The New Year Heats Up with Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi” in “Forever Flamenco” on Jan 8th

The 9th Smash Year of Forever Flamenco kicks off with a sizzling blaze as dancer Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi” ignites the Gallery Theatre at Barnsdall Park on January 8th at 8pm. Other artists starring with Lakshmi are singer Jesus Montoya, guitarist Juan Antonio Gomez, percussionist Gerardo Morales, and dancers Adriana Maresma Fois and Ricardo Chavez.

A dancer of emotion, inspiration and precision, Lakshmi Basile “La Chimi“ captivates her audience with a unique yet familiar flamenco art. In late 2010 she won the finalist prize in the National Contest of Flamenco Art of Cordoba (Concurso Nacional de Arte Flamenco de Córdoba), “the contest of the contests,” and second prize in the Concurso de las Minas de La Unión en 2011. This accomplishment, unprecedented in the history of flamenco, left a track of surprising reactions: “…un desgarrador homenaje a los románticos de lo jondo…” (“…a heartwrenching homage to the romantics of classic flamenco…”), Alberto Garcia Reyes, ABC.

Lakshmi Basile’s remarkable ascent is no surprise considering her childhood and family history. Both of her parents are freelance performing artists. She grew up immersed in ethnic music and dance and it was natural for her to discover a career in flamenco. With her background in flamenco, classical, and contemporary dance Lakshmi Basile moved to Spain in 2002 from San Diego, California. In Santa Barbara, California, she choreographed and headlined with companies like the Pacific Action Dance Company. In Spain she studied with various master teachers such as: Los Farrucos, Angelita Vargas and Andres Marin. Her ever growing popularity left an impressive trademark in venues such as La Carbonería, Los Gallos, La Feria de Abril and other flamenco tablaos and peñas. Renamed within flamenco circles as “La Chimi”, she debuted in the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla, 2004.

Though residing principally in Sevilla, Spain, Lakshmi returned to the United States to create her own company,Luna Flamenca Dance Company; self-producing shows such as Flamenco en la cocina, in 2006, and Trois, in 2007. In Sevilla, José Tarriño, the flamenco fashion designer, choose her as his top model for his 2007 collection. In 2008 she had an effervescent year; she participated again in the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla, as a soloist in the series Peñas de Guardía. She appeared in the exposition for the famous photographer Ruvén Afanador. She performed in her first music video with the Lebanese director Rindala Kodeih, a piece which climbed to the top of the charts in Arabic-speaking countries. She was also elected to dance and close the performance at theConcurso Internacional de Cante de Puertollano 2008, where she performed for flamenco legends such as Carmen Linares and José de la Tomasa. In 2009 – 2010 Lakshmi continued to maintain her base in Seville, where she is sought out for in various venues such as the flamenco theater El Palacio Andaluz. There she is one of the featured star artists of the show, as well as with the seville-based group Sentir Flamenco, where she participated in the summer flamenco festival Noches en los Jardines de la Buhaira in 2010 and 2011. In the United States she produced the theater shows Claveles de Jerez and Flamencalicious presented in various cities within California.

An untiring worker, she continues to create dance in numerous forms; provoking “duende“(magic) with substantial mental and physical discipline. Her artistic versatility reaches all social orbits, from intimate gypsy flamenco parties, to professional theatres. She recently presented her first show in Spain, Zarabanda, and is foreseeing a 2012 tour.

Forever Flamenco Jan 8  (323) 663-1525  Get Tickets