ABOUT CABROLÉ!
Eric Longa Company brings flamenco culture to EVERYONE—artists and audience members alike—with a new project called Cabrolé!
We brought together 11 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!
The eleven artists from diverse backgrounds, and aesthetics underwent artistic development to explore the essence of Flamenco—its dance, poetry, queer history, connection to the community, and creative impact—culminating in a variety of cabaret acts using Flamenco as a creative tool.
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.
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, Ago Hernández and Michael McMahon), 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.
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!
The name ‘Cabrolé’ comes from the Spanish word ‘cabra’ for goat, and the world-famous expression ‘Olé!’. Goats known for their rebellious souls, olé a hail to show your appreciation. Cabrolé is a call to rebellion, on stage, and in glitter to celebrate difference!”
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).
2. Workshops 1 - Cabaret artists attended one week of workshops with researchers, specialists, and practitioners in flamenco and queer flamenco, with time to ask, reflect, try, and gather.
3. Development 1- All cabaret artists will have 2 full days to make a piece in response to what they have gathered in the queer flamenco workshop, with support from Patricia Langa, Paulina Lenoir and others.
4. Workshops 2 - Dancers from Corali Dance Company and from their other community groups will attend two workshops connected to Flamenco and Federico Garcia Lorca´s Nature poetry.
5. Development 2 - Jackie Ryan from Corali and Patricia Langa will have 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 are bringing four Cabrolé workshops to communities across south London and Croydon, ranging from 5 to 75 years old. Click here to read about the workshops and book your space here!
7. Co-hosts and dramaturge create the story line connecting all the acts.
8. Two Group rehearsals - everything comes together
9. The Show!
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. As well us our fantastic producer, marketing and PR Juliana Killburn!
Thank you all!
Special thank you to the support of all our partners:
