Flarumba founder gets grant through Nevada
Arts Council program By
DEANA DI DIO
REVIEW-JOURNAL
Michelle "Miguelita" Serratore Gibbons has been named a Master Teacher by the Nevada Arts Council for the Folk Arts Apprenticeship program, resulting in a $1,700 grant. This enables her to continue presenting flamenco performances in Las Vegas with her company, Flarumba. Gibbons, a Las Vegas resident, created Flarumba three years ago after taking a long hiatus from dancing. The name is a combination of the words "flamenco" and "rhumba."
Dancing since age 7, she was inspired by world-famous flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya. Gibbons, 48, stopped performing when she was 18, because flamenco was no longer in the cultural spotlight. She began again 13 years ago, but stopped after five years, because the style again went out of vogue.
Gibbons is now committed to establishing flamenco in Las Vegas and helping it flourish. "It was dormant (in me) for a while, and now I am going full throttle," she explains. "It's culminated now where we are doing a true production for the city." Dan Skea, cultural program supervisor at Winchester Community Center, where Gibbons has performed her programs, is happy to see Gibbons awarded the grant. "She is a very professional dancer and does a very nice program of flamenco dancing," Skea says. "She is doing a good job representing her art form. She puts a lot of time into her performances." Gibbons loves performing all three styles of flamenco, which include classical, Gypsy and modern. She also enjoys the shared experience between her and the audience, and the "mental high" she gets while performing. "There is this electric happy energy vibrating through me," she describes on performing in front of an audience. "I feel like this is the whole world in a nutshell." Gibbons is overwhelmed with the grant and receiving support for her art form. "It's the greatest PR ... to get that stamp of approval and to be recognized," she says.
The $1,700 grant will help alleviate the costs of costumes, which she makes herself, and videotaping the performances, which will go toward her goal of archiving 10 years of flamenco in Las Vegas. Gibbons also received $700 for an apprentice, which will go toward training student Ramona Esparza. "I feel like I have a vision or destiny I am supposed to fulfill," Gibbons says. Gibbons will continue to apply for grants and help flamenco be appreciated worldwide. "I think flamenco has a good chance of establishing itself and being received in other flamenco communities," she says. "It's my goal, and it's going to get done."