{"id":7747,"date":"2023-01-20T13:42:22","date_gmt":"2023-01-20T13:42:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/?p=7747"},"modified":"2024-05-30T09:31:37","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T08:31:37","slug":"cristina-heeren-foundation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insightvacations.com\/blog\/cristina-heeren-foundation\/","title":{"rendered":"Discover the Art of Flamenco with the Cristina Heeren Foundation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Passionate and flamboyant, flamenco stirs the heart and soul. In Seville, the Cristina Heeren Foundation is dedicated to teaching and promoting the conservation of this traditional art form. An Insight MAKE TRAVEL MATTER\u00ae<\/a> Experience, we had the pleasure of talking with Alexandra Hoffer, the foundation\u2019s director to learn more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE<\/h3>\n[anemos_video video_link=”https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0r-_UqSd71Y”]\n
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We invite you to get your dancing shoes on and connect to the rhythm of flamenco with a visit to the Cristina Heeren Foundation<\/a>. On this toe-tapping, passionate MAKE TRAVEL MATTER\u00ae<\/a> Experience, you\u2019ll meet students and learn all about the history of flamenco. Feel the passion behind the choreography as you put your rhythm to the test during a dance lesson before witnessing emotions come to life in a flamboyant flamenco performance.<\/p>\n

The Cristina Heeren Foundation aims to promote the teaching and conservation of flamenco and is a beneficiary of a grant from our TreadRight Foundation<\/a>. The private dance school supports young enthusiasts from all over the world with a special focus on new talent from the Andalusian region.<\/p>\n

Discover this on: Highlights of Spain<\/a>, Spanish Heritage<\/a>, Amazing Spain & Portugal<\/a>, Best of Spain & Portugal<\/a>, Treasures of Spain, Portugal & Morocco<\/a><\/p>\n

Read more: MAKE TRAVEL MATTER\u00ae: Why developing meaningful travel experiences has never been more important<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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MAKE TRAVEL MATTER\u00ae<\/h3>\n
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Chosen with great care for their positive impact on our planet its people and wildlife, our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER\u00ae<\/a> Experiences are aligned to the United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development (SDGs)<\/a>. This experience directly advances UN SDG 4: Quality Education and UN SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. The school enables students access to cultural education that otherwise may not have occurred. As students complete their training, they will carry on and safeguard the traditional flamenco dance, contributing to the protection of Andalusia and Spain\u2019s cultural heritage.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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ALEXANDRA AND THE CRISTINA HEEREN FOUNDATION<\/h3>\n

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\u201cI actually started in flamenco by pure chance,\u201d Alexandra tells us. An art historian specializing in contemporary art, she found herself in Seville. A stunning city, though not known as a center for contemporary art, she then changed path. \u201cI was introduced to Christina Heeren, now President of the foundation, by a friend,\u201d she tells us. \u201cChristina was opening an international flamenco school and she needed somebody who spoke English and additional languages.\u201d It was from here that Alexandra\u2019s journey with the Cristina Heeren flamenco foundation began.<\/p>\n

\u201cI joined the Foundation Theatre at the very beginning. When it opened in 1996, we had just four students. Now we have more than 8000 coming through our classes,\u201d she says proudly. \u201cIt’s very rewarding. Many of our ex-students are now very famous Flamenco dancers and artists. It’s wonderful to see that what we do really works.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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AN ART FORM CREATED FROM FOUR DISTINCT CULTURES<\/h3>\n
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\u201cFlamenco is as important as every kind of music, such as jazz and Blues and classical music.\u201d Alexandra tells us. A song, music and dance style, flamenco is first mentioned in literature in 1774. However, it was between 1869-1910, the \u2018golden age of flamenco\u2019, that flamenco music developed rapidly in music caf\u00e9s known as caf\u00e9s cantantes. Flamenco dancers also became one of the major attractions for the clientele of the caf\u00e9s and the guitar players increasingly gained a reputation, seeing the birth of flamenco guitar as an art form.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlamenco music comes from Andaluc\u00eda. It was born here because the region was such a melting pot of different cultures,\u201d Alexandra explains. \u201cAndaluc\u00eda was under Arab rule for 700 years (711 \u2013 1492), so there is a great Arab influence, not only in the architecture but also in the music. Then there is Jewish influence and also influence from the gypsies that arrived from South India and settled in Andaluc\u00eda. And of course, influence from the previous culture that already was in the region. So, flamenco is a music born from these four different cultures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more: Why Seville is the best place to watch (and learn) Flamenco<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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FLAMENCO AS AN EXPRESSION<\/h3>\n

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A post shared by Fundaci\u00f3n Flamenco Heeren (@fundacionflamencoheeren)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>