Questions about Flamenco in Madrid

Old Aug 31st, 2015, 08:06 AM
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Questions about Flamenco in Madrid

We are looking at attending a flamenco performance at Cordamomo on a weekday in October. We are newbies and this will be our first flamenco performance. Cordamomo has a 50 minute and 90 minute show. Below are the artists that will be performing on the evening we’re thinking of.

I’m not sure I can get my husband to attend a 90 minute show, so I’m wondering if the 50 minute show will be a good introduction for us newbies or should I really try to convince my husband to attend the 90 minute show, as it would be that much better?

50 minute show:
• Flamenco dancers: Rober El Moreno and Macarena Ramírez.
• Flamenco singers: Miguel El Rubio, Salvador Barrul and Antonio Rubio.
• Guitarists: Camarón de Pitita and Vaky Losada

90 minute show:
• Flamenco dancers: Rober El Moreno, Paloma Fantova and Cristián Pérez.
• Flamenco singers: Miguel El Rubio, Salvador Barrul and Antonio Rubio.
• Guitarists: Camarón de Pitita and Vaky Losada

I also checked the Casa Patas website but they don’t seem to have the shows listed yet for October. I can wait to see the shows at Casa Patas as well, before making my final decision, if it’s advisable to do so.

Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 08:20 AM
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I think you are overthinking this. You've never seen flamenco, this is a good venue, they aren't going to have terrible artists, and the programs have almost identical performers. So yes, I think it will be a good introduction. What if you hate it? Really want to sit through 90 minutes of something you don't like? I'm with your husband.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 09:11 AM
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I posted a similar question recently. I think, due to the part of town we will likely be visiting that day, we are now considering the 60-minute 8:30 PM show at Las Carboneras, about 30 Eu with drink.
http://en.tablaolascarboneras.com/the-tablao/

I think kimhe and others have suggested that as a decent venue as well. The October line up is not posted yet, but as Christina notes, it might not matter to us.

Will do an 8:30 show because we are not night owls, and simply being in Spain is not likely to turn us into one. The Mercado de San Miguel is a block away for food and there seem to be lots of other options nearby.

We haven't booked yet, but that has floated to the top for us at the moment, if you want yet another option.

Comments on that are welcome.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 02:16 PM
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Thanks for the info/other option.

Yes - I also had Las Carboneras on my list. All 3 venues seem quite similar and are all close to good restaurants/eating establishments. Although we're not real night owls either, we're actually hoping to do a later show, just based on everything we're trying to do in our short visit. Also, "when in Madrid!" We'll see if we can keep up with the locals - lol.
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Old Aug 31st, 2015, 10:34 PM
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No question about it at all. Rising star Paloma Fantova (Puerto Real, Cádiz, 1989) dances in the 90 min show, her career is taking off right now. Here she brings Sadler's Wells in London - one of the most prestigious dance scenes in the world - to a boil two years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ck7hMzNH3b8

Biography (in Spanish): http://www.palomafantova.com/biografia-paloma-fantova

But in general only great artists in Cardamomo, Casa Patas, Las Carboneras, Corral de la Moreria and a couple of other Madrid venues.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 01:23 AM
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And a little nuance to the above...

Didn't know of Macarena Ramírez (Chiclana de Frontera, Cádiz, 1992) until now (the 50 min show), but she is obviously an out of this world talent. Has already performed together with Paloma Fantova in the Bienal de Flamenco in Sevilla, the biggest and most prestigious flamenco festival in the world.

A couple of Ramírez clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f612f72FIS8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RFm_6WpO0Q

Paloma Fantova is a powerhouse of timing and technique whereas Macarena Ramírez also seems to have a huge stage persona with millions of nuances. Ramírez reminds me a little of Rocío Molina at the same age, and that is about the finest thing I can say about any young flamenco dancer.

I would of course have seen both performances and could have gone to Madrid for that sole purpose ;-) And if you forced me to choose, I'm afraid that after having watched these clips, I would have gone for the character and promise of Ramírez. So thank you for making me aware of her!

More info about Macarena Ramírez: http://la-barraca.be/amacramengl.htm
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 04:38 AM
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Thanks Kimhe - I was hoping you'd respond. I'm quite surprised I was able to provide you with information - glad you got some value out of the post as well, since you provide so much information to others! I will definitely watch the clips and get a little more educated. Sounds either show would be good.

Nelson, if you happen to check back, here is the info for Cardamomo shows if you're interested in seeing these performers after reading Kimhe's thoughts. Macarena Ramírez performs during the 50 minute shows as noted above. Paloma Fantova performs in the 90 minute show.

1st SESSION at 6:00 PM - 50 mins| Flamenco with 7 artists on stage. PRICE of ticket + 1 sangría: 25 €.
2nd SESSION at 8:30 PM - 90 mins Flamenco- 8 artists on stage. PRICE of ticket + free sangría or drink: 39 €.
3rd SESSION at 11:30 PM - 50 mins Flamenco with 7 artists on stage PRICE of ticket + 1 sangría: 25 €
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 01:08 PM
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kimhe and debinthepeg, WOW, I guess that settles it, the 8:30 PM show at Cardamomo it is. I will book it, thanks! I showed the clip to my wife, she immediately did her best imitation. I guess she likes it.

deb, as much as I'd like to think that "when in Madrid" applies to us, I think we will fail in that department, and will be asleep well before 11:00 PM most nights. But one never knows...

kimhe or other knowledgeable folks, if you have a moment can you comment on this clip I found from Corral de la Moreria, especially the first couple of minutes?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsRQQTu_rBA

Thanks again for this information!
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 02:12 PM
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One more question please, which my wife asked: are any of the venues better than others if you are a particularly short in stature person? Does it matter where you sit and can you affect that by arriving early? Thanks again.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 02:20 PM
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This of course goes both ways ;-)
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 02:47 PM
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I'm not sure about that.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 03:05 PM
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<can you comment on this clip I found from Corral de la Moreria, especially the first couple of minutes?>

A not very well rehearsed intro to a classical guajira. Flamenco dance is normally one dancer on stage, and if more - as often at times in theater performances - its another world.

Regarding short in stature, you should be fine in both Cardamomo and Casa Patas (I usually go to theaters and small flamenco clubs (peñas)). Many says that it helps to include a dinner at the tablaos (flamenco restaurants) to get good seating, but we've been perfectly fine and up front without it. Casa Patas and Cardamomo are intimate venues, Corral de la Moreria is more of a large restaurant setting with a stage.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 03:10 PM
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Hi Nelson,

though we are by no means aficionados of flamenco, when well done I find it quite mesmeric. We went to the Cafe de Chintas which we really enjoyed - we also had some tapas and drinks during the show so had we been bored, we would have had something to do!

http://www.chinitas.com
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 03:15 PM
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I should have inserted "in Madrid, we went..."
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 08:20 PM
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Thanks annhig, much appreciated. I think I'll stick with debinthepeg's and kimhes's Caradamomo show and put this decision to rest. Will book the show in the next day or two (leaving early tomorrow AM to go hiking in the Colorado mountains).

Chintas is near our hotel so I can keep that on the radar should a spontaneous desire to see another show crop up! It should be pretty easy to satisfy us.

That said, I did think that clip from Corral de la Moreria, in 2010 to be nowhere near as good as the stuff kimhe normally links to. We might have been disappointed in that performance.

We also plan to attend a show in Cordoba the following week.
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Old Sep 1st, 2015, 11:17 PM
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<had some tapas and drinks during the show so had we been bored, we would have had something to do!>

That's the kind of places you normally should try to avoid. There are drinks served in intimate venues like Cardamomo and Casa Patas, but everything is 100 % attention on what's going on on the stage, like in a peña (flamenco club). Flamenco is very much about communication, between the artists and between the artists and the audience, and when that communication is broken, flamenco can be awful. And of course very little rewarding for artists to perform in such settings.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2015, 05:28 AM
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<had some tapas and drinks during the show so had we been bored, we would have had something to do!>>

Clearly I needed my joke flag there - it obviously lost something in translation. We weren't bored at all, in fact we were transfixed. but I am prepared to allow for others not being as rapt.

But do people not drink in flamenco clubs? I'm sure i've seen them doing so.
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Old Sep 2nd, 2015, 07:01 AM
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People drink in flamenco clubs, but my point was that real deal flamenco is not any kind of entertainment or show where it's normal that people have a chat and a bite around the tables. There are such venues, but then they're very touristy and not very interesting neither for the public nor the artists.
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Old Sep 22nd, 2016, 07:56 PM
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Hi Deb, saw your comment on the post about Toledo and knew immediately where you were from. I'm curious as to what you and your husband thought of the flamenco show. I'd also like to get your opinion on the places you visited in Spain, as I think we are of a very similar age demographic, and from your comments I gather we'd have similar interests.
In the meantime, I will watch those leaves fall, and dream of spring in Spain.
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Old Sep 23rd, 2016, 12:28 AM
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Maybe Deb will chime in about the flamenco experience in Cardamomo. But I can assure that every artist who enter stage in Cardamomo, Casa Patas, Corral de la Morería, Las Carboneras and a couple of other venues in Madrid are only top of the shelf.

I would perhaps recommend Casa Patas, a fabulous venue and the best tablao in the country (i.e. the world) in recent years. http://www.casapatas.com/

But the powerful and beautiful rising star Macarena Ramirez more often dances in Cardamomo. Here she is in a performance in Casa Patas not long ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdWH02jklOM
And in the Jerez festival earlier this year: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DL75NMA6s28
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