Flamencodanza
One of the shows included in the inaugural Fringe Fort Myers is Flamencodanza, a powerful and elegant show of Flamenco dance and guitar by Aylin Bayaz and Raul Mannola.
Flamencodanza is a project that premiered in 2021 at Avignon Fringe in France. It has gone on to be performed in France, Spain, the Czech Republic, the U.K., Australia, New Zealand and in the United States.
As the show’s title alludes, Flamencodanza is a unique fusion of dance and music.
The 
music is colored by elements of flamenco, Brazilian music and jazz. The dance is based on the fiery footwork of flamenco with contemporary dance elements added in to produce a stunning show full of energy, beauty and inspiration that earned the accolade of “best dance and physical theatre show” of Hollywood Fringe 2022.
“This powerhouse duo takes their audience for a ride, and they do not hold back,” writes reviewer Joseph Klink for Stage Raw. “One moment they display tenderness as they replicate candle-lit dinner vibes; the next moment 
they’ve swept you away with such an uninhibited release of energy that you are tapping or stomping yourself. Yet while this kinetic energy flows in abundance on stage, it remains clear just how much technical control they both have. They are dedicated masters of their craft.”
In addition to the dance and music, Flamencodanza has been lauded 
for both its choreography and costumes.
Aylin Bayaz is a contemporary Flamenco dancer based in Sitges, Spain. She trained at the Amor de Dios Studios and performed in “Tablaos Flamencos” in Madrid before moving to Barcelona to complete her M.A. in Dance at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona in 2018. She has performed internationally as a solo dancer (Spain, France, Italy, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Holland, Finland and Czech Republic), accompanied by excellent Flamenco artists, including Antonio Sánchez, nephew of the late Paco de Lucía. 
She has taught Flamenco courses at the Institute of the Arts Barcelona and the MOVEIT Show in London.
Raul Mannola is a flamenco guitarist with a jazz background. He studied with flamenco guitar master Manolo Sanlúcar. He has dedicated more than 30 years to the study of flamenco guitar and released 10 solo albums. The album “Clear Dawn” with his Jazz fusion group “Aurora Clara” received excellent reviews internationally. He worked as a flamenco guitar teacher at the Madrid Music Conservatory during 10 years.
Flamencodanza will
be performed three times in the Foulds Theatre at the Alliance for the Arts:
- 7:00 p.m. on Friday, June 2;
- 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 3; and
- 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 4.
You can also catch a 2-3 minute tease during the Thursday night preview show at 6:30 p.m. in the Foulds Theatre.
May 29, 2023.
About the Author
Tom Hall is both an amateur artist and aspiring novelist who writes art quest thrillers. He is in the final stages of completing his debut novel titled "Art Detective," a story that fictionalizes the discovery of the fabled billion-dollar Impressionist collection of Parisian art dealer Josse Bernheim-Jeune, thought by many to have perished during World War II when the collection's hiding place, Castle de Rastignac in southern France, was destroyed by the Wehrmacht in reprisal for attacks made by members of the Resistance operating in the area. A former tax attorney, Tom holds a bachelor's degree as well as both a juris doctorate and masters of laws in taxation from the University of Florida. Tom lives in Estero, Florida with his fiancee, Connie, and their four cats.