«Ambos Lados» is the name of my brand new project. In this show I express major life experiences such as the loss of a soul mate, my human desires, the force that drives me to live for my passion and fuels the fire for the dance in me. For more than 15 years, I have been a part of the Flamenco-Universe, in which I have continued to grow as an artist and a human being. A Blessed art form that learned me to express myself, to communicate through movement. Which helps me to overcome my fears and brings me happiness. Dance for me is a contradiction between the person I am and the one I'd like to be or the one I aspire to be. Throughout the years I have been fortunate to meet a lot of talented people and especially teachers. They are the ones who understand me and guide me in my artistic life. Thanks to this maturity I now feel ready to bring you this new program, which for me, was the only obvious and natural conclusion. "Ambos Lados" ("From Both Sides") symbolizes this personal quest. The confusion that one may feel towards the unknown or uncertain, and key events in everyone's life such as death or the end of a love relationship. A journey full of contradictions. Thoughts about life, about myself, but especially a moment in which one surrenders to his emotions! And of which I hope it will set you on a path that will open up new feelings, feelings that one can only experience and share in Flamenco.

Flamenco dancing is hót, that is for sure. Numerous young dancers are taking up internships in Andalucia with such great figures as Angelita Gomez, La Chiqui, the Galván family and many others. In our regions as well, flamenco dancing school are filling up with heaps of young enthousiasts, who very much want to follow in the footsteps of phenomena like Torre de Montijo or more recently of Sofia Yero or Antonio Martinez. Thanks to this large interest in flamenco dances, it is no wonder that a few really big talents are starting to emerge from this young generation.
As a child, Federico Ordoñez took intense classes with Antonio Martinez, who quickly took him on board in his own dancing company, taking him along to performances at home and abroad. Federico however quickly went his own way, to play an important role in flamenco shows such as “Juana La Loca” by and with Michel Gillain. Meanwhile, he has also performed in BOZAR (Centre of Fine Arts in Brussels) and in FLAGEY. Techique, power ánd charisma are important in flamenco dancing. Many have a good techique and some are highly talented no matter what. The unique thing about Federico Ordoñez however is his expression, his charisma when he gets on stage. And this charismatic personality, knowing how to pass on an emotional message from the artist to his audience, is without a doubt the key factor of flamenco! Reason enough it seems to come and meet this extraordinary flamenco dancer. Federico Ordoñez is undoubtedly the biggest flamenco dancing talent of the last few years.

Carmen Fernandez was born in 1968 in Utrera (province of Seville) and stems from a famous flamenco family, to which also belonged legendary singer Juan Talega. Being the youngest daughter in a gipsy family, she grew up amidst flamenco culture. Her mother a singer, her father a dancer: it is no surprise that soon Carmen too became devoted to the Arte Flamenco. She started off as a dancer, but ended up becoming a singer – always faithfully interpreting the ancient flamenco traditions. Still she succeeds in adding a most personal touch to her music. She is a flamenco singer with a sound basis of flamenco knowledge. Her powerful and touching voice made her into the public’s favourite in many a Spanish flamenco peña, as well as on numerous festivals in Germany and the Benelux. She collaborated with Concha Vargas, Joaquin Ruiz and Andres Marin, among others. Discography: her first CD dates back to 2003. Her second and most recent record, called “Natura”, was released in 2005. She figured on many large and famous stages in Europe and Japan, both as a soloist and as a dancing accompanist.

Flamenco guitar player Alexander Gavilan (°1969) took up guitar training at the age of 11 with Thomas Seda in Köln. From 1990 to 1998, he accompanied the dancing classes at the Contratiempo school of flamenco in Köln (e.g. accompaniment of Andrian Galía, Fernando Galán). Furthermore, he also performed on national and international stage with numerous flamenco ensembles (among other at Filharmonie Krakow, Die Kuppel in Basel, Pole Pole Festival in Gent, Tränenpalast Berlin) and he composed the music for flamenco show of the group Amanecer. Alexander made the theater shows Salome – Theater und Flamenco (’95) and Unter freien Himmeln (’97) and he collaborated on the CD recordings of Leyendas (’99) by the fusion group A Touch of Flamenco and Amanecer Life im Senftöpfchen (2002). In 1998 he moved to Gent and ever since, he has been working with artists from the Belgian flamenco scene. Alexander studied flamenco guitar at the Rotterdam Conservatory with Paco Peña, Ricardo Mendeville and Hans Van Gogh and in 2004 he achieved his Bachelor of Music. With a scholarship of the Fund for stage arts he started the second fase of his education with a two-year stay in Seville. There he took classes at the Fundación Cristina Heeren de Arte Flamenco, with among others Niño de Pura, Miguel Angel Cortés and J.L. Postigo. Since September 2005 Alexander Gavilan is a teacher in flamenco guitar at the Rotterdam Conservatory.