Ole! Just knew at some point we had to feel the heat and record some fiery flamenco. Fast toe-tapping and stamping of Cuban heels, incredibly rhythmic finger clicking and – yes – castanets! So we headed to Madrid and the rehearsal studios of La Corrala de la Danza to record a session with one of Spain’s leading flamencos dancers, Luis Ortega with his two colleagues Fernando Alfaro and Ana Cristina Arias.

An incredible performer, Luis started dancing at the very young age of twelve in his hometown of Seville and went on to study dance professionally at Spain’s Royal Conservatory of Music & Dance in Madrid. It then wasn’t long after, in 1987, that he joined the Spanish National Ballet and soon become the principle dancer in the company for a whole host of productions. He’s taught dance and choreography in a number of countries, even Japan, and is currently the artistic director of Madrid’s Ballet Flamenquerías de la Florida Park.

More about Luis here (please note it’s in Spanish).

Thanks to Blanca Regina and to Eva Maria de Cos for some of the photos.