Flamenco

Class Description

The class will cover the basics of Spanish Gypsy-style Flamenco dance: After stretching and warming up we will cover good posture, proper 'brazeo', or arm work, 'Floreo' (flowers), the stylistic hands that are a mark of Flamenco, and the turns and heelwork that characterize this exciting art form. I will break down the complex rhythms and footwork combinations so that anyone can understand them. We will learn short combinations and slowly create short choreographies and combinations , so that each student can enjoy becoming a dancer and enjoy expressing herself in her own way. Included in the class will be history about flamenco's roots, instruction in it's traditions and customs, vocabulary in Spanish and the technique of the palmas (the handclapping that forms the rhythms we dance to).

Teacher's Biography

Maya de Silva Chafe was born in Santa Barbara and raised in Taos, NM. She graduated with a BFA in Theatre & Dance from UNM, Albq.  Choosing flamenco as her primary focus upon arrival in New York in 1987, Maya has performed as a soloist and a corps dancer with groups like Andrea Del Conte’s Danza Espana (seven seasons at the Thalia: 1994-2003), Maria Benitez, Carlota Santana, and Flamenco Latino in tablaos and theatres in New York, New Mexico and California. Notable venues include The Joyce Theatre, DTW, four seasons at the Metropolitan Opera, at the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival, Kaatsbaan, Santa Fe Stages and at Boston Pops for PBS Ch 13.

Accomplishments include producing her company “Flamenco Revolucion” in 2 sold-out shows at a 250 seat proscenium theater Off Broadway (March ‘09), being featured in a national print ad for Verizon, performing in and creating choreography for  Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz’ play “Lorca con un Vestido Verde” (dir. Rene Buch) at Repertorio Espanol (Sept 07-Jun 08), dancing in  and collaborating on choreography for the Knoxville Opera’s production of “Carmen”(dir. Angel Gil-Orrios, April ’07)) and in an Equity workshop of “Deep Song/The Lorca Project”(dir. Lynne Taylor-Corbett) at INTAR and Ripley-Grier Studios, NY (Jan, ‘05). She was given a full scholarship to the 4 month Prof. Program at the Cristina Heeren Foundation of Flamenco in Sevilla, Spain, studying with El Farruquito, Javier Latorre, Carmen Ledesma, Israel Galvan, Isabel Bayon and Milagros Mengibar (Spring 2000).

Ms.de Silva has choreographed and produced her own shows over the years: in NYC at the Kraine Theatre and PS 122 (The Field), at Third St Music School (Faculty Artist Series), in the Taos Inn of New Mexico and at Santa Barbara, Ca. CenterStage.     

Maya currently teaches at Carlota Santana Flamenco Vivo Studios and at Rod Rodgers Dance Studios, was on faculty at Rutger’s University for ten years (while creating works for the Mason Gross School of the Arts’ pre-professional touring dance company), and two years on faculty at Ballet Hispanico. Choreographing dances for annual concerts and recitals are intrinsic to this work. Arts in Education is a major theme in Maya’s life; she has taught for Carlota Santana’s Project Ole and Ballet Hispanico in the NYC Public Schools and has lead lecture-demonstrations for Andrea Del Conte and for Ms. Santana for more than 20 years. She is a Sponsored Artist and Member of The Field, Dance/NYC, Dance/USA and in 2009 and 2010 received grants from Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.