Our upcoming 2-day conference April 6–7 at UC Riverside, Transatlantic Malagueñas and Zapateados in Music, Song, and Dance, will cap each day with a special multi-media presentation.

♦ The first day, April 6, will feature a screening of Gurumbé–Canciones de tu Memoria Negra, a film by Miguel Ángel Rosales (in Spanish and Portuguese, with English subtitles).

Flamenco is synonymous with Spanish culture. Since its inception, theorists have sidelined the fundamental contribution of Afro-Andalusians. Commercial exploitation of the American colonies brought hundreds of Africans to Seville to be sold as slaves, forming a population who over time managed to gain space in a society wrought with racial prejudices. Music and dance were a fundamental part of their expression and the most important affirmation of their identity. As the black population began to disappear from Spain in the late 19^th century, so too did their contribution to this extraordinary art form. In Gurumbé, their story is finally told.

Rosales is an anthropologist and an award-winning documentary filmmaker. His short films La Maroma (2011) and Atrapados al vuelo (2012) have won several awards around the world, including Cortos for Caracoles (Spain), Bahía Blanca (Argentina), Latinoamerican Festival (Argentina) and Luz en los márgenes (2013). Gurumbé is Miguel’s first feature film.

♦ Day 2, April 7, will culminate in a series of lecture recitals and, to top off the conference, an open gran fandango for all willing participants.

First, pianist Adam Kent will give a musical lecture, “From España to Iberia: returning the Malagueña to Málaga,” featuring dancer Anna de la Paz, who will perform the Zapateado de María Cristina. 

Second, Melissa Moore and singer Fernando Barros will present “Island Life and Conservation of Culture,” a lecture-recital on flamenco guitar and song.

Finally, there will be an open gran fandango / footwork jam for all who would like to participate, so bring your dancing shoes and your castanets!