Where Slam Poetry meets Flamenco, “DUETS” No. 6 of 10 is a moving offering by artists Carmen Romero and Mahlikah Aweri! It is a celebration of the Wild Women, a reflection on our Home, blending in the powerful and more than ever relevant slam poetry piece by Mahlikah called “Tracker”. The opening song of this DUET is a Haudenosaunee Gathering Song, offered by Canadian Poet Of Honour Mahlikah Awe:ri, Enml'ga't Saqama'sgw, (The Woman Who Stands and Walks In The Light). In this DUET, beautifully talented Carmen of the Compania Carmen Romero & School of Flamenco Dance Arts shares her cane with Mahlikah, as they mix dance and words together. We are blessed with an Algonquin Water Song as a closing song for this piece, which we hope you will enjoy to its full extend. As part of Jamii’s 2021 season titled 'LOOKS LIKE US', with 'DUETS', we continue exploring one of the foundational values of the Esplanade neighbourhood: the concept of “mix”. “DUETS” Concept by Isorine Marc Produced and presented by Jamii Supported by Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des arts du Canada In partnership with Canadian Stage “DUETS - No. 6” Co-created and co-directed by Alejandra Higuera, Mahlikah Awe:ri, Enml'ga't Saqama'sgw, Isorine Marc, Carmen Romero Performed by Mahlikah Awe:ri, Enml'ga't Saqama'sgw & Carmen Romero Songs and slam poetry by Mahlikah Awe:ri, Enml'ga't Saqama'sgw Choreography by Carmen Romero Filmed by Alejandra Higuera Stage manager/Sound by Amye Sagar Edited by Alejandra Higuera & Ana Maria Higuera Jamii Team: Mira Ghabiel, Jasmin Linton, Isorine Marc & DeeAnn Hagler Sagar Filmed in the Esplanade neighbourhood, Toronto, Ontario - May 2021 #TheEsplanade #JamiiEsplanade #DUETS #HowDoWeMix #TorontoArts #MahlikahAweri #Carmen Romero #Flamenco #indigenousknowledge #AlgonquinWaterSong #structuredimprovisation #publicdance #TorontoTogether #torontolife #multidisciplinary #performanceart #dance #videoproduction #communityart #slampoetry #storytelling #indigenousartist #oraltradition #afroindigenous www.carmenromero.ca

" I define myself is a short film commissioned for the by the Canadian Stage Company for the National Arts Centre Transformation project. This was created by Carmen Romero in 2020. For more information go to www.carmenromero.ca

{p -} {Jamii x "Looks Like Us" - The Wedding -} "The Wedding" is a three-part project inviting professional artists and members of The Esplanade community to explore, through a creative process, what a mixed-culture wedding looks like. At heart, it is truly a celebration of multiculturalism. We are delighted to share with you Part I of this project - filmed on and in the context of Canadian Multiculturalism Day on June 27th 2021, in the Esplanade community. With Part I of this wedding you will see, we explore different ceremonial traditions, based on the artists and participants' own cultures. Amongst other traditions, we brought together a Brazilian procession, a Chinese tea ceremony, an Indigenous blanket ceremony, and an Albanian shami burning dance. Even though it is now considered normal to recognize each other’s cultural heritage, do we actually celebrate and acknowledge intercultural mixing, and if so, how? Can we bring our cultures together while retaining our cultural traditions, our sense of identity and uniqueness? "The Wedding" is an invitation to explore these questions, together. Produced and presented by: Jamii Esplanade Funded by: Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des arts du Canada Canadian Heritage Ontario Arts Council - Conseil des arts de l'Ontario Concept and Direction by: Isorine Marc Co-created by: Alejandra Higuera Aline Morales Ana Maria Higuera Carmen Romero Indrit Kasapi Isorine Marc Jim Adams Jonelle Sills Kaitlin Torrance Leen لين Ryan Graham Hinds Yvonne NG Peck Wan Filmed and Edited by: Alejandra Higuera Ana Maria Higuera Sound by: Amye Sagar Performed by: (alphabetical order) Aela Kuria Aline Morales Amye Sagar Carmen Romero Danilo Caribé Erina Aurora-Tran Indrit Kasapi Jim Adams Jonelle Sills Juanita Garces Restrepo Kaitlin Torrance Karen Lam Leen لين Mira Mira Omer Yukseker Pierre Gravel Raecheal Goddard Raquel Romero Ruthmarie Williams Ryan Graham Hinds Susan Cuthbert Yvonne NG Peck Wan Zelia Kuria Music and Vocals by: Aline Morales Jim Adams Jonelle Sills Leen Hamo Jamii Team: DeeAnn Sagar Isorine Marc Jasmin Linton Mira Ghabiel jamii.ca @jamiiesplanade Filmed in The Esplanade neighbourhood Toronto, Ontario – June 27th, 2021 On Canadian Multiculturalism Day #multicultural #culture #canadianculture #indiginoustraditions #teaceramony #flamencodancer #filminginoneshot #film #TorontoTogeather www.carmenromero.ca

Jamii Esplanade Welcome to DUETS No. 3 of 10. DUETS is a multi-film episode that brings together two artist to meet for the first time and create a work in two hours and then it is filmed three times and the best of the three is featured. An unbelievable artistic and cultural journey. This time, mixing together jazz, blues and flamenco. A first for both artists Michael Louis Johnson and Carmen Romero. Sit back, turn the sound on, and take in these few minutes. “DUETS” Concept by Isorine Marc Produced and presented by Jamii Esplanade Supported by Canada Council for the Arts | Conseil des arts du Canada In partnership with Canadian Stage “DUETS - No. 3” Co-created and co-directed by Michael Louis Johnson, Ana Maria Higuera, Isorine Marc, Carmen Romero Performed by Michael Louis Johnson, Carmen Romero Music by Michael Louis Johnson Choreography by Carmen Romero Filmed by Ana Maria Higuera Stage manager/Sound by Amye Sagar Edited by Alejandra Higuera, Ana Maria Higuera Jamii Team: Mira Ghabiel, Jasmin Linton, Isorine Marc, DeeAnn Sagar Filmed in the Esplanade neighbourhood, Toronto - May 2021 #trumpet #flamenco #flamencojazzblues #creativecollaboration #flamencodancer #trumpetplayer www.carmenromero.ca

An international ensemble of renowned flamenco artists put the tradition’s versatility and resilience to the test in a new performance for the Aga Khan Museum’s Duende Festival. On Saturday, November 28, 2020 Spanish flamenco luminaries Emilio Ochando (dance) and Miriam Mendez (piano) along with Toronto pioneer Carmen Romero presented a preview of their latest work-in-progress. Por qué?/Why? is an interrogation of the creative process in the COVID-19 era. This ensemble defies disruption by drawing upon their artistic ingenuity, fiery passion, and the volcanic language of flamenco. Un conjunto internacional de artistas flamencos de renombre puso a prueba la versatilidad y la resistencia de la tradición en una nueva actuación para el Festival Duende del Museo Aga Khan. El sábado 28 de noviembre de 2020, las luminarias españolas del flamenco Emilio Ochando (baile) y Miriam Méndez (piano) junto con la pionera de Toronto Carmen Romero presentaron un avance de su último trabajo en progreso. Por qué? / Why? es un interrogatorio del proceso creativo en la era COVID-19. Este conjunto desafía la disrupción basándose en su ingenio artístico, pasión ardiente y el lenguaje volcánico del flamenco. Artistas: www.carmenromero.ca www.emilioochando.com www.miriammendez.com Acknowledgment: Thank you/Gracias The Canada Council for the Arts that supported the initial professional development. The Aga Khan Museum for production support. Benjamin Barrile for sound editing for Porque track. Emma Aragon for subtitling. Bonnie Masina for administrative support. Casa del Flamenco for the filming of Emilio Ochando. Patrica Cuevo: Carmen Romero's Costume. #emilioochando #miriammendez #carmenromero #flamencopiano #flamencodance #contemporaryflamenco #Tablaoflamenco #casadelflamencosevilla #internationalcollaboration #Canadaflamenco #flamencosevilla #flamencomadrid #youtubedancers #flamencousa #flamencotanz #castanets #castanuelas #batadecola #mantondemanila #flamencorap

Studio album version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjrck148hwg Download transcription of falseta at: www.benjaminbarrile.com Social Links: https://linktr.ee/benjamin.barrile https://www.instagram.com/benjamin.barrile/ https://www.facebook.com/benjaminbarrile https://twitter.com/benjaminbarrile #bulerias #flamencodance #Savarez #JeffSigurdsonGuitars #CMI #CanadasMusicIncubator