On the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the declaration of flamenco as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, Vogue Spain has brought together in Seville 28 key women in the arts jondo to grace the cover of its special December issue. A historic gathering that brings together established masters, emerging voices, and promising young talents, all representing an aesthetic and generational diversity that defines the present of flamenco.
Among the new generations, the following stand out: Claudia La Debla, dancer of the Ballet Flamenco From Andalusia, who says she is in the midst of a personal quest: "I'm in a process of self-discovery. I'm no longer a girl, now I'm beginning to be a woman." Also the very young Irene Olvera, just 16 years old, lives this experience with excitement: "These experiences make my adolescence something magical."
The cantaora Dew MoonLámpara Minera 2023, highlights the collective energy of the encounter: "When I work with women, I feel a special, calm, and very beautiful energy." And the woman from Extremadura... Zaira PrudencioThe 20-year-old flamenco dancer celebrates generational fraternity: "We support each other a lot in a very beautiful way."
From the very cover image, the flamenco singer Incarnate Ring He asks "that the foundations not be lost." And he adds: "The flamenco It is the expression of a people, of all the emotions of the human being through the cante or of dance. That is its origin, and sometimes, when industry gets involved, it becomes diluted."
The report also brings together historical figures who have shaped the course of history. flamenco contemporary. Manuela CarrascoThe icon of dance speaks about the vital moment she is going through after the death of her partner Joaquín Amador: "I am learning to live a new life." Hope Fernandez He recalls with emotion the day UNESCO recognized the flamenco"It was an incredible celebration."
The veteran Encarnacion FernándezThe two-time winner of the Lámpara Minera award recalls her beginnings in a male-dominated world: "When I was 15, I was introduced to a festival, and there were only men singing. And I was the only girl." Cristina Hoyos placeholder image, one of the great international references in dance, humorously reviews a career that led her to conquer theaters such as the Paris Opera.
The report highlights the extraordinary creative diversity of flamenco current. The flamenco singer fabi She denounces the precariousness that continues to affect many female artists: "I would like those who sing flamenco "If only they were truly millionaires. What we do is priceless."
"The special issue of Vogue magazine underscores the relevance, depth, and plurality of art jondoWhile also highlighting the central role of flamenco women. A tribute that reminds the world once again that flamenco It continues to be a way of life, a legacy in motion, and an art sustained by voices and bodies that never stop creating."
Other artists champion creativity and fusion. Maria MarinThe guitarist and singer explains: "We lack female role models who accompany themselves while playing." Lela Soto She reflects on her own generational and musical bridge: "I'm a young girl and all I've listened to is music from the nineties and two-thousands. That's very fertile ground for fusion."
The international presence also has its place with flamenco dancers such as Lori La Armeniawho states: “Between motherhood and the maturation of the body, your way of dancing changes. You return to the essentials.” Or the Chilean Florence Oz, breakthrough artist of the Jerez Festival: «The flamenco "It works directly with emotions... You don't necessarily have to have been born here."
Many of the participants are going through intense life stages. Aurora Vargas He faces the grief over Pansequito's death, but continues to defend the cante And the dance with the same dedication: "You have to hold on to life." Maria TerremotoFor its part, it has just presented Manifesto, an album marked by the memory of his father: "My children have given me the strength to continue fighting and asserting myself."
The Jerez woman Gem MoneoAfter becoming a mother for the second time, she speaks of a new balance: "Now I try to enjoy everything: my personal space and my artistic work." Ines Bacán It synthesizes a lifetime dedicated to cante"All the sorrows I had, I got rid of by singing. For me, it's like breathing."
This meeting, so infrequent due to everyone's busy schedules, was celebrated even by veteran artists such as Concha Vargas, who pointed out: "This has been achieved by the VogueThe magazine thus manages to capture a collective portrait of the women who today sustain, expand and transform the flamenco.
Overall, the special highlights the relevance, depth, and plurality of art jondoWhile also highlighting the central role—both historical and contemporary—of flamenco women. A tribute that, fifteen years after UNESCO's recognition, reminds the world once again that flamenco It continues to be a way of life, a living legacy, and an art sustained by voices and bodies that never stop creating. ♦
