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James & Sylvia Kalal

Flamenco Ole!

Testimonials

Jim & Sylvia,

Once again, thank you so much for entertaining our crowd at this PIB Founder's Day celebration.  Your excellent Spanish renditions complemented our theme perfectly.  Everyone there really enjoyed your high-spirited melodies as well as the flamenco dancer.  If anyone asks, we would highly recommend your lively, artistic entertainment for just about any kind of venue.  We would love to have you back again next year.


~ Mike Steidl, President
PIB Chamber of Commerce





"Kalal performed brilliant Flamenco Accompaniment to Bohl's and Scott's staccato steps at Walsh college."


~ The Spectator




"Bravura performances by the Kalal's"


~ M.J. Albacete (Music Critic at Canton Repository)



Kalal Flamenco Troupe

Photo Credit: Susan Byrnes

Playlist


Malaguena

Sevillanas

Bulerias

Farruca

Soleares

Granadinas

Columbiana

Surrender to love

Bolero

Rhumba

Moorea

Cafe Granada

Cancion Para Santiago

La Sonrisa de Sophia

Leyenda




"The San Miguel Troupe was excellent, superb and inspiring!"

~ Children's Concert Society


A Passion-Fired Flamenco Adventure



The James & Sylvia Kalal / San Miguel Troupe will take you on an exciting adventure to the Gypsy world of Spain. We will introduce the Andalusian Flamenco World of author Washington Irving, who wrote Tales of the Alhambra. Our Troupe performs Olde world Escuela (school) Flamenco, beginning with traditional rhythms as Sevillanas and Bulerias. A comprehensive explanation of "palmas" (a hand-clapping technique) will illustrate the spellbinding and exotic rhythms of Africa (the Moors), and especially India, that are indigenous to Southern Spain.

The audience will hear each of us illustrate a significant aspect of flamenco. James will demonstrate the rasgueado (strum) technique on the guitar. Sylvia will explain how a tremolo is played. Saundra will give a brief demonstration on how to play the castanets. A demonstration of these rhythms and their unique metrical patterns and accents is a special highlight of our performance that involves audience participation of clapping basic compass (rhythm) against other counter rhythms. This will illustrate the magic of compass between Saundra Bohl's castanets and her heel-foot work.

We will demonstrate the unique concepts like "Llamada" (the call) and "Desplantes". We will then segue to newly manipulated rhythms of the Latin world such as Salsa and illustrate the pulsating 3-2 clave of Mambo - again with audience participation.