Dance group to demonstrate Flamenco in Hot Springs

All the style, flair and lightning-fast footwork of Flamenco, a genre of music, song and dance from Southern Spain is coming to Hot Springs at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 22 at the Symes Hotel. Led by Victoria Lenihan and the Flamenco MT dance group out of Missoula, on Friday the Symes Hotel will be filled with the sounds and spectacle of this art form that dates back to the late 18th century. Started about 20 years ago, Lenihan said, “the group is made up of people who love Spanish regional dance.”
The event will feature five dancers and three distinct sets. The first set is comprised of three dances: the tanguillos, el vito and savillanas.
The second set is composed of: ida y vuelta, guajiras, and colombiana.
The third and final set consists of: fin de fiesta or “end of the night” and the bulerias, a traditional, light-hearted dance ending the performance.
According to Lenihan, “Flamenco is a blend of dances. Think of it as a tree with many branches. The regional dances are from all over Spain. We do a very ambitious show.”
Lenihan added that last year the first ever Flamenco festival was held in Missoula in October. In addition to the performance on Friday, Lenihan will be teaching a class at 1 p.m. the next day, Saturday, March 23 at the Symes Hotel in Hot Springs.