On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Calixto Sanchez Municipal Theater Mairena del Alcor (Seville) was the scene of the semi-final of the Andalusian Youth Circuit FlamencosThe contest is organized by the Andalusian Institute of Flamenco, dependent on the Andalusian Agency of Cultural Institutions in collaboration with the provincial federations of peñaflamenco and the Andalusian Youth InstituteThe next semi-final will take place in Baeza on September 19, so the verdict of the jury, composed in Mairena by the director of the IAF, Christopher Ortega, Pedro Antonio Ramirez, from the Andalusian Youth Institute, Concha Prieto, President of the Confederation of PeñaFlamencos of Andalusia and from Seville, the dancer and choreographer Andres Marin, the singer Second Falcon y David Peral, head of projects at the IAF, was not identified after this initial screening.
Alvaro Mora y Jesus Flores were the official guitarist and singer of the competition. The rest of the musicians who accompanied the contestants on stage came on behalf of the candidate artists themselves, who came onto the stage presented in pairs within each of the categories: instrumentalists, cante, touch and dance.
Javier Cecilia (25 years old, Osuna, Seville) played seguiriya and bulería on the piano, searching for the beat in the percussion. Francisco Javier Carmona (25 years old, Puente Genil, Córdoba) played a medley of tangos with his transverse flute, evoking Ceperian airs and the features of Jorge Pardo or fragments of I just want to walk y The star, by Morente.
Celia jimenez (25 years old, Alcalá de los Gazules, Cádiz) was tempered by peteneras remembering Pastora Pavón and closed with Marianas of Moorish-Menesian overtones, accompanied on the guitar by Alba Espert. And Luis Ortega (19 years old, La Algaba, Seville) sang the musical cadences of the Triana soleá and the apolá, to close his participation with the polo.
The guitar section opened with the touch of Antonio Jesús Gómez (19 years old, Córdoba) for taranta and bulerías. He was seconded Jose Quevedo (21 years old, Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz), who shone both in the bulería por soleá and in an original, jonda, neat seguiriya, quite difficult and very well executed.
"José Quevedo's guitar playing stood out above all, for its eclectic composition, imbued with flamenco and rhythm, for the complexity of the pieces, and for bringing personal and distinct touches at his young age."
At the dance, they wanted to delight Lola Rosendo (17 years old, Cadiz) for joys and Sara Luque (24 years old, Écija, Seville) for snails, both with shawl.
The artistic quality of the young people, with honorable exceptions, was not very high, especially in the section of canteBoth Javier Cecilia on piano and Francisco Javier Carmona on flute offered truly promising performances, even more so in the case of Carmona, who demonstrated virtuosity and transmission in the ten minutes of his performance, a time that each of the participants had to convince with their performance. José Quevedo's guitar playing stood out especially for his eclectic composition, imbued with flamenco and rhythm, for the complexity of the pieces, and for contributing, despite his young age, personal and distinctive twists. In the dancing, there was a counterpoint between the aesthetic beauty of Lola's movements and figures, less adept at footwork but with exquisite arm movements, and the much more refined technique of Sara Luque, who, nevertheless, moved the shawl with less delicacy than Lola, who still has more experience but will probably use it to achieve a progression that will put her on the right path.
It didn't seem appropriate to me. cite the list of achievements of the candidates in each of the presentations. Not only because it might influence the opinion of the jury, which I assume has ample integrity, but because, as it is a competition, the prizes and artistic journey of each one unnecessarily dress up and complete the performance they give that night.
Anyway, Youth is also a degree and a very good starting point. And with work, dedication and love for flamenco They are the ideal ingredients to contribute to the growth of your worth.
Seville (Teatro Central) and Madrid will receive visits from some of the artists participating in this circuit once the qualifying rounds are over and the final is reached.
