Alegria Academia de Baile Flamenco marked its end of the year programme with a much-needed celebration at Bottegin Palazzo Xara in Rabat.
This scholastic year was a very busy one for the school and for the dance company. The highlight of events was the academy performance Amor, which for the first time was also held in Gozo and which enjoyed full houses.
Alegria Dance Company participated in Vespers held at Pjazza Teatru Rjal in October, Carmen at the Manoel Theatre in February and El Sagrado in April, which was an interesting project with funeral marches.
Alegria was buzzing with activity and hard work and finished off at the end of June with the Alianza Flamenca Assessments.
Estelle Bonello Sant, the school’s choreographer, has been granted her teacher’s certificate for Alianza Flamenca.
The academy’s students also received their certificates with impressive remarks on the high standard of flamenco exhibited.
The evening finished off with the handing out of awards. Elena Maria Grixti was awarded a new pair of castanets for perseverance and cheerful spirit and Marelaine Mercieca the Alegria and Puerto Flamenco scholarship to attend a workshop with Puerto Flamenco in 2018.
Lucienne Camilleri was awarded the Alianza Flamenca scholarship to enter her second assessment in 2018. Louisa Dalli also won the Dhalia local scholarship to attend any flamenco dance classes next scholastic year and Jes Sciberras, who got the Comsec International Scholarship, will be attending a course at next year’s Festival de Jerez in Spain.
‘Realising your Passion’ is what Alegria sets out to do and its intention is to give many opportunites to its members who work hard and deserve it.
The new scholastic year starts on October 2. A free trial class for flamenco for kids, flamenco for adults and Estilizada for ballet-trained flamenco dancers will be held on September 25 from 5.30pm.
Another experimental flamenco workshop for Alegria Dance Company – TikkaAlegria – will be held on August 2 as part of ‘Evenings on Campus’.
For more information about programmes, e-mail alegriamalta@gmail.com.