When four years ago he was born Guirijondo en PaloMares del Río (Seville), some thought it was madness, and others a simply unrealizable idea: a festival in which the flamencoThe world's greatest artists could rub shoulders, on equal footing and in healthy camaraderie, with the world's leading figures, demonstrating that the horizons of this art are as broad as the love it inspires across the globe. Four years have passed, and the scholar's dream... Manuel Bohorquez, supported by the town's mayor, Manuel BenjumeaNot only does it continue to keep its annual appointment, but it shows more vitality than ever.
A language flamenco
This is evident in the 2026 edition, dedicated to the Netherlands, whose opening day was held this Wednesday, June 3rd in the Carlos Álvarez-Nóvoa Municipal TheaterThe journalist and writer Antonio García Barbeito He was in charge of giving the inaugural address with an emotional remembrance of that friend who gives his name to the local theater, the endearing actor who “didn’t sing flamenco, But flamenco “It hurt him,” he recalled. “You knew that the flamenco It was much more than a way of showing feelings. flamenco It's a language spoken with the voice, the hands, the arms, the feet, the whole body. It's like bullfighting, an artistic passion or hobby.
"The flamenco “It’s a very sensual language, especially because of the dance, which is either a measured outburst or an unrestrained outburst,” concluded the man from Aznalcázar. “That’s why it’s so admirable when someone arrives somewhere and starts studying.” flamenco without mastering their language. It's not about the more or less perfect execution of canteIt's not about the music or the dance, but about the music that's inside. Thanks to Guirijondo We can meet talented people who have fallen in love with flamenco And they interpret it as the most deeply rooted Andalusian. Who would have thought... Paloseas of the River that was going to be Paloseas of MessNot because of the pronunciation, but because of the mess it's creating. The world fits here, in a beautiful syncretism that embraces the spine of flamenco".
"Thanks to Guirijondo We can meet talented people who have fallen in love with flamenco And they interpret it as the most deeply rooted Andalusian. Who would have thought... Paloseas of the River that was going to be PaloSeas of Chaos, not because of the pronunciation, but because of the mess it's creating. The world fits here, in a beautiful syncretism that embraces the spine of flamenco» (Antonio García Barbeito)
Ubiquitous Freddy
Following García Barbeito's applauded speech, a commemorative ceramic piece was presented to the Dutch fan popularly known as Freddy Flamencofoliage, a ubiquitous presence in all flamenco venues and festivals, and beloved by artists and audiences.
Born in Haaksbergen in 1954, he worked in media such as the Amsterdam Salto A2 channel, was a music promoter and had his own cafe in the famous Albert Cypmarkt from the Dutch capital, until she moved to Andalusia in 2021. Four decades earlier she had discovered the flamenco at a Gypsy wedding to which he was invited, and the spell was instantly cast. He received lessons in cante in the Cristina Heeren Foundation, among other formations, but above all he is a tireless fan, a loyal member of seven peñaflamenco dancers from the province of Seville.
“I never imagined I would receive such a beautiful ceramic plaque,” the honoree declared. “Only at this festival could they remember the Netherlands in this way. Andalusia, for me, is the garden of Venus. There is a lot of history between Spain and the Netherlands, and a war or two too… But seeing my compatriots walking in wooden clogs, I like to think that the dance flamenco "He was born there."
A brief history of flamenco Dutch
Without further pause, the floor was given to the journalist. Marlies JansenMaría Elisa, as her friends called her, a professional in Flemish information originally from the Netherlands, recalled having discovered the flamenco in 1985 “and that changed my life.” Of course, to talk about my first contacts with art jondo And his country harked back to the time of the Romantics, many of whom were travelers. People like Marcellus Emants, Jac Van Looy, Jozef Israeëls or your son Isaac They brought news of the Seville Fair or the gypsies of Sacromonte back to their country.
Jansen also reviewed the first visits to Holland, already in the 20th century, of stars such as Vicente Escudero, La Argentinita o Carmen amayaOr milestones like the tour Da Silva Gypsy Partywhich for many Dutch people was the first annual event of flamenco to which they had access, in one of which two young people named Pedro Miño y Pepa MontesHe didn't forget to mention pioneers like Huib Wilkes (known as Humberto the Clown), Arie Sneeuw, Juan Antonio, Josien Locher, Eric Vaarzon Morel, Clementine Van der Straay o Erna Esmeralda, who strengthened the passion in Dutch lands, many of whom continue to pass on their knowledge to new generations.
Already in the 80s, amidst the legacy of Carmen de gades (“the girls in my country used to rush to their classes of flamenco because they wanted to be like the seductive Carmen) or the light hits of the Gipsy Kings, or the unavoidable Between two waters de Paco de Lucía“A desire awoke to explore a lively and passionate music.” And in that year, 1983, a Vicente Friend The 16-year-old performed on various stages and even on national television, causing a lasting sensation. The director of the Rotterdam Conservatory confided to Paco PeñaA guitarist then based in London, giving flamenco guitar lessons… Before any Spanish conservatory had opened its arms to the art jondoIt was the seed that germinated into talents like Tino van der Smann o Gaspar of Holland.
El flamenco The festival in Utrecht, another fundamental milestone, led many to begin referring to this city as "Utrera of the North," and through which they would eventually pass. Fernanda and Bernarda, Serranito, Carmen Linares, Chano Lobato or Eva YerbabuenaFinally, the speaker evoked the Earthquake Foundationwith the painter and art enthusiast Maria Spaans, who introduced into the country Andres Marin and, with it, the notion of dancing for the canteAnd not just for the guitar; the newsletter Amateur from The Hague, a precursor to journals tablao Flamenco y World flamencoand where Jansen herself took her first steps in journalism; places like Casa Sánchez, El Ele or Café Duende; wave biennial of Flamenco from the Netherlands, driven Ernestina van de Noort y Marteen Roberts with a strong avant-garde spirit… To arrive at a present with a somewhat aged and greatly diminished fanbase after the storm of the pandemic, but where the embers of that centuries-old flamenco passion still burn “that allows us to feel not like tourists, but like locals flamenco"and more."
"A return, also to the fandangos of Huelva, dedicated to Niño Miguel and some bulerías until the closing performance by seguiriya with the singer Jesús Méndez, who ended up accompanying with his privileged voice the bulería De Jerez a Marrakech and some superb fandangos as a bonus"
He 'Flamenco Gaspar's ethnic
Already in the first edition of Guirijondo the guitar shone Jasper Lockerfeer, better known as Gaspar of Holland, a musician based in Huelva who has made of flamenco His hallmark. A star pupil of Paco Peña at the Rotterdam Conservatory, he opened his recital Flamenco ethnic –world premiere– with an exuberant rondeña.
“The idea of Flamenco ethnic "It's about bringing together many countries and races to make music, reminding us that we are all people," Gaspar explained before inviting the singer onto the stage. Virginia Gomez, his wife; Alaa Zoutien, lute; Mario Pousadabouzouki and mandola; Pablo Baez, low; Lito Manezpercussion; and Verónica Campos, palmas and dancing to offer some tangos to the greater glory of Enrique Morente, some bulerías for The Paquera…And some very melodic fandangos dedicated to Gaspar's mother-in-law, Victoria"Also present in the room, 'something that, I'm told, isn't seen very often,'" the guitarist said in good humor.
An instrumental rumba with Mediterranean flavors led into some new tangos, this time from Lame man from Huelvapopularized by Miguel Poveda o Radio Rate among others; a return, also to the fandangos of Huelva, dedicated to Child Michael and some bulerías until the closing seguiriya with the singer Jesus Mendez, who ended up accompanying the bulería with her privileged voice From Jerez to Marrakech and some superb fandangos as a bonus.
In the initial moments of this first day of the festival, Manuel Bohorquez He asserted that “never, to our knowledge, has any festival of flamenco had considered the possibility of honoring a country each year where the flamenco "It should be important. That was the purpose of this festival when it was created, and today it makes even more sense."
For its part, the mayor, Manuel BenjumeaGuiri exclaimedjondo as “a festival that has become a benchmark, both in Spain and beyond our borders, and above all that has put PaloSeas on the map. Here we pay homage to one of the greatest treasures our land has given us, deeply rooted in our culture and which has transcended borders to become a universal language. Because the flamenco It belongs to those who feel it, study it, and work on it.”. ♦
