The Ironton Council for the Arts presents “Flamenco Louisville”, which showcases the art of Spanish dance and music, on Saturday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. in the Ironton High School Auditorium. Admission is $10 and tickets are available at the door. Ohio University students are admitted free with valid ID.

The Flamenco Louisville company was founded almost 10 years ago. Today the company often performs at schools around Kentucky and Indiana. They typically begin with a short vocabulary lesson, followed by a short lesson on audience participation so students can catch the spirit of the performance and contribute their own jaleos (cheers of encouragement). You may hear any number of jaleos, but some classics are “olé,” “vamo” (go!), “eso es” (that’s it) and, if there is a particularly fierce piece of footwork, you may hear shouts of “agua” (water). This playfully suggests the feet of the dancer are on fire. In some ways, it’s the closeness between the performers that makes Flamenco so special. What they create together is a mixture of improvisation and practiced movements and rhythm.