Dear friends,
We have another great artist feature for you!
Meet another of our superstar flamenco artists, Karen Staples. Dance was a big part of Karen's life growing up in Cape Breton and she has dabbled in most dance forms at some point.
Karen kindly answered several questions for us. Read the full feature on our website here
Enjoy! We will have more artist features soon!
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Before starting to learn flamenco dance, Karen enjoyed belly dancing for many years.
Eight years ago she tried flamenco and hasn’t looked back. It is now the only dance form she practices and performs and intends to dance with the Maria Osende Flamenco Company for many years to come.
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Outside of flamenco, Karen has been a sign language interpreter for almost twenty years and now works as a supervisor for a team of educational interpreters across Atlantic Canada. Karen is used to people staring at her while she is interpreting and she jokes that maybe that helps her feel more comfortable performing on stage!
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Karen is a mom of two kids, aged 9 and 7. She also enjoys yoga and cooking and is a music and book addict.
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What is your relationship with Nova Scotia?
I grew up in Cape Breton so have lived in Nova Scotia most of my life. I now live with my family in Dartmouth.
What brought you to the Maria Osende Flamenco Company?
Dance has always been a big part of my life, from the time I was young. I have dabbled in most dance forms at some point, but did belly dancing for many years. Eight years ago, I was finally able to try flamenco and I haven't looked back; it is now the only dance form I do and intend on dancing with AFP for years to come.
What do you remember about your first encounter with flamenco?
I tried a flamenco class in my mid-20s and really loved it, but at that time, there weren't enough students and the class was cancelled. I have a clear memory of the teacher, in the first class, getting us to work on our contra-clapping, which was challenging but I loved it; there was something about the complicated rhythms that really drew me in. When I was looking for another flamenco class to take a few years later, I found Maria's classes and have been taking her classes ever since.
What prompted you to study flamenco?
The music is what drew me in first, but I distinctly remember watching my first flamenco performance; it was so powerful and engaging that I knew it was something that I wanted to do. Dancing and music has always been a big part of who I am but finding flamenco was like finding the dance style where I felt most myself.
What do you love about flamenco?
There is something about how assertive it is, and the relationship with the musicians and audience during a performance. Each dance has its own character, and when I put on that costume and hear the music, I feel like I become that character. Where other dance forms are much more subtle, there is something really empowering about looking at the audience straight on and telling a story.
Which flamenco artist inspires you the most and why?
That feels like an impossible question, because there are just so many. My favourite visiting artist who I studied with was Joaquin Grilo, because of his musicality and how he interpreted the music. Some others who I particularly love right now are Farruquito, Maria Moreno, Monica Iglesias, Eduardo Guerrero, the list is endless.
Are there any challenges you faced along the way? What did you do to move forward?
I think that's the beauty of flamenco, there are ALWAYS challenges, haha. I remember when bata de cola felt impossible and now it is one of my favourite styles. My latest challenge is castanets; I think being comfortable to embrace the messiness is the best way to clean it up.
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Please consider becoming a patron of Atlantic Flamenco Productions Society. Your support is vital for the arts and we appreciate it tremendously. Donations $20 or above are tax deductible. Donations can be one time, or recurring.
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A very special thank you to our donors, volunteers and supporters.
We could not do this without you!
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