An Evening with José Porcel

On Friday, July 26, 2024, the Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation (HNF) will host a fundraiser, an “Evening with Jose Porcel” at Guild Hall in East Hampton, NY, to raise funds for Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT). José Porcel, the featured artist is a flamenco virtuoso with a remarkable career spanning over 20 years. Joining him are award-winning Flamenco guitarist Alvaro Martinete, renowned flamenco singer Roberto Lorente, and talented dancer Sheba Bergman.

CMT is a relatively unknown disease, but it is the most common inherited nerve disorder (as common as MS), resulting in peripheral nerve degeneration and mobility impairments. CMT affects one in 2,500 people, and currently, there is no cure. As the disease progresses, people lose the normal use of their legs, feet, arms, and hands.

About the artists:

José Porcel was born in Sevilla, Spain and Andalucian folkloric dances and flamenco at the age of thirteen. He made his professional debut in 1989 with the Ballet of Valencia, and choreographed his first flamenco work in 1991 titled "Te traigo al sur, Miguel". In 1994 he joined the prestigious Spanish National Ballet (Ballet Nacional de España), where he was a featured soloist and interpreted famous works such as Ravel’s Bolero, “El Sombrero de tres picos”, "Danza y tronio", "Los Tarantos", "Grito", and "Poeta". In 2000 he appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, under the direction of maestro Héctor Zaraspe. In this same year he was invited to be the principle dancer in Antonio Márquez’s company, performing around the world, including a critically acclaimed tour of the United States during the 2001-2002 season. He then founded his own company, Ballet Flamenco Jose Porcel, which over the last 20 years has showcased multiple critically-acclaimed shows nationally and internationally. The company toured North America in 2005 with the show ““Pies en la tierra”, and then returned in 2008 for a coast to coast tour of the USA with the production “Cositas Flamencas”. The company returned to the USA again in 2011 with the show “Gipsy Fire”, and again in 2015 with the show “Momentos”. His most recent show “20” debuted in 2022, celebrating the 20th anniversary of his company Ballet Flamenco Jose Porcel. Since 2021, he has established his dance and performing arts studio near Madrid, where he teaches the art of Spanish dance to children, men and women of all ages and abilities, including an inclusive flamenco class for individuals with disabilities. He continues to perform and give master classes worldwide.

Alvaro Martinete is an award-winning Flamenco guitarist from Granada who started playing at the age of 6, and made his professional debut at the age of 11, performing at the Peña La Platería in Granada. At 13 years old, he won his first award at the Concurso de Diezma, and has since accumulated multiple awards, including the 1st Prize at the Bienal de la ONCE in 2016, the 1st Prize in the International Guitar Competition in Sevilla in 2017, the 1st Prize of the VI edition of the Alcobendas Flamenca New Talents Contest in 2019 and most recently the 1st Prize at the “Bordón Minero” International Cante de las Minas de la Unión Festival in 2021. He graduated from the Ángel Barrios Conservatory of Music in 2016, obtaining a professional degree in flamenco guitar. He recorded his first album, titled “Seis Veredas”, that was presented in May 2018 at the Alhambra theater in Granada and, later, at the 19th edition of the Bienal de Sevilla and at the famous tablao Casa Patas in Madrid. The album was produced by the great maestro of flamenco guitar, Gerardo Núñez, with whom Alvaro regularly tours nationally and internationally. Alvaro has starred in the documentary “360o Geo Reportaje-Guitarren Und Flamenco in Granada” which was broadcast on ARTE TV, and in 2022 he performed on the Spanish Television program “Dúos Increibles” together with the legendary singer Miguel Poveda. He continues to perform as a flamenco guitarist in musical recitals as well as an ensemble guitarist touring with the dance companies of Joaquín Cortés, Fuensanta La Moneta, Jose Porcel, and Carmen Cortés among others. He has performed internationally in places such as France, Georgia, Syria, Israel, Korea, Dubai, Czech Republic, Portugal, and the USA. He is currently working on several recording projects, including composing songs for his next album.

Roberto Lorente was born in Madrid, and began his career as a professional flamenco singer at the age of 20, working in the most famous tablaos in Madrid, including Corral de la Morería, Casa Patas, and Las Carboneras. He has sung for many internationally acclaimed flamenco artists, including Matilde Coral, Eduardo Serrano “El Guito”, Isabel Bayón, Antonio Canales, Antonio Marquez, Manuel Reyes, Miguel Ángel Espino, Marco Flores, Manuel Liñán, Mercedes Ruiz and Olga Pericet among others. He has toured the world with these artists as part of several shows presented in the most important theaters in many countries, such as the Joyce Theater in NY, Teatro de la Ciudad and Teatro Bellas Artes in Mexico, Gran Teatro de La Habana in Cuba, Teatro Albéniz and Teatro Real in Madrid. He has collaborated with many legendary singers such as Juan Peña "El Lebrijano", La Macanita, Diego Clavel, José de la Tomasa, José Mercé, and Curro Malena among others. In 2013 he joined the Compañía Andaluza as a singer, in addition to being a professor at the Higher Conservatory of Flamenco Music and Dance in Madrid. He is currently teaching flamenco at the Fortea Professional Dance Conservatory in Madrid.

Sheba Bergman has been dancing Spanish and Middle Eastern dances for over 20 years. She began her Spanish dance training in Israel in 2001 with Maestra Silvia Duran. Within a year, she joined her Spanish dance company as a member and featured soloist. She began her Middle Eastern dance training with Johara of Boston in 2005, and then continued with the legendary Alexandra King in Santa Barbara. She joined the UCSB Middle East Ensemble as a company member and featured soloist. She continued her dance training with Amana of Paris, Anahid Sofian, Timo Nuñez, Sharon Sultan, Sonia Olla and Jose Porcel. She has performed in several important theaters, dance shows, and festivals, including the Suzanne Dellal Theater and the City Nights festival in Tel Aviv, “Sabor Flamenco” as part of the “artists behind the desk” cultural program at MIT, the Lotte Lehman Concert Hall and SOHO in Santa Barbara, “Moon Over Morocco” show, the Old Spanish Days fiesta, and the Olympia Theater in Paris, France.

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Host or Publisher Hereditary Neuropathy Foundation