The Tablao Space

Many people agree a tablao is the best way to experience flamenco. As the flamenco capitol of the United States, when in Albuquerque, New Mexico, going to a tablao is a MUST!

This tablao space, nestled inside Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, is one of the only that was designed to be a tablao venue. From the stage wood to the lighting panels, every detail was intentionally designed to make this the most authentic tablao we could create.

Tablao Flamenco Albuquerque features international dancers and musicians, such as Mercedes Amaya “La Winy” and Santiago Aguilar of Mexico City, and Anabel Moreno of Madrid, Spain.

Expect performances by members of Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, based out of Albuquerque, the first US-based flamenco company to have ever been invited to a Spanish flamenco festival — Festival de Jerez.

Tablao are the modern incarnation of the old “Cafés Cantantes” (Singer Cafés) that proliferated in the 19th century. What we know as the modern tablao emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. Tablaos have played a large role in the preservation of flamenco, which was declared as part of the Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2010.

The name “tablao” refers to the wooden stage on which the artists perform. Wood is a material that lends itself to an ideal sound for the zapateo (footwork, also called taconeo) in flamenco.

One of the defining characteristics of a tablao is its intimate setting. Rather than a large theatre, tablaos may be held in small spaces with food and drink.