Flamenco Dancer Miguelita's Sevilla Tour:

During the winter holiday, Miguelita and El Dez visited the lovely and impressionable Sevilla. We were fortunate to see a variety of flamenco shows during our stay. Listed below are our impressions of the various flamenco venues we visited.

4 fans = excellent / 3 fans = good / 2 fans = o.k / 1 fan = fair

1) LOS GALLOS: 4 fans - For an exceptional show, with top notch performers (including singers, guitarists) $20 is an incredible bargain. The two performances we attended had the world renown "El Torombo," plus Jairo, El Perla, and others. In all, there were 12 performers on stage - all of which were talented with high energy. This is a must see show when visiting Sevilla. It is located in the Plaza de Sta. Cruz.

2) EL ARENAL: 3 fans - The singing trio were strong, and seasoned performers They not only were dynamic singers, but they contributed heart stomping "palmas." But most importantly, you must see Felipe. This is a young dancer who permeates such electrifying energy - and he doesn't miss a beat. As El Dez says, "He looks like a rooster when he dances, and his posture is a beautifully rendered form of "puro" flamenco.

3) LA SONATA: 2 fans - This is a typical, informal Triana tablao experience. Performances don't exactly start on time, the artists, themselves, were young, and not quite as experienced. The stage was made of small, floor boards placed and the ground; thus, difficult to see. The ambiance is nice because of the youngish crowd. This show is located in Triana, across the river from Sevilla.

4) CASA DE LA MEMORIA: 2 fans - The artists were excellent, but the presentation was very poor. There was echoing water, and performers were not illuminated properly. Infact, the dancer performed in the dark. The only time you could see them is when the audience took pictures, and the camera flashed for a brief moment. Again, they had floor boards; thus, the dancer's footwork echoed throughout the building. Being that the show was sold out (although it only holds 50), one would think that someone would invest in some decent lighting, and professional stage for the dancers.

5) LO NUESTRO: 2 fans - Nothing was really bad about this place. It is basically an informal bar with informal participants who primarily sing, play the guitar, cajon and other percussion instruments. Because of the natural, noisy, and social environment (plus lots of smoke), one could not really appreciate the performers. Lo Nuestro is one of many Sevillanas/Rumba bars in Triana. I guess you could call this a real "tablao" Personally, as flamenco advocates, we preferred the stage presentations.