Grand Opening
Fri, Jul 31, 7:30pm
Arthur Murray Dance Studio
Hernández Macías 68
250 pesos

L-R: Ana Laura Ramirez Ramiriez; Maria Fernanda Ochoa Castellanos; Adrian Olvera; Christie Olvera; Ivan de la Cruz Castro

Big dance party benefits Jóvenes Adelante
By Keith Wall

The liveliest party of the summer season commences across the street from the Bellas Artes plaza. This elegant private home has been dramatically renovated by the energetic and enterprising Christie and Adrian Olvera of the Arthur Murray Dance Studio, formerly operating at Recreo 4.

The new venue features a spacious ballroom with a state-of-the-art wooden dance floor that floats on air, a comfortable student lounge, office/reception area, garden patio and snack bar downstairs, plus several private and semi-private teaching rooms and a children’s play area upstairs. A rooftop terrace has gorgeous views of all the surrounding churches. The color scheme—gray, black and white with splashes of pink—will be the motif of the grand celebration.

The party features a complimentary wine bar and food offerings contributed by local restaurants and members of Jóvenes and Arthur Murray. The night will be filled with lots of music, of course, and a group dance class in bachata (slow, rhythmic Latin dance, perfect for beginners) mingled with salsa, tango and other dance performances by Christie and Adrian and their instructors, as well as plenty of time and space for general dancing and fun.

All guests receive gift certificates for a complimentary package of dance classes including one private lesson. Door prizes include a certificate for a complete series of dance instruction, complimentary dinners at local restaurants and more yet to come. The special appearance of a Mexican TV star is a possible surprise of the evening.


Dancing their dream

Christie, a former high school teacher and Arthur Murray manager in Cincinnati, OH, met Adrian at a club there eight years ago. She said his salsa was so fantastic the only way to get exclusive rights to be his dance partner was to marry him. They went on to win several street salsa competitions and have appeared on television in the US and Mexico. Visiting Adrian’s parents in nearby San Jose de Iturbide on their first anniversary, the couple passed through San Miguel and (we’ve all heard variations of this story) immediately began talking about relocating.

They arrived in the spring of 2007. Christie was pregnant with their son Artemio “Temo,” who was born shortly thereafter. Christie’s parents, Mary and Dennis, retired here last year and had a great time for what turned out to be her father’s last year of life; he passed away this March.

Adrian got a job as chef at Planta Baja and later at Romanos, while Christie, negotiating a favorable contract with her former employer for the only Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Mexico, began teaching ballroom dancing at El Sindicato on Recreo. In a short six months, Christie’s staff and students grew and she began looking for a new space.

In the course of sharing her excitement with friend and ballroom dancing student Pat Harding about the new location, ongoing renovations and the big opening party she was planning, the idea of a celebration/fundraiser evolved. Pat is president of Jóvenes Adelante, which grants university scholarships to outstanding disadvantaged local youth. The idea appealed to Christie as well, since she is a former schoolteacher and believes strongly in the value of community service involving youth.

Everyone is invited, including all Jóvenes Adelante students. The theme is dressy, in black, white and a splash of pink! As Christie’s family is Mexican-American, and all of her staff and many dance students are Mexican, a real Mexican-American party mix is anticipated. Expect to hear a lot of Spanish spoken and to see some exceptional dance moves!

If you want to enjoy a special entrada to the event, go to the Jardín at 7:15pm and accompany a group of mariachi players who will be parading to the Arthur Murray front door as a tribute to Christie’s dad.

Tickets can be purchased at La Conexión or at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. Ninety percent of net proceeds will go toward funding scholarships for local preparatoria (high school) graduates and continuing university students. At Christie’s request, 10 percent of net proceeds will be a thank you contribution to Ark House, the organization which housed her mother in Dallas while her father was in the hospital.

For more information about Jóvenes Adelante, visit www.jovenesadelante.org or write jovenesadelante@gmail.com.

For more information about Arthur Murray dance lessons or to contact Christie Olvera, call (415) 106-4401 or 152-0095 or stop in at Hernández Macías 68; she or Adrian will be happy to greet you, answer any questions and give you a tour. You also can visit www.arthurmurray.com.mx or www.arthurmurraysma.com  or email amsma@live.com.  

Keith Wall is a Jóvenes Adelante volunteer and mentor.

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Flamenco Performance 
Junta Flamenca 
Fri, Jul 31, 5pm
Teatro Santa Ana
Biblioteca Pública
Reloj 50A
200 pesos

The art of flamenco
By Angela Garcia

The roots of flamenco can be traced back for centuries. Born from the expression of a persecuted people, the Gypsies of southern Spain, its unique blend of influences and musical complexity can be attributed to the consequences of a decree made in Spain in 1492.

Catholic King Ferdinand V and Queen Isabella demanded that everyone living under their domain convert to Catholicism, under the threat of varying degrees of punishment, the most severe being the death penalty, by fire. Gypsies, Muslims, Jews and everyone living in Spain at the time were ordered to convert. It is believed that because of this decree, the different ethnic groups came together to help each other and within this melding of cultures, flamenco was born.

Flamenco consists of three artistic elements: singing (cante), dance (baile) and guitar (guitarra). Members of a flamenco group often contribute palmas or hand-clapping. The relationship between the artists is similar to that of jazz—a basic structure must be followed—but at its heart, flamenco is an improvised form.

Singing is the center of the group performance. The dancer physically interprets the words and emotion of the singer through his or her movements, which include percussive footwork and intricate hand, arm and body movements. The guitarist provides accompaniment to the singer and dancer, accentuating vocal lines and/or melodies.

Jerez de la Frontera, a small city in southern Spain, is the birthplace of flamenco. However, because of the nomadic nature of the Gypsies, who moved from town to town selling their wares and doing odd jobs, flamenco quickly gained roots in several Andalusian towns, including Seville and Granada.

Flamenco went through many phases in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Performance by non-Gypsies gave the form its legitimacy, as it was seen in theaters and cafés. Flamenco became commercial, with the obvious negative implications, as well as quite successful.

Although the Gypsies did not achieve respect and honor for their contribution to the art form until many years later, they have always been considered the best interpreters of flamenco.

Entry to the commercial arena led to the evolution of professional artists and culminated in the period of the cafés cantantes (song and dance cafés) where the public could hear and see flamenco. This evolution also led to changes in the nature of the songs as fads developed for particular types of cante. Many of the more primitive forms languished and some were totally lost, while more upbeat forms achieved tremendous popularity.

Growing commercialization continued until the fifties, when the influx of tourists to post-war Spain threatened to debase the art form completely. Fortunately, at this same time, several singers rediscovered the older forms and re-established interest in flamenco as an art form as well as a commercial form of music. This process depended in part on memories of older amateur singers, as few recordings existed to reference. Flamenco festivals established between the sixties and eighties reinforced this revival. Although some regard these as having stifled the intimacy and spontaneity of flamenco, they undoubtedly opened up the art to a wider public and provided opportunities for new artists.

Today, flamenco is nothing short of an international phenomenon. Jerez now hosts an annual flamenco festival that attracts thousands of visitors from across the world. Flamenco aficionados can be found in any country. Flamenco is an art form that inspires, educates and entertains people the world over.