ABOUT CABROLÉ! PROJECT
We brought together 12 artists, community groups, and Corali Dance Company to explore the intersections of queerness, dance, poetry, and community through a series of flamenco-inspired workshops. These culminates in an outrageous cabaret and a big fiesta with a flamenco twist!
Originating from many different backgrounds, the artists involved are Yos Clark (Dance Artist), Nina Bowers (Actor/Vogue Artist/Drag King), Medusa Has Been (Performer/ Facilitator /Drag Artist), Dairy King (Drag King), Charlie Wood (Performer/Songwriter/Singer/Cabaret host), Magdalenna Mannion (Flamenco Artist), Paulina Lenoir (Theatre-maker, Clown & Designer) and Kaajel Patel (Bollywood Queerlesque, Cabaret, & Semi-Classical Indian Dance), and the Rhythmics (duo created by Jackie Ryan from Corali Dance Company, leading company supporting artists with learning disabilities & Patricia Langa).
The costumes were created by Lambdog assisted by Sean Alexander Murray, and Saba Al-Tamimi-
Visual works, were created collaboratively in workshops with Corali & the cabaret artists led by Sean Alexander Murray & advisor Tim Spooner, and were showcased in the evening, serving as the backdrop for the event & enhancing cultural education.
In collaboration with Fin de Fiesta musicians (Laura González, Michael McMahon, Ago Hernández, Carlos Barba, Preetha Narayana, Araceli Garcia, Matt Webb, Bryan Reyes, and Irene Giménez), an encore flamenco fiesta closed the event with the guest appearance of Carlos Otero and Fernando López Rodríguez!
Alongside the project we run a series of 4 community workshops for Queer Youths, Children 5+ & Families, and over 60 people ensuring a broad outreach, and community connectivity.
9 steps of Cabrolé! Project
1. Prep for workshops - All workshops facilitators got together in couples to create the workshop content, supported by Fernando López Rodríguez (Author of Queer Flamenco History).
2. Workshops 1 - Cabaret artists attended one week of workshops with researchers, specialists, and practitioners in flamenco dance & culture, queer flamenco, and Federico Garcia Lorca’s queer poetry with time to ask, reflect, try, and gather.
3. Development 1- All cabaret artists had 2 full days to make a piece in response to what they have gathered in the flamenco inspired workshop, with support from Patricia Langa, & Paulina Lenoir.
4. Workshops 2 - Dancers from Corali Dance Company and from their other community groups attended two workshops connected to Flamenco and Federico Garcia Lorca’s Nature poetry.
5. Development 2 - Jackie Ryan from Corali and Patricia Langa had 2 days to make a piece using the language created in the workshops with Corali, and the support from Thick and Tight and Sarah Archdeacon.
6. Community workshops - We brought four Cabrolé workshops to communities across south London and Croydon, ranging from 5 to 75 years old. (Queer Flamenco Physicality, and Queer Poetry through Federico Garcia Lorca Poems for Queer youths. Flamenco Puppet making for families, and Flamenco aerobics for over 60).
7. Co-hosts and dramatuge created the story line connecting all the acts.
8. Two Group rehearsals - everything comes together!
and finally…
9. CABROLÉ! THE SHOW & FLAMENCO AFTER FIESTA!
Flamenco is a culture that brings people together. It was born from the search for a new ‘familia’ and the need to create a communal language among different marginalised communities to establish that new ‘familia’. Similarly, queer communities are homes that accept and love others for being themselves. This evening stands as a testament to these histories and the power of creative exchange, inclusivity, and, above all, self-expression!
This project wouldn’t be the same without the support of mentors, and advisors: Jan Winter, Sarah Archdeacon, Thick & Tight, Saskia Horton, Loren McK and Jennifer Taillefer. And the Volunteers: Irene Giménez, Anand Borse, Liv Williams, Lis Murphy, Nora López Holden, Julie Nesher, Thom Curzon.
As well us our fantastic producer, marketing and PR Juliana Killburn!
Thank you all!
Special thank you to the support of all our partners:
And Chisenhale Dance, Ugly Duck, K5 Studio, Vauxhall Gardens Community Centre, Nicola Rayworth, Saskia Holborn, Arianna Carloni, Poplar Union, and Sasolo.
All Cabrolé! images are by Jon Archdeacon