In This Issue:
Photo Credits: Jon James Photography
After a 2 year hiatus, Flamenco will fire up Halifax’s Seahorse Tavern once again in 2022. We are thrilled to bring back this popular live dance and music performance series in what will be its 10th year anniversary.
Thursday, May 26, 8pm our series kicks off with NOCHE FLAMENCA, a showcase of fiery performances ranging from solos to group dances featuring Ellen Gibling, Karen Staples, Kiriam Thompson, Linda Palmer and Rachel James. Joining the dancers are guitarist Christopher Robinson along with the amazing voices of Lisa Myers, and Joyce Saunders.
Join us for a Spanish themed night that will take you on a journey through the different regions of Spain. Lively Seville with it’s folk dances and ferias, the rugged coast of Galicia with it’s celtic roots and bittersweet songs. The port of sunny Cadiz and its playful dances and more! Experience an enjoyable glimpse of the vast and meaningful world of Flamenco.
Noche Flamenca is made possible thanks to the support of Arts Nova Scotia and its produced by Atlantic Flamenco Productions Society.
Coming Soon!
On Thursday, July 14, 8pm we are thrilled to premiere CONTRATIEMPO by Maria Osende Flamenco Co. in a collaboration with guest artists from Montreal: dancer Aurelie Brunelle, guitarist Quique Garf and singer Alexandra Templier. This is the first time these artists will visit Halifax and also a first time collaboration between them. While in Halifax, dancer Aurelie Brunelle will offer 3 days of dance masterclasses for the Flamenco dance community – Monday through Wednesday, July 11-14, 2022. Their visit will conclude with a performance at the Osprey Arts Centre in Shelburne on Saturday, July 16 at 8pm.
Feature
Flowers of Spain
Pomegranate
The Pomegranate Flower is Spain’s official flower and can be found in various motifs for art and literature. The city of Granada was named after the pomegranate. Various images can be found along the streets and walls of the city, while the pomegranate flower is used for decoration and is popular in flower arrangements.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Granada, which literally means “pomegranate” in Spanish, is the capital city of the province of the same name in southern Spain’s Andalusia region. Originally from the Middle East, the fruit was brought to Europe by the Berber people, a group of nomadic people living in North Africa.
In Granada, you can see the image of pomegranates on street signs, on local pottery and ceramic tiles, while the fruit is used in dishes in countless tapas bars.
Everywhere you go in Granada you see pomegranate imagery: in drawings and paintings; on signs, pottery; as statues, fountains and embedded into pavements and roads.
Photo Credit: Emma Flynn
The pomegranate or Punica granatum, is “granada” in Spanish and the official motif or “heraldic symbol” of the city. the Moors named the city after the pomegranate and the city adopted it as its official symbol.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
Photo credit: Elizabeth McClay
Carnations
While carnations in general are the national flower of Spain, the red carnation is particularly beloved. It represents the affection between lovers and has also been used as a religious symbol for the passion of the Christ, to represent the crown of thorns.
Pink carnations represent signs of gratitude or maternal love.
White carnations represent purity & luck
Sources:
Reference: trip-n-travel.com/listicle/19944/
https://news.cgtn.com/news/2019-08-20/The-pomegranate-Symbol-of-Granada-Spain-Jj94lWcnAc/index.html
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Meanwhile in Spain
Dust Storms from the Sahara
Did you know that in the middle of March,Spain experienced a huge dust storm from the Sahara Desert? It made it hard to breathe for people out and about in their daily lives and covered buildings, cars, roads and ski hills with a fine layer of orange dust.
Skiiers on the Sierra Nevada slopes described it “like the surface of mars”.
Experts including Spain’s national weather service, described the event as “extraordinary” for the amount of dust in the air and rated the air quality as “extremely unfavourable” – its worst rating!