Alberto García y Juan Manuel Cortes They have a date this afternoon on a balcony of the Plaza de la CaladeThey will perform there for a large audience as part of the Nîmes Festival, performing a purely repertoire flamencoBut before that, after midday, they are scheduled to perform at another event, this time on the outskirts of the city. Specifically, in the Mas de Mingue neighborhood, which is part of what is called a priority security zone (ZSP), that is, “a French geographical territory that suffers more than others from daily insecurity and entrenched crime,” according to the authorities of the Ministry of the Interior.
Artists are used to visiting districts like this. In fact, they find them perfectly suited to their work. “Where was the flamenco“In a theater?” Cortés asks. “No, the flamenco It comes from the margins. This place is also flamencoUnder a leaden sky, typical of this time of year, rises the Jen Paulhan Community Centerwhere their performance will take place. A multi-purpose space, used for everything from cultural events to sporting activities, which today will be transformed into an impromptu forum. flamenco Thanks to these descendants of Spaniards who cultivate a passion for it jondo beyond the Pyrenees.
An hour before the event, the neighborhood seems stuck in a rather depressing routine. Three kids wander around with a bored air, an elderly North African man shuffles along the sidewalk with his hands behind his back. But little by little, the audience begins to arrive, people of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds. Mainly women, who, as is well known, are the most participative peopleWhether in a book club or a theater workshop, they are the majority here too.
"Most viewers have no idea about this art form, so artists must start from the beginning: explaining that the flamenco It is fundamentally composed of cante"...dance and playing, and that it is the result of a fusion that stems from the Andalusian folkloric substrate and is nourished by the Gypsy, Sephardic, African heritage..."
García and Cortés warmed up in a small room that serves as a dressing room before facing the audience. Warming up is not only literal but essential, because it's considerably cold within these walls. In fact, the first joke revolves around the low temperatures.The fire of flamenco We really need it today!"He says, rubbing his hands together, and the respectable people, who haven't even taken off their coats, nod amid laughter.
Most viewers have no idea about this art form, so artists must start from the beginning: explaining that the flamenco It is fundamentally composed of cantedance and playing, and that is the result of a mix that starts from the Andalusian folkloric substrate and is nourished by the Gypsy, Sephardic, African heritage… A code that is very well understood by the residents of a multicultural neighborhood, as almost all are today in France, and are on their way to becoming so in Spain as well.
When it comes to entering the rhythms, Cortés uses Lego pieces. It's his way, quite effective indeed, of showing that binary, ternary, and other time signatures exist. And if enough pieces are combined, even twelve-beat ones. Once the rhythm has entered the eye with all its colors, it's time to try the palmasThe audience gets it right away, although keeping time seems to be the challenge. When they go on too long, Cortés playfully chides them. “Looks like someone had a pastis before coming here, huh?” he says, alluding to the popular alcoholic drink served as an aperitif in this region.
They will also emphasize the importance of lyrics, how they are capable of expressing the full range of emotions, from exhilarating joy to the deepest sorrow, encompassing the most profound metaphysical questions. And as a reward for the attention and patience of those present, they conclude with a short recital in which García illustrates with his cante everything they've learned over the past hour. "Ole!" they repeat from the audience, and that's the last lesson of the day: to reward those who give their art with those three letters that sound, more than ever, universal.
Credits
Alberto García & Juan Manuel Cortés
Festival Flamenco from Nîmes 2026
J. Paulhan Social Centre
14 2026 January.
Alberto García, cante
Juan Manuel Cortés, guitar and percussion
