KW Flamenco Fest

KW Flamenco Fest

A community arts festival based in the Waterloo Region, focusing on the artform of flamenco. Connecting flamenco fans, music and dance lovers, alike.

Photo credits from left to right:: The late Michael Zender, Hervé Leblay, Maria Vega

Flamfest 2024 Events

  • June 6th, 7pm; FREE Dance Injuries Prevention Workshop by SOS Physiotherapy
    • Neruda Arts, 8 Spring Street, St. Jacobs (entrance through the parking lot off of Albert Street West)
  • June 8th; FREE EVENTS
    • Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen Street North Kitchener
    • 2pm Kids’ Storytime with Flamenco dancing
      • A children’s story, read by KPL staff, followed by a Flamenco dance demo by local Flamenco duo, CalúJules. In the Library Theatre foyer.
    • 3pm Flamenco Songs: Two Voices
      • A performance and talk about Flamenco singing – the styles, history, song genres, and their cultural context. In the Library Theatre.
  • July 21st,  2pm In Concert with Maria Serrano
    • A theatrical dance show with acclaimed Flamenco dancer, Maria Serrano, accompanied by cajón player and Flamenco singer, Yiyi, and Fest founders, “Calú & Jules”
    • Registry Theatre, 122 Frederick Street, Kitchener.
    • Get tickets
  • August 10th,  2pm-9pm; FREE
    • Waterloo Square, 75 King Street South, Waterloo
    • 2pm – 4pm Juneyt & Günhan in Concert
      • Live Nuevo Flamenco and Turkish tunes featuring local guitar sensation and electric violin
    • 4pm & 6pm FabCollab presents Flamenco at the Square
      • An open air show with a 4 member flamenco troupe

Stay tuned for full details. Follow us on social media or sign up to our newsletter to receive updates on this year’s Fest:

This event has been cancelled on account of the weather.

6pm

The founders of the Fest, Claudia & Julian (aka CalúJules), and their friend, Juneyt, will be warming up Waterloo Square for Create Waterloo’s Campfire Night. CalúJules will be joined by some of their local flamenco friends & students, and Juneyt will be playing Nuevo Flamenco.

Join us for a full day of Flamenco festivities in KW!

6-8 pm Flamenco in the Square!

  • Feature performance in Waterloo Square

At The Registry Theatre, 122 Frederick Street, Kitchener.

Event descriptions

This fun, intro class is ideal for ages 4-9, but if you have siblings under or above that age, know that the whole family is welcome! Led by dancer-singer, Claudia Aguirre (aka, Calú), kids will learn basic flamenco rhythms via clapping, rhythmic shouting (e.g. by yelling “olé!”), fun sing-along melodies, and basic flamenco arm movements and steps – accompanied by live guitar! At the end, each participant will get a chance to show off their best flamenco moves via a short solo, if they so choose.

Pre-register by sending an email to hello@flamfest.ca. Please let us know your child’s name and age. You can also just show up on the day, but if you pre-register it will help us prepare for how many kids are coming. *Please note, parents must accompany their children.*

Come cheer on the students of CalúJules (the founders and directors of the Fest). This half hour performance will be jam packed with group numbers from our into level and intermediate students, as well solos and duets by our longer-term flamenco diehards. Get ready to yell “olé” to your best flamenco friend or family member.

Ideal for guitarists and singers too! If you play or dance flamenco, you probably already know how integral it is to be able to relate to the singing. Shy to sing? Fear not. Under the direction of our guest singer, Alvaro Echanóve, all singing will occur as a group.
This workshop is open to all levels, and provides a great knowledge base for dancers and guitarists to expand their understanding of how guitar and dance work together with the singing. Written and audio material and examples will be provided to help process and retain the melodies.

This is our featured performance for 2025 and it is entirely free and in the open air! Joining us will be dancers, Virginia Castro Durán & Rocío Conde, both of whom are company members of the Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company and who regularly perform as soloists. Virginia was born and bred in the heartland of flamenco where is acquired her skills and flair, and Rocío has trained and performed in her homeland of Venezuela and NYC prior to moving to T.O. Alvaro Echanóve, who is coming to us from Montreal, will grace us with his dulcet yet powerful voice accompanying each dance piece and performing as a solist. Particularly unique to this year’s show is having a violinist, Philip Samutin, join us as an accompanist throughout the dance show. Claudia & Julian welcome our guests this year and look forward to performing with them.

We hope you will join us too!

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