Tutting Castanets | Café de Chinitas | 2026 FLOR Season Finale Community Showcase

CAFÉ DE CHINITAS “Café de Chinitas” are traditional Andalusian verses rooted in oral tradition and inspired by the famous café cantante of the same name in Málaga, a 19th–early 20th century gathering place for flamenco artists, poets, and audiences. Its lyrics were later collected and adapted by Federico García Lorca, while the music reflects the lively, theatrical spirit of flamenco café culture. Poem Recited by María Mazorra Palmas Lindsey Bourassa TUTTING-CASTANETS arrangement by Maarten Vandenbemden This instrumental piece set to “Café de Chinitas” blends the sharp, geometric articulation of tutting—a dance style characterized by angular, precise movements of the arms and hands inspired by Egyptian hieroglyph-like shapes—with the intricate rhythmic language of castanets, creating a dialogue between tutting and flamenco traditions. Developed over two weekend workshops led by María Mazorra, the work explores a crisp, highly articulated movement quality defined by clean lines, geometric precision, and percussive clarity, in direct response to flamenco musical phrasing. Performers: Andreea Bârsan, Christina Verrette, Gina Gamez, Jamie Picardy, Kaya Teret, Laura Moore, María Mazorra, Michele Walsh, Moira Townsend, Rennie Zamora, Robert Lammers Choreography: María Mazorra www.FlorFlamenco.org