flamenco projects
FLAMENCÓPOLIS CPH - Concert performances
Flamencópolis CPH is a series of concert performances with flamenco as a focal point, which take place at Union KBH in Copenhagen and are curated by Phyllis Akinyi. The invited artists meet Akinyi on stage to present semi-improvised performances in an intimate setting where modern, traditional, and experimental flamenco meet. Copenhagen municipality and Dansehallerne are official partners.
Flamencópolis premiered on February 29th 2020 with a sold out performance focusing on females in flamenco, with a Nordic twist. The rest of the Spring season had to be postponed due to Covid-19, but as Denmark opened up more Flamencópolis returned..
First event, post lockdown, on July 31st 2020 was an outdoor concert series named Diasporic Dreams where the groups OWMI and Makadem Trio performed, to which Phyllis Akinyi improvised flamenco dance with and without shoes.
The next concert was with flamenco mega star, dancer Marco Flores (Madrid) on August 23rd, where Flores performed the duet ‘Milonga, Sonata y Plata’ with renowned flamenco guitarist José Almarcha at a beautiful outdoor setting.
The last concert before another covid-19 lockdown occurred happened on September 26th, when Flamencópolis welcomed local flamenco artists from different generations to present at traditional set, Tablao Style.
Flamencópolis Concert Performances will remain in hiatus for a while, and hopefully resurrect in a new exciting format for season 21/22.
It has been an honor bringing traditional and experimental flamenco to the Copenhagen performing arts scene, and having experienced sold out concerts repeatedly even during covid-19 has been a truly humbling experience.
FLAMENCO45 / FLAMENCO SIN FRONTERAS
Flamenco45 was a tablao style performance series at Bar Martínez in the heart of Madrid, Spain, that featured Phyllis Akinyi alongside a flamenco ensemble and offered the audience an intimate flamenco experience. It focused on traditional flamenco while adding a modern and at times experimental twist to it.
Akinyi created Flamenco45 because she wanted to have a flamenco playground, where she could deepen her understanding of the flamenco song and guitar, as well as trust her ability to improvise a full set. Thus the premiss of Flamenco45 was to never rehearse with the musicians prior to sound check, thereby forcing her to really listen and be present on stage. It was nerverecking but necessary, and Akinyi grew immensely as a flamenco dancer during this period.
Flamenco45 was launched in February 2017 and relaunched as Flamenco Sin Fronteras April 2019 at the legendary flamenco academy Amor de Dios. Still a traditional set, but adding more experimental components, playing with dramaturgy, wardrobe, and contemporary movement.
The intention was to continue these events in Madrid even though Akinyi moved to Copenhagen in December 2019, but covid-19 quickly put an end to those thoughts. It is still to be seen if Flamencos Sin Fronteras will return.