Arte y PurezaFlamenco Company
ARTE Y PUREZA AND THE FOUNTAIN THEATRE PRESENT
'ENTRE MUJERES'
AT THE BARNSDALL GALLERY THEATRE IN HOLLYWOOD
Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company provides a rare look into the purest forms of flamenco music and dance. The show brings powerful Gypsy singing from the legendary towns of Andalucía. Expect dazzling footwork, unique style as well as exposure to the art of "baile casero", one of the oldest forms of Gypsy song and dance. The dissonant, melancholy notes of the company's guitarists set the musical background for an unforgettable evening. Arte y Pureza is a display of artistry and personality rarely seen outside the intimate bars and private parties of Andalucía. Each individual artist is currently considered a major force in his or her field. It is a rare opportunity to see this much experience, energy and raw talent together on one stage.
Arte y Pureza features some of the most important figures in flamenco today. Among them, names like Inés Bacán, Concha Vargas, Miguel Funi, Tomás Perrate, and el Barullo all hail from Gypsy flamenco dynasties where singing and dancing flamenco is household culture. Other touring members of Arte y Pureza are some of the most intriguing names of younger professional artists based in Spain such as Javier Heredia, José El Oruco, Fabiola Perez, Gabriel de la Tomasa, Antonio Moya, Antonio Malena, Manuel Tañe, El Canastero, Saray Montoya, Cihtli Ocampo, Ethan Margolis, and Anabel Valencia.
Born in Santa Cruz, CA and raised in Cleveland, OH, Ethan comes from a family of musicians. It is this source that has provided him with a profound love and dedication for the creation and performance of musical art. Margolis was attracted to flamenco due to its pure essence and its ability to transmit raw, human emotion.
Since his arrival in Seville in the year 2000, Margolis has made a name for himself in an intimate world of legendary artists. He has performed with a long list of Spain's most prominent flamenco artists including Concha Vargas, Inés Bacán, El Lebrijano, Curro Fernandez, Las Peligros, El Barullo, El Canastero, Tomás Perrate, Pedro Peña, Manuel de Paula, Miguel Funi, El Tañe, Pepe Torres, Joselito Fernandez, and Diego de la Margara.
In January of 2006, Margolis launched his flamenco company 'Arte y Pureza' (Art and Purity). It's mission is to preserve Gypsy-style roots flamenco song and dance. Since 2006, Arte y Pureza has toured the USA on four occasions and has taken part in international festivals in Romania, Ecuador, Canada, Spain, and Portugal. Riding the success of 'Arte y Pureza', Margolis produced and played on Miguel Funi's newest album, 'Aires Gitanos'. He then wrote and toured 'Spanish Day-the Flamenco Rock Opera' as well as forming the 'Sir Sultry Quartet' which fuses jazz and flamenco music. Currently Margolis is living in Los Angeles, CA but keeps strong ties to Andalucía, Spain. He most recently performed in the 2010 Caracolá festival in Lebrija, Spain, one of flamenco's birthplaces.
Margolis is one of the few young guitarists who view it as their obligation to study, understand, and defend the roots of "cante gitano andaluz" within flamenco (singer Antonio Mairena referred to the pure singing of the Gypsies as cante gitano so as to separate it from the generalizations that are so often made within flamenco ). Ethan´s accompaniment on the guitar is characterized by an extraordinary awareness of the details within Gypsy singing. His musical background has given him a sensitivity towards music that applies to his playing and his teaching.
Described as a 'powerful dancer' by Dancemagazine, Cihtli Ocampo began her career at the age of eight and first stepped onto a stage at nine. She began teaching and choreographing at the age of twelve for Stage 7 Dance Theater in San Diego, CA. At the age of 17, Ms. Ocampo moved to New York City where she spent over 10 years studying Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Modern (Horton & Graham), Dunham Technique and Theater Dance under such masters as Gregory Hines, Judith Jamison, Ann Reinking, Joan Peters, Honi Coles, Wilhelm Burman, Milton Meyers, Alexander Filipov, Zena Rommett and Cecilia Marta amongst others.
In 1999 she was awarded the William J. Fulbright Scholarship for the study of Flamenco and Spanish Dance within Spain. This scholarship marked the beginning of an 11 year residency in Seville where she immersed herself in Gypsy culture.
From 2000-2007 Ocampo trained exclusively with the legendary Farruco family. In 2004, she debuted in Farruquitos production of Alma Vieja. That same year Ms. Ocampo was the featured female dancer in Tony Gatlif's film "Exils" (Best Director, Cannes Film Festival). Since 2006 she has worked as the featured dancer of Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company. With Arte y Pureza, she has toured the USA on four occasions to sold out theaters and rave reviews. In 2009 she choreographed five original pieces for Spanish Day-The Flamenco Rock Opera. Ms. Ocampo is currently featured in one of LA's newest projects, the Sir Sultry Quartet.
Ocampo has performed extensively throughout Europe, South America, and the USA in theaters including Bilbao's Arriaga Theater, Seville's Los Gallos and New York's Tribeca Performing Arts Center. She is known for her strength and power while maintaining an elegance of line that comes from a lifetime of dancing. Her performance credits include Los Farrucos, Concha Vargas, Inés Bacan, La Macanita, Miguel Funi, Diego del Morao, Jose Valencia, Manuel Molina, Montse Cortes, La Tana, Antonio Moya, El Bobote, and Tito Puente. The film by Jeff Katz, "Spanish Day The Documentary" is currently being edited and will showcase her life in Spain with husband, Ethan Margolis (acclaimed Flamenco guitarist, musician, and composer).
Upcoming Performances (See Calendar below for further details)
OCT 16 - Ethan Margolis in Mare Vaporum World Festival of Sacred Music LA
OCT 19 - Sir Sultry at Skinny's Lounge in North Hollywood
Monday & Friday Night Class In LA
Every Monday night from 8:00-10:00pm
Subject: Tecnique/Choreography
Madilyn Clark Studios
10852 Burbank Blvd.
N. Hollywood CA 91601
Every Tuesday night from 8:00-9:30pm
Subject: Bata De Cola
Every Friday night from 7:30-9:00 pm
Technique and Choreography with Cihtli Ocampo
Born to Play Productions
2621 Pico Blvd - Unit K
Santa Monica, CA 90405
Bulerias Sundays In LA
One Sunday per month at Madilyn Clark's
Cante Class on Thursdays
Group cante class with Ethan
Two Thursdays/month 6:30-7:30pm
Sundays In San Diego
California Ballet School
4819 Ronson Court
San Diego CA 92111
Click here for more info on classes
Philosophy, Style, Influences
Cihtli Ocampo's choreographies can best be described as an elegant fusion of rigorous technique, unbridled emotion and daring sensuality. Her movements are embedded in a visceral connection to the music and an unwavering dedication to essence. She does not start a piece without having a full understanding of every rhythmic and melodic nuance in the music she is using. If the music is silence then her movements create a visual melody for the audience to interpret and imagine. As a director she has always had a very strong sense of what she wants in every aspect of her choreographies and movements, paying close attention to the strengths and breaking through the limitations of her dancers. She ensures that every movement makes sense on the body it is designed for. She draws her inspiration from over 30 years of intense dedication to various dance forms. Her influences include Alvin Ailey, Bob Fosse, George Balanchine, Martha Graham, Moses Pendleton and Carmen Amaya.
Areas of Expertise:
Styles: Gypsy-Style Flamenco (all styles), Jazz, Contemporary, Tap
Special Interests: Flamenco/Modern Fusion Choreography with an emphasis on Graham Technique
- Authenticating Spanish (Spain) female movements, gestures, speech and dancing for film and stage.
- Hand and arm embellishment and training.
- Footwork training.
- Retraining of professional dancers, ice skaters, actors and gymnasts searching for spontaneity and fluidity in movement
- Finding breath in movement
- Transmission of intention in a scene or movement
- Basic partnering for non-dancers or dancers who have never partnered before (Trusting Your Partner and How to Hold Your Own Weight)
- Ridding existing works of unnecessary, uninspired and unnatural movement.
- Professional actors, dancers, ice-skaters and gymnasts seeking authenticity of movement
- Advanced development of professional Flamenco dancers
- Getting back to dance after injury, childbirth, or non-activity
- Scene blocking, wardrobe, set design and lighting design as part of her overall creation.
Click herefor class schedules and information about ongoing classes in LA and San Diego
Online Classes Coming Soon!!!
Over the years of teaching in Spain, Portugal, and throughout more than 20 US Cities, Cihtli and Ethan have developed a very unique format for teaching flamenco. The emphasis is NOT ON CHOREOGRAPHY but focuses on creating a sturdy foundation with which the student can improve over time. The idea is that with these newly-found tools, the students can keep getting better by themselves and develop their own personality within the art form. Questions like these found below will be addressed in the Arte y Pureza workshops.
-When do I begin dancing?
-What is marcaje por Solea and how does it differ from marcaje por otro palo?
-Where does the escobilla go and how do I start it
-How do I rematar the letra?
-How should Solea begin and end as a performance piece?
-How do I keep the guitar/cante/baile alive?
-What falsetas work for baile on the guitar? When do I put them in? Are there different falsetas used for marcaje and escobillas? How do I accompany a subida? What is a corte and when do I use it?
-How do I give my dance structure?
CLASS DESCRIPTIONS
Click herefor more descriptions
UNDERSTANDING BULERIAS
(no pre-requisite...all levels welcome)
Learn the different rhythms that make up the buleria! Understand the importance of remates within flamenco music, song and dance. Learn how to listen to flamenco music so as to better your own private studies. This class is dedicated to dancers, guitarists, and singers and is a one of a kind course that helps tie everything in flamenco together. It is like a flamenco theory 101 class where Ethan will help you to feel more comfortable with the buleria and your ability to participate in a fiesta setting. The class will be accompanied by guitar, singing, and Ethan´s demonstrations of how to dance in a fiesta. The last day of class will consist of a fiesta por buleria where everyone can participate!
STUDY IN SEVILLE, SPAIN
Click herefor more information
We urge dancers, guitarists, and singers of all levels to come to Seville, Spain and live flamenco with us. We will customize a study program for you based on your learning goals and the length of your stay. All members of Arte y Pureza are available to give classes and program schedules depend on artist availability.
SOLEA
La Solea is one of Flamencos most important palos. It has a depth and solemnity that very few flamenco rhythms posses. In this workshop Margolis and Ocampo will teach a strong base of compas por Solea, and then will proceed to explain the typical patterns of various verses or letras that can be found in Solea. With this knowledge the student will gain an understanding of how cante por Solea begins, develops, and then concludes. This knowledge is crucial in order to properly dance, sing and accompany this palo. The dancer will learn how to properly mark a letra, while respecting the cante, and paying attention to the guitar. He will then teach the dancer what they must listen for in order to properly anticipate the climax within the music.
Understanding the relationship between the cante and the guitar, and what is happening in the compas is of utmost importance in order to dance with 'mando' and 'sabor'. We will go on to teach what the dancer and the guitarist could do before and after the letras, how to go into an escobilla, and how to make the transition from Solea to Buleria. This workshop is open to all levels, and to dancers, guitarists and singers.
BAILANDO AL CANTE
(Must have taken at least 2 of Ethan's Understanding Bulerias)
*** FOR DANCERS AND AFICIONADOS OF INTERMEDIATE OR ADVANCED LEVEL***
Great flamenco dancing consists of understanding flamenco singing so that the dancer supports the music that is played. You will learn various flamenco verses from the towns of Jerez, Lebrija, Utrera, and Sevilla. Ethan will teach the different rhythms that make up these verses and how to properly "marcar", "rematar", and "llamar" within the singing. This is a very unique class that Margolis has designed with the purpose of helping dancers feel more comfortable within the buleria. Each student will get the opportunity to dance these new verses and delve profoundly into the "WHY´S, WHEN´S, AND HOW COME´S" of this beautiful art form. The class will be accompanied by singing, guitar, and dancing demonstrations.
TANGOS
This workshop addresses the differents styles of tangos flamencos and how to play, dance, and sing them while maintaining un 'aire flamenco'. Tangos flamencos are very common in both stage performances and flamenco parties. Like bulerias, tangos is a palo that bases itself around the understanding of cante. It relies on significantly more verses than other flamenco palos (flamenco styles). Because of this, the success of the dancer and guitar player greatly depends upon their knowledge of 'cante por tangos'.
The workshop with a strong emphasis on compás (rhythm) and soniquete (flamenco feeling) within tangos. It will then move on to demonstrate a wide variety of tangos letras (verses). The purpose of this is to accustom the student to a wide variety of tangos verses thus facilitating their ability to dance, sing and play them. Some of these styles will include: tangos populares, tangos extremeños, tangos de málaga, tangos de triana, tangos de La Nina de Los Peines, tangos por fiesta, tangos-rumba, and rumba. He will also cover issues concerning the differences between modern tangos and tangos in the older, purer form.
Ethan and Cihtli will explain the differences between dancing tangos in a fiesta and dancing tangos on a stage. He will answer questions such as: How do we set a proper tempo for a stage performance? How long should I wait before I dance? What do I do first once Im dancing? How do I rematar the letra? What kind of palmas should I play? Which steps are appropriate to dance and which are not? When should I do footwork? As a guitar player, where do I have to change dynamically in order to give my playing the desired aire?
We will help you find lodging in a safe, convenient area in the city of Seville where you can walk to your classes and enjoy all the perks of everyday Andalusian living. There is no better way to learn flamenco than to experience it first hand with the artists of Andalucia!
Programs range from short term private lessons to long term intensive study. You can pick your own palo or be advised by our teachers.
*Please allow time for walking to and from the dance studio.
Example 1:
Intensive Study for Guitarist
(3 weeks, 5 days a week, Monday-Friday)
- Week one: 12-2pm Technique and Falsettas
- Week two: 12-2pm Cante Accompaniment
- Week three: 12-3pm Dance Accompaniment with live dancer
Example 2:
Short Term Study for Dancer
(1 week, 5 days, Monday-Friday)
Pick the palo you'd like to work on.
Classes may be from 12-2pm and will consist of Technique,
Choreography and Improvisation
Example 3:
Short Term Study for Singer
(1 week, 5 days, 2 hours/day Monday-Friday)
Hour 1: Compas, pellizco, and cante understanding
Hour 2: Cante lesson with a professional
Pick the palo you'd like to work on
Class Schedules vary depending on professor
Press Quotes
"Fierce and Triumphant" -
---Janice Steinberg, San Diego Union Tribune
"Flamenco revisits its family roots. Spains Arte y Pureza Company performs masterfully and adds vocals to boot.exemplary musicianship."
---Lewis Segal, Los Angeles Times
"A Conversation in Flamenco, With Intensity and Charm...a triumph." ... "Arte y Pureza is a dance company that stands out for its quiet relationships.without any tiresome flamenco histrionics."
---Claudia La Rocco, The New York Times
Seven performers simply appeared to be friends assembling to dance, sing and play the guitar. They did all that quite well and without haste, insinuating their way into theatergoers hearts, rather than walloping the audience with socko effects.
---Jack Anderson, New York Theatre Wire
(About Cihtli Ocampo)
"...performing the soleá, she traded in her fabulous turquoise heels and white ruffled dress for a dark suit as well as a fiercer, voluptuous attack. When she and Mr. Vargas danced during the customary jam session finale, the chemistry between this fiery young woman and debonairly self-deprecating older man was breathtaking"
"This girl is truly exceptional she danced with a mans suit and I was reminded of Carmen Amaya. She is strong and astounding, something you do not see every day."
---Mario Bois, Biographer of Carmen Amaya
Review Links
Click arrows to the right and left of image to see more videos...
Siren Skirts are absolutely killer! Our good friend Monique has designed the best rehearsal skirts we have seen. They accentuate the female body beautifully while giving the dancer a practical and durable skirt to dance in.
Click here for purchase through Monique
Spain's greatest festero Miguel Peña Vargas 'El Funi' demonstrates his amazing improvisational abilities throughout some of the most difficult Gypsy cantes on his most recent album ' Aires Gitanos .' Ethan Margolis on guitar.
Click here for purchase through Flamenco Connection
Subtitled "a window on the foreign vision," this remarkable book documents and celebrates the experience of the many international pilgrims who travelled to Andalucia in quest of "real," raw Flamenco in its native setting.
Our friend Steve Kahn put this book together. It is absolutely incredible having captured the true essence of the art.
For a great gigging plug-in flamenco guitar I recommend Camps, Camps, Camps! I have ordered from 'My Spanish Guitar' and they treat their clients well. You don't get to try it first, but they'll send it to the USA insured and at an affordable price. Mention 'Arte y Pureza' to them for a 'regalito' or possible discount on the guitar depending on inventory...ask for Pedro and tell him Ethan sent you! I am currently playing the Camps NAC - 4 -S in the Sir Sultry project.
LOS ANGELES TIMES DANCE REVIEW
Flamenco revisits its family roots
Lewis Segal,
October 1, 2007
Arte y Pureza Company from Seville adds vocalism to the high-velocity form.
When people speak about the origins of flamenco, they usually emphasize the Andalusian caves and cantinas where outsiders first saw the art and where its stylistic priorities were honed. But before that, before percussive bravura dominated the dancing, flamenco was an expressive, improvisational form shared by Gypsy families in their homes.
Miguel Peña Vargas, a.k.a. El Funi, speaks about the old days while visiting his grandmother's house on "Aires Gitanos," a new CD-DVD package from Discmedi. And this suave, 68-year-old guardian of tradition brought a sense of that time to the Gallery Theater in Barnsdall Art Park on Friday in a performance with the skillful Arte y Pureza Company from Seville, Spain.
Everyone danced in this seven-member company and nearly everyone sang. Dance passages often punctuated and ornamented vocalism, never more brilliantly than in El Funi's Act 2 solos -- deft, light footed, suggesting more than displaying -- and the intense song-and-dance conversation between Fabiola Perez and Javier Heredia.
A guitar duet for Antonio Moya and company director Ethan Margolis also developed from individual statements to spontaneous interplay, though microphone feedback added nasty eruptions to their exemplary musicianship. Barnsdall sight lines aren't ideal for viewing footwork, but Cihtli Ocampo danced with such gestural flair and mastery of her long, ruffled train (kicking it behind her with every turn and sometimes up into her arms) that her Act 1 solo proved one of the evening's highlights -- and her finale duet with El Funi (circling each other as if waiting to pounce) another.
Early in Act 2, Ocampo danced in a man's suit, a break with flamenco tradition popularized nearly 75 years ago by the great Carmen Amaya. Moments of stillness added tension to the solo before outbursts of turns, high-velocity heel work or bold directional shifts provided new examples of her gutsy attack. Among the singers, the high yet virile tone of Gabriel "Pies Plomo" added a distinctive edge to the performance, 80% of which was reportedly improvised. Certainly, the members' rapt attention to every facet of El Funi's art conveyed deep love and respect for the man. Flamenco events are often refreshingly off the cuff, but this one made an especially strong case for jettisoning the way folklore is usually presented on our stages.
Early in the 20th century, the dance audience was a ballet audience, so the pioneers of theatricalized folklore used ballet as a model for their choreography and staging formats. But the audience they developed no longer needs the unison and large-scale spectacle their companies keep purveying.
People are now clearly willing to prize such intimate, improvisational ensembles as Arte y Pureza. Now if we could only get rid of the amplification.
NEW YORK THEATRE WIRE REVIEW
Flamenco Without Frills
"Maestría"
Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company
Tribeca Performing Arts Center, 199 Chambers Street, Tribeca
Reviewed by Jack Anderson, Oct. 12, 2007
Flamenco is music, as well as dance. That was one message of "Maestría" by the Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company of Seville. There were no fancy production numbers, no bits of showbiz glitz. This was flamenco without frills. Seven performers simply appeared to be friends assembling to dance, sing, and play the guitar. They did all that quite well and without haste, insinuating their way into theatergoers' hearts, rather than walloping the audience with socko effects. Although many Americans expect flamenco presentations to focus on dancing, music dominated the first act of "Maestría," which began with "Dos Guitarras por Tarantas," in which Antonio Moya and Ethan Margolis, the group's director, appeared to be conversing with their guitar playing, which was usually ruminative in tone.
The show's male star, the veteran flamenco artist Miguel Peña Vargas, known as El Funi, offered two songs, "Seguiriyas" and "Soleá de Maria Peña." Wearing a blue suit with a white scarf, draped over it, he sang soulfully, snaring attention with his intense concentration, rather than with vocal tantrums; his star power transcended exhibitionism. The first act did have its dancing, an "Alegrías" by Cihtli Ocampo, known as La Gallardi, which began in an unhurried manner, then gradually gained power until, after letting her long train swirl around her, she shook off her shawl and raised her skirts to display crisp joyous footwork.
The second act merged music and dance. In "La Pareja por Bulerías," Fabiola Perez and Javier Heredia carried on a lively discourse during which they both sang and danced, and when they faced each other while moving and singing, the confrontation suggested a contest of wills. "Soleá" found La Gallardi seated, listening to the musicians until their sounds inspired her to rise in bursts of steps separated by pauses as taut as her strong kicks and strides. El Fuñi, who offered "Cantiñas de Pinini" and "Bulerías," also began by sitting among the musicians while singing. When he danced, he let arm gestures and footwork punctuate his vocal phrases, thereby uniting sound and movement. The concluding "Fin de Fiesta" brought everyone together in songs, dances, and guitar playing.
The program's overall feeling of warmth might have been intensified if the troupe had appeared in a more intimate space than this one, a comfortable but sizable theater sometimes used by classical ballet and folkloric dance companies. And although the forest of microphones on stage did not spoil the traditional art of Arte y Pureza, it surely diluted its purity.
SAN DIEGO UNION TRIBUNE
Flamenco Show Brings out the Gypsy in Me
Janice Steinberg
January 31, 2006
Art can transport us to another time and place. It can even, rarely, surprise us with a larger vision of who we might be, though that's an uncommon and incredibly precious gift. Hearing Maria Peña sing with the Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company last night, I glimpsed my Spanish Gypsy selfa self more sensual, with more poetry and less rationalism in her life, one who doesn't place so much of her value in her work. A selfa giftI experienced as a softening through my body, as Peña carried on a musical conversation with her husband, guitarist Antonio Moya.
Just the two of them sat on simple folding chairs at the front of UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium stage, as they might sit at home in Utrera, a town southeast of Seville. Peña listened silently for the first few minutes as Moya played. He gazed intently at her. Her focus was internal, taking the music inside of her, a moment of such intimacy that my more poetic Gypsy self might call it holy. Ah, and then she sang. Peña's voice contains some of the scratched-throat quality I've heard in other flamenco singers, but there's sweetness and liquid, too, an operatic melisma that, I believe, characterizes the cante of Utrera. Her songs told stories, and knowledge of more than tourist Spanish would have made the experience of hearing her richer. Still, it didn't take a linguist to understand her voice weeping as if she were channeling the pain of the world, or the lightheartedness with which she ended; nor to marvel at the conviction with which she made that complex emotional journey.
The singer is said to be the heartbeat of flamenco, and Arte y Pureza reflected Peña's artistry. Dancer Cihtli Ocampo (a San Diego native who now lives in Seville) sparkled in her opening Alegría. Even with a joyous form like alegría, flamenco can come across as deadly serious, with the dancers pursing their lips as if they've bitten into a lemon, but Ocampo looked like she was having a blast. Grinning, she played like a kid with the long train of her orange bata de cola dress, kicking it as if it were a soccer ball; or, gathering it up and cradling it like a baby. A lightness to some of her steps may have reflected her long pre-flamenco training in tap, or simply her joie de vivre. Even in the darker Soléa, she looked fierce and triumphantespecially since she danced, Carmen Amaya-style, in pants. She strutted, flirtatiously swung her mobile hips, exulted in a driving-footwork llamada, and looked thrilled enough to burst when Peña came forward to sing to her directly. When I interviewed her, Ocampo quoted one of her teachers, from the Farruco family, as telling her, "You have to be full of one of two things, either a lot of love or a lot of hate, but nothing in between." Ocampo has chosen love, and it showed.
Moya, recently nominated as Guitarist of the Year in Spain for his latest album, played with clarity, delicate shading, and impeccable attention to his partners in this highly improvisatory form; a similar focus and energetic playing came from his student, Ethan Margolis, an American-born guitarist who lives with Ocampo in Seville. Sevillans Luis Peña and Javier Heredia both practice cante y baile, a flamenco version of being song-and-dance men. Peña has exceptionally graceful arms, with gentle, flowing hands in pleasing contrast to a powerful body. Heredia is fast and compact. Both had fun with solo Bulerías, a comic form in which the dancer clowns and fools around.
Margolis directs the ensemble, and his vision was evident in staging that created intimate moments, such as the duet between Peña and Moya. In another intimate segment, Luis Peña, Heredia, and Margolis sat around a cajon (a black box the size of an end table). Focused on each other rather than the audience, Peña and Heredia let us eavesdrop on an informal conversation in song, accompanied by Margolis on guitar and by the two singers rapping on the percussive cajon. When I asked a Spanish-speaker what they talked about, she laughed and said, "Women."
By the end of the show, my Gypsy self was all ready to go to the post-concert gathering, fuel up with a few espressos, and party till 3 a.m. This was just a glimpse, however, not a metamorphosis, and I went home to bed. But what a delicious glimpse, and what a gift it was. Note to my friends: Now that I know that self exists, watch out!
PITTSBURGH MAGAZINE
FLAMENCO FEVER
Robert Isenberg, PM
Theater Editor
Yerma is a steamy, heartrending drama, and if you havent seen Quantum Theatres production of this Federico Garcia Lorca play, I strongly recommend it. But better than the play itself are the flamenco sequences: Between scenes, Cihtli Ocampo appears, thrusting her hips and slamming the floor with her thick, black dance shoes. Her eyes are moist with feeling; her movements are almost violently passionate. As guided by master guitarist Ethan Margolis, Ocampo may be the most dramatic figure on-stage this year.
Spanish Day the Flamenco Rock Opera is the brainchild of Ethan Margolis, composer and performer of the acclaimed Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company. Two years in the making, it is the story of Michael Miller, a young boy from a troubled musicians household, who escapes to Spain and discovers the exotic world of Gypsy Flamenco. Michael is only able to find peace when he dreams of Spain and its exotic rhythms. He finds true love and acceptance with his integration into a world where family is the most important gift of life.
Spanish Day is a musical odyssey, combining genres such as rock, flamenco, blues, jazz, cuban, soul, classical and calypso. It is an exploration of culture as we look upon two musical worlds thousands of miles apart. It demonstrates the beauty and importance of culture and ethnicity, as we watch performers from Gypsy, Jewish, African-American, Latin and Anglo-Saxon backgrounds unite to give us some of the most stirring music to surface in recent years.
Together with the striking woodcut drawings by Bill Watterson, creator of Calvin and Hobbes, audiences are given an intimate glimpse into the far away world of the Spanish Gypsy while discovering that in our dreams culture knows no boundaries.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Spanish Day The Flamenco Rock Opera
Announces San Diego Show July 25th
Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company, Band Sir Sultry and Bill Watterson Famed Calvin and Hobbes Creator Link Up For Spectacular Performance
_______________________________________________________________________
San Diego, CA (May 1, 2009) Ethan Margolis, Los Angeles resident and creator of the acclaimed Arte y Pureza Flamenco Company have announced the San Diego debut of their newest show - Spanish Day The Flamenco Rock Opera. The collaboration between Arte y Pureza, Band Sir Sultry and famed Calvin and Hobbes artist will hit the stage of the Garfield Theatre on July 25, 2009 in La Jolla. Arte y Pureza brings a highly anticipated show to the San Diego stage having received rave reviews from past performances from Los Angeles Times and New York Times.
The shows aim is to unite rock n roll with all three elements of flamenco: dancing, singing and the guitar to create an evening where friendships, families and life experiences are explored, mourned, and celebrated onstage. This traditional flamenco troupe, based in Seville, Spain, performs the art of both music and dance making great use of improvisation to create a sense of emotional intensity.
We created Spanish Day The Flamenco Rock Opera as an exploration of culture as we look upon two musical worlds thousands of miles apart, said Margolis. It demonstrates the beauty and importance of culture and ethnicity.
This flamenco/rock opera amalgam tells the story of a young man, Michael Miller, who leaves a broken musician's household in the USA to travel to Spain where he discovers the exotic world of Gypsy Flamenco and falls in love with the music. Michael is only able to nd peace when he dreams of Spain and its exotic rhythms. He nds true love and acceptance with his entrance into a world where family is the most important gift of life.
In addition to the flamenco performance by Arte y Pureza and music by Sir Sultry, Bill Watterson, creator of the Calvin and Hobbes comic strip has created a mix of woodcut-type drawings depicting the characters in "Spanish Day". Together with the drawings, audiences are given an intimate glimpse into the far away world of the Spanish Gypsy while discovering that in our dreams culture knows no boundaries.
Spanish Day the Flamenco Rock Opera performed by Sir Sultry with Arte y Pureza dancers and singers from Seville, Spain will be performing on Saturday July 25th at 8:00pm. The performance will be at the Garfield Theatre located at 4126 Executive Drive in La Jolla. Tickets can be purchased through HYPERLINK http://tickets.lfjcc.org/contactus.asp http://tickets.lfjcc.org/contactus.asp or by calling 858.362.1348. In case of a sellout, an additional performance will be offered on Sunday, July 26th at 7pm.
About Arte y Pureza
The much acclaimed seven-member Arte y Pureza company is directed by Ethan Margolis and led by Spanish artists José Ramos, Javier Heredia, Maria Garrido, and San Diego native Cihtli Ocampo (dancer in Tony Gatlif's film "Exils"). The troupe is an amazing display of improvisation and mastery within the oldest styles of gypsy song and dance. http://www.arteypureza.com/
About Sir Sultry
Spanish Day the Flamenco Rock Opera is the genius of LA's flamenco jazz quartet, Sir Sultry. The band mixes genres such as flamenco, blues, jazz, bolero, soul, classical and calypso to execute a little bit of everything in Spanish Day. It's four accomplished members include Ethan Margolis, Joey Heredia, Arturo Solar, and Kevin Freeby. http://www.sirsultry.com
Teaching Experience
University of Michigan Robertson Award for Excellence in Music, 2002
Voice Coach in Co-ordination with Alexander Technique at University of Michigan's Residential College, 2002
8 Years Experience teaching Master Classes and Lecture/Demos in the USA and Spain
- Schools include: Duquesne University, University of Michigan, Fairmount Center for the Arts, Pittsburgh Classical Guitar Society, Cal Arts University
Course Material
History of Flamenco and the Gypsy migration to Spain
History of the Flamenco Guitar
History of Flamenco Song
Flamenco Rhythms - Accent Patterns, Sequences, and Phrasing
Harmony of the Flamenco Guitar
Technique of the Flamenco Guitar
Harmonic Communication Amongst Flamenco Artists
'The Hidden Flamenco Theory'
Accompaniment: Flamenco Singing
Accompaniment: Flamenco Dance
'Westernizing' the 12 Count Flamenco Sequence
Dancing to Singing
Flamenco in the Home vs. Flamenco on Stage
Monday Nights in LA
9:00-10:00 pm Understanding Flamenco Cante, Rhythms and Structure: Professional Development with Ethan Margolis
Teaching Experience 30 years teaching experience
Flamenco Dance: Technique (Footwork, Body, Arms and Turns)
Flamenco Dance: Understanding the Basic Rhythms of Flamenco
Flamenco Dance: Choreographies in the various rhythms of Flamenco
Flamenco Dance: Improvisation
Flamenco Dance: Evolution, History and Influences
Flamenco Dance: Masters of Yesterday and Today
Flamenco Dance: Modern Fusions
Flamenco Dance: Interpretation and Personalization of Dance Form
Flamenco Dance: Achieving Naturalness in Movement
Flamenco Dance: On a stage.
Flamenco Dance: In a private party.
Flamenco Dance: Wardrobe, Hair and Makeup
Flamenco Dance: Castanettes
Spanish Dance: Sevillanas
Flamenco Dance: Understanding the 12 count compas
1999 - Current
Ocampo teaches throughout Spain and the USA
Cities Include
New York, NY, Santa Cruz, CA, San Diego, CA, San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Chicago, IL, Pittsburgh, PA, Raleigh-Durham, NC, Winston-Salem, NC, Cleveland, OH, Columbus, OH, Detroit, MI, Ann Arbor, MI, Seattle, WA, Albuquerque, NM, Houston, TX, Atlanta, GA, Vancouver, B.C., Lisbon, Portugal, Sevilla, Spain, Mexico City, Mexico
1996 - 1998
Ocampo teaches in the Winston-Salem North Carolina Public Schools System and in the NYC Public School System in Manhattan, the Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens as part of the Artists in the Schools Program as a member of Carlota Santana Flamenco Vivo
- In these program Cihtli worked extensively with inner city kids from 3rd grade to seniors in High School. Her classes included children with severe autism, ADD and Downs Syndrome.
1990-1995
Teaches Ballroom Dance at Arthur Murray Dance Studios in New York City. Taught Jazz, Tap and Contemporary Dance at Stage 7 Dance Theater in San Diego, CA.
