Summary
Organization name
Flamenco Denver
2013
Tax id (EIN)
46-3829735
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities
Address
1934 So BroadwayDenver, CO 80210
Denver County, CO, US
Help us celebrate the spirited and unique art form of Flamenco that brings people of all ages together through classes, performances and community. Our dancers and talented musicians connect with each other on stage through a combination of sound, beauty and movement in unforgettable performances.
Testimonials
Groupon Coupon Holders For 2 months or up to 8 Flamenco Dance Classes
Amy A, July 12, 2019: Maria is a lovely and patient teacher. My daughter and I are happy to have tried the class and we look forward to learning more! Maria is a fabulous teacher...patient, clear, kind...sweet. It's daunting to learn something new. She makes it feel doable.
Tamara J. June 9, 2018: Maria and her studio staff know their dance technique and craft very well. They are happy and fun. I love the other dance members' enthusiasm as well!
Cynde T. July 6, 2016: This is an excellent dance class to take. My daughters enjoyed it!
Amee E, June 8, 2018: OMG!!! This is so fun. Definitely a new hobby and the instructors are amazing!!!!
Letter from James Bailey, The Dairy Center for Performing Arts, Boulder
September 11, 2016: Hi Maria - - -people in Boulder are still talking about Friday!!! Bravo! I hope that last night was a roaring success as well. …… Your troupe and the guests artists were magnificent! Jim
From Mia, a student at Flamenco Denver:
My name is Mia, I'm 16 and have been dancing flamenco since I was 4 yrs old. A few years later, my mother and I settled in Colorado, and we knew it was time to find a place where I could continue to study Flamenco, my craft, my passion. It was no easy task since I have studied with some of the best flamenco dancers in the world.
How did we find out about Maria? By way of Oklahoma! That's a long story… but this goes to show that flamenco can be found everywhere. I went to see Maria at a restaurant in Centennial and I hadn't danced in several months and I was hungry to share my passion with the audience. She asked if there was anyone who wanted to come up and dance. I couldn't help myself! It was then that I knew Maria would be my teacher.
Flamenco is an under-respected classical art form. What most don't realize is that the fire in flamenco transcends most art forms as it reveals one's own passions when they dance. Most people dance to the rhythm and beats of a guitar and drums, and we do the same in flamenco except with, of course a little more foot work, arm work, artist expression and yes, a whole lot of talent. Sometimes this is no different than the feeling in your heart when you're dancing a slow dance with your partner or just doing the running man.
I was told I had "Duende" since I was 4 yrs old. Duende is the fire you have in your soul that translates into your art. So for those who have contributed to flamenco, and those who will contribute… I want to thank you for keeping the fire going for all of us with the flamenco soul.
Mission
The Mission of Flamenco Denver is to promote Flamenco dance as a living art form and a vital part of Hispanic heritage through classes, quality dance performances, and arts education programs that catalyze connection among young people and nurture the next generation of Spanish dance and educators. Flamenco Denver is a 501 (c)3 Non-profit organization
Background Statement
ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY OF FLAMENCO DENVER
Flamenco Denver is the successor entity to Flamenco Denver LLC, which was originally founded in 2005 as a Colorado for-profit limited liability company. While this entity was for-profit, its activities were primarily educational and over time the principal owner, Maria Vazquez, became increasingly aware that her vision for Flamenco Denver LLC was, at its core, a charitable and educational mission, more appropriately pursued as a nonprofit entity. On October 1, 2013, Flamenco Denver LLC was converted to Flamenco Denver, a Colorado nonprofit corporation with 501(c)(3) status. Flamenco Denver has continued many of the activities of its predecessor, but with a primary focus upon its educational mission: to promote flamenco/Spanish dance as a living art form and a vital part of Hispanic heritage, produce quality dance works and provide arts education programs that catalyze connections among young people and nurture the next generation of Spanish dance artists and educators.
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance that originated in Andalusia, Spain in the 18th century, influence by Gypsy traditions going back to Rajasthan, India. The development of flamenco can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the meeting and mixing of several musical traditions in Andalucia where African and Arabic music developed along with the Spanish guitar and its rhythms. During the Spanish Inquisition, groups of persecuted peoples - Romani, Greeks, Visigoths, Moors and Jews - married their songs and dances of exile, despair, suffering, hope and celebration with the ecstatic religious sounds of Andalucian music to produce flamenco, whose essence is duende. Duende's deep emotion is the ineffable mystery of life in art, song, music and dance. In November 2010, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) deemed Flamenco a cultural treasure on its Intangible Heritage List.
Flamenco Denver is known for its creative performances, extensive community-based initiatives, and in-depth arts education programs. Artists from Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela, Argentina, and US have participated in Flamenco Denver workshops and performances and reflect its core goals: fostering a cross-cultural form of expression, preserving the tradition of Spanish dance, and guiding this art form's modern evolution. Flamenco Denver has been honored to be part of the Inauguration of the Denver Art Museum performing for the Denver community, performed at the Botanic Gardens, Taste of Colorado, 5 de Mayo, Levitt Pavilion, and Newman Center for Performing Arts, numerous cultural festivals as well as small venue tablaos. Flamenco Denver's educational goal is meeting expectations with free presentations to several under served elementary and secondary schools each year.
Funding for Flamenco Denver's annual activities is provided primarily from class tuition and private donations. Grants have been awarded and Flamenco Denver continues to seek out further funding sources and grants in order to expand its educational activities to parts of the community which it would not otherwise be economically feasible to reach. Revenue has grown since the non-profit inception from approximately $40,000 to approximately $85,000 in 2018. Flamenco Denver has no investments and limited hard assets.
Maria Vazquez, Founder and Artistic/Executive Director is a native of Sevilla, Spain. She has been dancing Flamenco her entire life. Maria has been performing and teaching Flamenco since 1994. She danced with the company Ciudad de Sevilla for two years and toured throughout Europe with that company. She continued performing with other independent Flamenco groups in Sevilla until 2002 when she moved to Denver. Now Maria teaches in Colorado where she started the Flamenco Denver Dance Studio, educating students of all ages. She recently formed the performance group Flamenco Denver Dance Company that has become an important part of the Denver Community, participating in numerous events. She also has brought Flamenco to schools, colleges and universities throughout the Rocky Mountain region through performances and workshops. She currently teaches approximately 75 students each week in 13 regular classes.
Media gallery
Organization Data
Denver, CO 80210