José Luis Balao headlined the Con Nombre Propio: Vivencias cycle on the eighth of the Jerez Festival. At 71 years old, he is one of the great maestros of the guitar. He has taught for over 30 years in Jerez, his hometown, and his students include such exceptional guitarists as Javier Patino, Alfredo Lagos, Santiago Lara, Juan Diego, Pascual de Lorca and Bolita.

The eighth day also marked the end of the choreography workshop taught by Javier Latorre. Latorre has taught countless dance classes in other editions of the festival, and it was his idea to recover in some way the choreography competition aspect that existed during the Jerez Festival’s origins.

On the seventh day of the festival, the Mexican Dancer Karen Lugo and the dancer from Jerez Saray García graced the stage of Jerez’s Sala Compañía as part of the Los Novismos cycle. Lugo began studying flamenco in her home country and later perfected her craft in Madrid with the teachers at the famed Amor de Dios academy. García began dancing at seven years of age and studied at the Academia de Ana María López. Both dancers offered festival goers two solo numbers each. Of the two, Lugo’s elegance and style was most impressive, although García had such powerful footwork that it is worthy of mention.

On the stage of the Villamarta Theatre, the legendary dancer from Seville Antonio Canales and the Japanese pianist Mie Matsumura collaborated in the presentation of “Serenata Andaluza” (Andalusian Serenade) with a musical score by Falla, Albéniz and Granados. The show wasn’t an exercise in flamenco fusion, but rather “a true and respectful meeting of the flamenco world – dance, song and guitar – with the music composed by these geniuses of Spanish classical music history.”

Matilde Coral began a new cycle at the Jerez Festival: Con Nombre Propio/Vivencias. This cycle, which is open to the public and free, presents interviews with flamenco legends.

This event is similar to when maestro Juan de la Plata interviewed Matilde Coral at La Compañía on the 50th anniversary of the Cátedra de Flamencología, but this time, the legendary dancer from Seville and the “godmother” of the festival was interviewed by Jesús Vigorra...

The singer from Jerez Jesús Méndez began the Palace Concerts cycle on the fourth day of the Jerez Festival. This young yet consecrated singer sang without microphones at the Villavicencio Palace within the walls of the Jerez Alcázar. Accompanied by Manuel Moreno Moraíto, the nephew of Francisca Méndez Garrido Paquera de Jerez, made the walls reverberate with his strong voice. At this concert, Méndez had the opportunity to sing songs from his new record “Jerez sin fronteras”.

“Farruquito Esencial” was performed at the Villamarta Theatre. Farruquito took part in the 2004 festival with the successful performance “Alma vieja,” but Juan Manuel Fernández Montoya returns this year with a more intimate and minimalist piece. He dances - without plot lines and less accompaniment on stage - some of the most representative styles of flamenco. Four phenomenal singers accompanied him: Encarna Anillo, La Tana, el Rubio de Pruna and Antonio Villar.