Live Entertainment

Mariachi (Fridays & Saturdays)

In Mexico, even more famous than Tequila is the Mariachi. The word mariachi refers to both the singer(s) and the music, but it goes beyond the voice and the song. The music reflects the story of Mexico’s history, but also has the ability to cure a broken heart. Our Mariachi sings the most popular Mexican songs that have won the hearts of not only Mexicans, or Latin Americans, but people all over the world.

If he does not have you singing along in reminisce, he will at the very least lighten the mood to your evening, and definitely add joy and energy to any fiesta. Our mariachi is always a hit with any celebration, be it a birthday, anniversary, or bachelorette party, so don’t miss the wonderful experience of a live mariachi serenade!

Flamenco Show (Fridays & Saturdays)

1st Show 8:30-9:15pm
2nd Show 10:00-10:45pm
Flamenco is a passionate and seductive dance art form, deriving from a mysterious and misunderstood subculture stemming out of Southern Spain. Plaza Flamingo houses the number one Flamenco show in Canada with some of Canada’s top flamenco dancers and guitarists. Feel the passion, excitement, and beauty of our live flamenco show… and be prepared to freeze in astonishment!

James Cosman “Santiago” is a Toronto based flamenco guitarist and visual artist. As a guitarist Santiago has been active in the Toronto flamenco dance community as an accompanist for the past fourteen years. He has worked with dance companies such as Arte Flamenco, The Esmeralda Enrique Academy of Spanish Dance and with Theatre Flamenco. Santiago currently performs at Plaza Flamingo Restaurant. The artwork of James Cosman can be viewed at www.jamescosman.com.

Lisa’s flamenco training began in Hamilton, under the tutelage of Canadian flamenco dance pioneer, Paula Moreno. In 1999, she began to intensify her studies with distinguished performer and teacher, Esmeralda Enrique. In the past ten years, Lisa has studied in Spain with many of flamenco’s greatest artists including Farruquito, Mercedes Ruiz, Andres Marin and Domingo Ortega.

In July 2010, Lisa placed first, in the Toronto International Flamenco Festival Canadian Showcase at Harbourfront Centre, where she competed against flamenco artists from across Canada. This achievement earned her the opening act at The Toronto International Flamenco Festival Gala in October 2010, where she shared the stage with several of Spain’s most talented flamenco performers.

In 2011, Lisa was the recipient of a Canada Council Professional Development grant and the prestigious Chalmer’s Award given by the Ontario Arts council. Both awards enable her to train intensively in Spain and bring back a style that is both authentic and contemporary.

Noelia began her formal Flamenco training in Toronto in 2002 with Carmen Romero. She has since trained intensively with mentors from Spain such as La Farruca, Juana Amaya, Andres Marin, Mercedes Ruiz, Domingo Ortega, Isabel Bayon, and Juan Ogalla among others.

La Morocha spent 2004 – 2006 in Buenos Aires where she trained and performed in “tablaos” under the mentorship of Fabiana Pouso. In 2006, she performed in “Las Lunares + Venlucia”- a showcase of Argentinean Flamenco in Buenos Aires which received critical acclaim.

Noelia spent a four month intensive study period in Seville in 2010, where she trained daily with teachers including Pilar Ogalla, Adela Campallo, Alicia Marquez and Yolanda Heredia. She return to Seville in 2011 to train with Ursula Lopez, Andres Peña and Pastora Galvan.

“La Limonera”, has studied cante flamenco in Spain under the tutelage of some of Madrid’s and Seville’s gypsy families such as the Carmonas, Curro Fernandez, Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera, Carmen and Alfredo Escudero, to name a few. Her interest and passion for cante has inevitably led her to immerse herself in flamenco culture both in Spain and in Toronto. In turn, her direct exposure to this rich and powerful oral tradition has influenced her vocal capacity to sing flamenco and search out her “voice”. La Limonera has worked in Toronto with such great dancers as Carmen Romero, Esmeralda Enrique, Lisa La Mantia and Ilse Gudino. She considers herself a life long student of flamenco and looks forward to pursuing and developing the cante art form.

Tamar Ilana has been performing and travelling all her life. At the age of five, Tamar began singing Sephardic, Medieval and Balkan music on stage. At eight, she began studying Flamenco dance with Esmeralda Enrique at the Academy of Spanish Dance in Toronto. In 2007, while studying Human Biology at the Pompeu Fabra University in Barcelona, she put singing and Flamenco together, and began to study cante with renowned Flamenco singer Montse Cortés. She has since studied with such Flamenco dancers and singers as Farruquito, La Farruca, Joaquín Grilo, Juana Amaya, Andrés Peña, Pilar Ogalla, Calixto Sánchez, Encarna Anillo, José Anillo, Rocío Márquez, Virginia Gámez, Javier Rivera, Vicente Gelo, Nazaret Cala and Arcángel, and has recently returned from a year in Seville at the Cristina Heeren Flamenco Art Foundation. Based again in Toronto, Tamar performs regularly at Plaza Flamingo, where she started in 2008, as well as with the Esmeralda Enrique Spanish Dance Company, the Jorge Miguel Flamenco Ensemble, Los Amigos de Pilar, Flaminguitos del Norte and Fedora Upside Down, and Afro-Brazilian music with Maracatu Baque de Bamba. Look out for her new group, which brings together her life of Flamenco, Balkan and Sephardic music.