Atlantic Flamenco Summer 2021 Newsletter
Long days, short nights, sunshine, warm weather, sun-bathed tomatoes, flamenco. Let’s celebrate all the above with an issue showcasing this humble fruit and our fall flamenco plans with you. We have done well. Keep Everything Crossed!
In This Issue:
Flamenco News: Let’s dance again
Spanish Culture Feature: La Tomatina Festival
Spanish Food and Wine Corner: Gazpacho and Caesar Cocktail Recipes
Upcoming Events
Let’s Dance Together Again ?
The last 17 months, turned our world upside down. For many, staying physically active was a challenge, we slowed down, and we proved to ourselves how resilient we are. Some of you were able to continue dancing at home, while others couldn’t. Let it be screen fatigue, not the right space or not the right equipment or mindset, online dancing is not for everyone. Even for those of us who danced online know or attended sporadically between lockdowns, it was not the same.
I think I speak for many when I say there is a certain apprehension about returning to in-person classes, and even more so for performing! Coordination, reaction time, spacial awareness and speed will be the most affected for flamenco dancers.
Please rest assured we will take the last 17 months into consideration at all levels, even in the advanced classes. Re-conditioning our bodies will take some time for all of us.
To our ♥️ Online Students Abroad
Without a doubt, the pandemic silver lining has been meeting you. We are so grateful for all the new students and connections we have made across Canada and the USA. You are the reason why we have created our new hybrid classes and maintain online classes. We so hope to see you again and hopefully meet one day in a idillic group trip together to Spain. Let’s hold that thought!
New this Fall
Our new Fall schedule will be a convenient mixture of both online and in-person classes (Halifax), as well as our new hybrid classes (online and in-person at the same time, streamed direct from the studio in real-time).
We have a variety of new technique and choreography courses, spanning all levels, from intro level flamenco to advanced. For example, you might want to combine an in-person with an online class. Now you can also stay home if you are too tired or unable to attend an in-person class, and view a full recording of the class or attend on Zoom instead. Besides flamenco, we have regular in-person and online ballet classes.
We really hope to see you back in the studio.
Feature
La Tomatina Festival
La Tomatina is a festival held in the Valancian town of Buñol, in the east of Spain, in which the participants throw tomatoes and get involved in a tomato fight purely for entertainment purposes. For over 75 years it has been held on the last Wednesday of August, during a week of festivities in Buñol.
La Tomatina Festival originated in 1945 when some young people decided to take part in an existing parade centered around Gigantes y cabezudos (giant and big-headed figures). Gigantes y cabezudos are a theme in a lot of festivals across Spain and Portugal. They consist of costumes featuring large papier mache heads and matching costumes, to create a larger than life or cartoonish effect.
At this particular festival, one participant’s Big-Head fell off, as a result of the festivities. The participant flew into a rage and began hitting everything in their path. There was a market stall of vegetables that fell victim to the fury of the crowd, as people started to pelt each other with tomatoes until local law enforcement had to step in and end the fruit battle.
The following year, to mark the fun occasion, some young people engaged in a pre-planned quarrel and brought their own tomatoes from home. It grew from there, year on year and is now more popular than ever. People travel from all over the world to attend the festival.
Sources: Wikipedia, laTomatinatours.com
Source: wikipedia
The city council follows a short list of instructions for the safety of the participants and the festival:
- Do not throw anything but tomatoes
- Do not tear clothes
- Squash tomatoes before throwing them to avoid hurting others
- Keep a safe distance from trucks
- Stop throwing tomatoes after the second starter pistol shot
- Follow the directions of security staff
- Only throw tomatoes to a target you can see, to avoid hurting others
- Do not throw tomatoes directly at buildings
- Have a great, fun time!
Spanish Food and Drink Corner
Authentic Gazpacho Recipe
Source: https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/authentic-gazpacho-recipe/
Prep Time: 15 minutes ~ Cook Time: 0 mins ~ Total Time: 15 minutes ~ Yield: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 pounds ripe Roma tomatoes, halved and cored
- 1 small (1/2 lb) cucumber, peeled and seeded
- 1 medium green bell pepper, cored
- 1/2 small red onion, peeled
- 2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large clove), peeled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 thick slice of white bread, soaked, crusts removed
Instructions
Purée. Combine all ingredients together in a blender or food proccesor. Puree for 1 minute, or until the soup reaches your desired consistency.
Season. Taste and season with extra salt, pepper and/or cumin if needed.
Chill. Refrigerate in a sealed container for 3 to 4 hours, or until completely chilled.
Serve. Serve cold, topped with your desired garnishes.
Optional garnishes: homemade croutons chopped fresh herbs, a drizzle of olive oil, or any leftover chopped ingredients
The Perfect Caesar
Source: https://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipe/the-perfect-caesar/14721/
prep time: 3 min ~ total time: 3 min ~ serves: 1
Ingredients
- ice
- 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 3 oz Clamato juice
- 1 – 3 dashes hot sauce
- 1 oz vodka
- salt and pepper
- celery, pickles, olives, bacon or a slider (optional garnishes)
Instructions
- Start by mixing the ingredients, but before you start pouring, please note that the order of ingredients does matter!
- In a rimmed glass filled with ice, add the Worcestershire sauce, followed by Clamato juice, hot sauce, vodka, and then season with salt and pepper. An easy way to remember the order of ingredients is to start with the cheaper ones and work your way up.
- When it comes to the garnish, here’s your time to be creative. Go the conventional route with a long piece of celery, or grab a skewer and make a combo with pickles and olives. But if you’re really looking to earn some extra points, add a piece of bacon, or better yet, a juicy slider burger.
Events
INTERNATIONAL WORLD FLAMENCO DAY 16th and 28th November
Halifax Central Library, Paul O’Regan Hall, 5440 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax.
We are excited to announce two in-person World Flamenco Day events at the Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library. Click the image above for more information.
