Esencia

An intimate and unique flamenco experience in a small taberna in the Triana neighborhood: we had an incredible experience that did not feel touristy at all, but was informative and felt very local. After the presentation, we stayed at the taberna for another intimate local experience with a local guitarist/singer and flamenco singer who both interacted with the small group of patrons who sang along.

There are numerous Flamenco companies and options in Seville, ranging from large, flashy shows in auditoriums to small, intimate gatherings in bars and cafès. After doing a lot of research on the art form, I decided to look for one that was more true to its authentic roots - which usually involves a more intimate setting. Also, Flamenco is a vocal music as well, with poignant lyrics about various aspects of love, political oppression, and many other things. A good Flamenco performance will often just have singing. Flamenco Esencia is one of the truest to the historical art form - they usually employ 4 performers: dancers (male and female), a guitarist, and a singer. This group alternates between 2-3 performers of each type; our night the people were fantastic, every one of them. Flamenco Esencia is also notable because at least one of the performers personally meets the group, takes them through the historic Triana neighborhood to 2-3 tapas bars to sample the local cuisine, and discusses Flamenco, eats, drinks, culture, and all aspects. Then they escort you to a small bar where the performance takes place. That night, our guide Maria met us just over the bridge in Triana, then we went to a few tapas places to eat and drink. Maria was personable, nice, and informative, and we had a great chat with our group. Then we went to the bar - again, note, this is not the place for you if you want flashy, super-costumed over-the-top performances. This is more for "real", intimate Flameco as it grew in these little types of places. I loved the intimacy (about 25 people total); there was no flashy stage, just an area in the bar where the performers did their stuff. There were no fancy lights or effects; they sat together and performed about 60-70 minutes of enthralling songs. There was a large piece of plywood where they would "stomp" their dances, but each performer had a chance to solo as well. Each one was fully professional and truly knew their art form. No mics or amps; this was pure music and dance without electricity. Maria wore a Flamenco dress while the other performers were simply dressed in black or "regular" clothes (like a casual suit), of course the dancers' shoes were specially fitted to stomp out the Flamenco rhythms. They were all so good I was spellbound. It was one of the best performances I've ever attended live. We also got 1 drink ticket for a free drink from the little bar (a nice plus). After the performance, Maria escorted us to one more tapas bar, where we had a delicious array of food and talked about various things, including what we just experienced. All in all a terrific night! I highly recommend this troupe if you want intimate, true-to-historical Flamenco, especially with the extra tapas tour added to the package. 5 thumbs up to this outfit!

We had such a a wonderful time. A really personal and informal experience where we learnt a little about flamenco from performers clearly so passionate about their art. Thank you all and thank you staff at hotel Casa Alhaja for the recommendation.

The Ultimate Flamenco Experience was very disappointing. It as very expensive and it would have been easier booking everything by ourselves (show and flamenco lesson 45 minutes)We had to walk for more than 1.5 hour to get there and come back and didnt't know what food was included. In the brochure the taxi was included, but that did not happen. We saw the show wich was very nice and went to 1 tapasbar around the corner. When we mailed the organization about the experience they answered by explaining the costs. Still I believe that the experience could have been better.

Amazing experience, intimate and homely feel rather than sitting in rows in a concert hall. Dancing, clapping, singing and guitar playing mixed with some storytelling of flamenco. Highly recommended.

We spent an evening full of authentic flamenco. Telling us the history and the giving us the experience. We got ourselves a first real instruction/lesson on handclap and moves. Joining on a tapas shared dining. If you like a true flamenco dance with passionate dancers, this is a very good place to be.