Fest brings Spanish Flamenco

The International Ankara Flamenco Festival is back for a sixth edition with dancers from Turkey, Spain and around the world. One of the most important guests at the festival is Maria Jose Franco, who is also a teacher and dancer that is famous for his style of combining flamenco and jazz. Spanish guitarist and composer Ariadna Rivas, meanwhile, will take the stage with dancers. Headlining Turkey's performers at the event is the Mavi Siyah Flamenco Team, which is a significant player on the country's flamenco scene. Japan's Nippon Flamenco, meanwhile, will also attend this year's edition with a special mascot. In addition to the performances, the festival will feature a number of different dance and guitar workshops. The festival, which runs Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, in Ankara is a prominent date on the international events calendar for the form of Spanish dance and is also one of the biggest music-related festivals in the Turkish capital. The event is being organized by the Flamenco Ankara Association in collaboration with the Middle East Technical University Classical Guitar Group and the Bilkent Guitar Club. Details for the festival are available at www.flamenkofest.