A bata de cola is a flamenco dress with a long train that is very heavy and difficult to maneuver. But when the stars align and it converges with a skilled dancer, they become one.
"They control and manipulate the train so that it looks like an extension of their body," says Mele Martinez, dancer and director of Flamenco del Pueblo Viejo.
This will be one of the featured skills at the second Tucson Spanish and Flamenco Festival, which started Wednesday and runs through Sunday at the Casa Vicente restaurant downtown.
Flamenco's roots trace back to the gypsies from Andalusia, Spain.
"The skill it takes to dance with a bata de cola is very revered in Spain, and it's very much a spectacle here. It takes a lot of training. There's a very specific skill to being able to dance with that long of a train," adds Martinez, who is also one of the event coordinators.
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Marisol Encinias-Ibarra, a choreographer, dancer and administrator at the National Institute of Flamenco in New Mexico, and Rebeca Tomas, winner of the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque, will dance with a bata de cola in separate performances Friday and Saturday.
The festival will include flamenco dance, singing and music by renowned artists, along with workshops in those areas for people of all levels, and lectures.
There also will be Spanish food and wine available for purchase.
Last year, the event attracted about 1,000 people, and it's expected to be bigger this year.
The festival also will be longer, says Vicente Sanchez, who owns the restaurant. An additional day will be devoted to flamenco guitar.
The stage, lighting and sound system will be bigger, too.
Other guest artists include Antonio Arrebola, who started dancing like all authentic flamenco dancers - on the circuit of tablaos, or small theaters, in Seville, Martinez says.
The most sought-after flamenco musicians in the United States also will perform.
Guitarist Ricardo Anglada and singer Vicente Griego, who accompany major flamenco companies and flamenco dancers, will make a stop in the Old Pueblo.
The festival will reflect Spanish culture, with all performances starting around 8 or 9 p.m.
In Spain, many performances take place outdoors in the cool of the night after dinner and run until the morning hours.
This festival will be a great opportunity for people to check out the latest flamenco attire. Members of Club España, a group dedicated to preserving Spanish culture, will be wearing the latest outfits.
"Everybody wants to make a fashion statement," Sanchez says.
If you go
• What: Tucson Spanish and Flamenco Festival, featuring flamenco dance, singing and music performances, along with workshops and lectures.
• When: Through Sunday. Performances are 8-10 p.m. tonight and Sunday; 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. See website for extensive workshop and lecture schedule.
• Where: Casa Vicente, 375 S. Stone Ave.
• Cost: $15 tonight, $25 Friday or Saturday, $20 Sunday.
• More info: 884-5253 or www.tucsonspanishflamencofestival.com
A sampling of workshops
Toque Flamenco
• Level: All.
• When: 6-7 p.m. tonight and Friday.
• Instructor: Ricardo Anglada.
• Cost: $25 per day, $40 for both.
Cante Flamenco
• Level: All.
• When: 6-7 p.m. tonight and Friday.
• Instructor: Vicente Griego.
• Cost: $25 per day, $40 for both.
Bata de Cola
• Level: Beginning and intermediate.
• When: 1-2:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday.
• Instructor: Rebeca Tomas.
• Cost: $35 per day, $60 for both.
