FLAMENCO WEDDINGS OFFERS FREE MINI CLASS FOR COUPLES’ FIRST DANCE SUNDAY, APRIL 15, 3:00 AND 4:00 P.M.

Engaged couples who want to bring more passion and excitement to their wedding, can get a taste of what a flamenco-themed first dance would look like, by taking advantage of a free offer from Flamenco Weddings, a Chicago-based company at 2914 W. Belmont on the city’s northwest side.

On Sunday afternoon, April 15, at 3:00 and 4:00 p.m. Rosetta Magdalen, flamenco dance teacher and choreographer, will teach easy steps for the all-important first dance to future brides, grooms, and their wedding parties. “Even if someone has never danced before, it’s all in the attitude,” Magdalen said. “We think the sensuous dance of Spain brings the fire of flamenco to the dance floor, and more importantly, sets the tone for a wedding reception long talked about and remembered.”

The Flamenco First Dance free mini classes will be part of Flamenco Chicago’s Spring Open House, which will run from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. on April 15. Visitors to the Open House can also learn about the school’s six-week Fundamentals class, which offers new students an opportunity to experience body alignment and movement, turns, and heel work set to traditional and contemporary flamenco music.

Beginning, intermediate, advanced, and private lessons are also offered at Flamenco Chicago, and Magdalen will be on hand at the Spring Open House to explain all of the these options.

Complementary wine and cheese, and the music of a flamenco guitarist, will add to the April 15 festivities. For more information about Flamenco Weddings, call (773) 680-0039, or go to the website, www.flamencochicago.com

 

Flamenco Weddings Adds Zest to Once-in-a-Lifetime Celebrations

Soon-to-be-married couples, who seek to make their wedding receptions memorable, are turning to Flamenco Weddings, a professional Chicago-based troupe of vibrantly costumed dancers, an instrumental flamenco guitarist, and an impassioned singer.

This fresh entry into captivating wedding entertainment is offered by Rosetta Magdalen (photo), a flamenco dancer, teacher and choreographer, who is the founder and artistic director of Flamenco Chicago located at 2914 W. Belmont on the city's northwest side. Magdalen said Flamenco Weddings is now gearing up for the June wedding season and is reaching out to those in the planning stages.

Magdalen says previous performances typically elicit comments like, "Your show made my wedding!” While those responses are delightful and welcome, what the artist really enjoys “is seeing the reaction of guests as they watch our show and then join in on some easy steps. Rarely does anyone remain at their table once the music and dancing start."

Trained as a classical pianist and dancer, with a background in ballet, tap, and folkloric dance, Magdalen settled on flamenco "because it is a percussive dance form, in which the sounds made by the feet become a musical instrument themselves. So, the rhythms and reverberations of the heel work move through your entire body. I really enjoyed the feeling of this."

Along with Flamenco Weddings, Magdalen teaches students of all ages and abilities in 13 classes offered each week. Additionally, the studio presents showcases twice a year, "where everyone is invited to participate," she says, "not just a talented few."

While Magdalen is pleased with the continuing growth of her studio -- it opened in 2003 -- and her expanding wedding business -- what especially satisfies her are the changes she witnesses in students. "It's so exciting to see them develop and grow in their confidence level,” she said, “which they tell me carries over into other areas of their lives. It's obvious the medium of flamenco can be a catalyst for people to get deeply in touch with their own spirt through movement."

As to Flamenco Weddings, Magdalen adds, "What better way to start married life then to give the gift of music, emotion, and fun to those who witness a momentous beginning."

For more information about Flamenco Weddings or Flamenco Chicago, visit the website, http://flamencochicago.com, or call 773-680-0039.

(The photographer for the portrait shown above is Marisela Guerra.)