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¡Olé! Flamenco

Written and photographed by George Ancona

Hardcover: $19.95

Paperback: $11.95

Ebook

FLAMENCO—it's singing, it's dancing, it's guitar playing! It's an exciting, expressive art form that has evolved over hundreds of years.

In Santa Fe, New Mexico, we meet Janira Cordova, who is studying flamenco. The students in her dance company, Flamenco's Next Generation, are eager to learn the tools of their art: how to move their hands, arms, feet, and bodies to the rhythms of the songs and music. When it is finally time to perform at Santa Fe's annual Spanish Market, the young dancers can’t wait to get onstage and showcase their skills. As the singing, music, and clapping surround the dancers, Janira's arms and hands flow through the air. Her skirt whirls. Her feet stamp the floor. Her dancing expresses her joy as she proudly carries on the colorful tradition of flamenco.

With captivating photographs and engaging text, George Ancona explores the origins, history, techniques, and performance of flamenco. Come along and catch flamenco fever. ¡Olé!

Check out educator lesson plan and activities for ¡Olé! Flamenco, a title featured in RIF’s Multicultural Book Collections. To find other free activities that inspire young readers as well as learn more about Reading Is Fundamental, visit us at RIF.org.

Word Scramble

Watch George Ancona's interview with Reading Rockets

About the Creators

Thumb_thumb George Ancona - Author, Illustrator

was an award-winning author and photographer known for his vivid, eye-catching images. He wrote and/over photographed more than one hundred books for young readers. In 2002 Ancona received the Washington Post Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award for his work providing quality nonfiction for young readers. He passed away in 2021.