Peña La Pepa Of New Orleans

11/20/2025

Antonio Gades

"La danza no es el paso, sino lo que hay entre paso y paso". Antonio Gades, uno de los principales creadores e intérpretes en la historia del baile flamenco y la danza española en general. Estos días se cumplen 89 años de su nacimiento en Elda (Alicante), el 14 de noviembre de 1936.

Foto: Pepe Lamarca

11/17/2025

This Friday Nov. 21 Spain Flamenco Arts -Rafael Ramirez US Tour concludes in New Orleans! The Chateau Flamenco Festival is proud to present Ramirez's Louisiana premiere along with his incredible company to close the 2025 Chateau Flamenco Festival and their tour with all they got!! Don't miss it. They are so excited to come and share their amazing masterpiece with you. I'm ready.

🎟️ Tickets: https://www.jeffersonpac.com/events/detail/rafael-ramirezs-chronicle-of-a-time-that-was
🌐 https://flamenconola.com/festival/cronica-de-un-suceso/
📅 Friday November 21
🎭 The Jefferson Performing Arts Center
⏰ 8pm

Ramirez's and his curated creation about the legendary flamenco dancer Antonio Gades:
Rafael Ramirrez arrives in New Orleans from Malaga Spain with his production “Chronicle of a Time that Was” in which he reimagines himself as the famous flamenco dancer Antonio Gades. He interprets his life and legacy in ten scenes. Gades (14 November 1936 – 20 July 2004) was the most famous flamenco dancer of his era who was also from southeast Spain.

As if flamenco isn’t dramatic enough, Ramirez envisions Gade’s life in what he calls chronicles of an event. The event being Gades presence in flamenco’s history. Using the word dramatic applying to Gades is using an understatement that would apply to almost all aspects of his life. In life there are legends and there are stories about legends. This is a story that recalls Gade's life in reality and legend. It is rumored that he wanted to be a bullfighter or a boxer. The famous dancer Pilar Lupe convinced him to dance instead. Fate at its best. He danced in Lupe’s company for 9 years. He then went to Rome to study classical dance. He danced in the leading ballets of the era. He eventually became the Director of the Spanish National Ballet. This was besides becoming the most famous flamenco dancer of his time. He choreographed as well. He was described as creative and impulsive on stage. This carried into his choreographies. Antonio once danced in a skirt that turned into a matador’s cape. This was not so well accepted in that era but he was an impulsive visionary unbiased, unprejudiced by morals of the times. His creativity knew no bounds.
His life wasn’t tortured but tangled in a way that didn’t allow separation of life and art. He filled the stage performing, tall and elegant with a demanding presence, and a possessed mastery of the demanding heel work of flamenco. He transcended music and dance. Married four times his passions expressed in flamenco obviously spilled over into his personal life. Through Rafael Ramirez interpretation we are privileged to witness his legendary life and art.
New Orleans is Ramirez’s last stop in his US tour. Previous reviewers have lauded this production’s pure theater, pure art, and pure legend. This show will take you to another dimension. See you at the show!

11/09/2025

11/06/2025

Jesús Méndez this past Oct. 12 in Madrid!

11/04/2025

Thank you to the Gambit for publishing my article about the Chateau Flamenco Festival!
I love my city and it deserves to have the best.

Who Knew: Flamenco!

Who knew? A common expression. Who would’ve known? Know what I’m sayin’? My New Orleans expresses itself that way, casual, familiar, full of rhythm and warmth. We in New Orleans

10/28/2025

https://www.spainculture.us/city/new-orleans/the-new-orleans-chateau-flamenco-festival-2025/

Flamenco returns to New Orleans for the fourth edition of the “Chateau Flamenco Festival,” featuring leading international artists from Spain.

10/09/2025

The 2025 Chateau Flamenco Festival proudly presents two Louisiana curated premieres direct from Spain at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Two nights. Two visions. One festival. What you will witness is a truly rare, and once in a lifetime opportunity to see two very different brilliant styles of flamenco without having to board a plane to Spain.
Spanish culture and arts have been acknowledged sporadically but appraised with delight. Famous artists applauded and lauded by the Times Picayune as far back as 1885. The most famous flamencos in Spain are dying to come to New Orleans to share historically their art so relevant to this city. Do not miss them!

November 15 -MARIA BERMUDEZ FLAMENCO SONIDOS GITANOS
https://flamenconola.com/festival/sonidos-gitanos/
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B006278998224FE

November 21 – SPAIN FLAMENCO ARTS-RAFAEL RAMIREZ – “CHRONICLE OF A TIME THAT WAS”
https://flamenconola.com/festival/cronica-de-un-suceso/
https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/1B006337BC695720

About the Jefferson Performing Arts Center
https://www.jeffersonpac.com/about-us/virtual-tour
https://flamenconola.com/festival/cronica-de-un-suceso/

Pepa is a native of New Orleans and the world i.e, Spain. 🇪🇸 Mission: to unite these twin worlds.

05/09/2025

Jezus Mendez on the Times Picayune. Rescheduled for Nov. 15th!

https://www.jeffersonpac.com/events/detail/maria-bermudez-y-sonidos-gitanos

https://flamenconola.com/festival/