Lots of flamenco todo el tiempo

If you can't get to the Philadelphia Flamenco Festival - or if you do go and are bitten by the notoriously contagious flamenco bug - you should know that Philadelphia also boasts a lot of other regular flamenco activities.

In addition to Pasión y Arte, the city has four other flamenco troupes, each with its unique take on this rich art form.

A rare example of multigenerational flamenco within the United States, Flamenco del Encuentro is codirected by dancer/teacher/choreographer Anna Arias Rubio (a South Philly native and former ballet dancer who honed her flamenco chops through extensive study in Spain) and Pew Award-winning guitarist/composer Tito Rubio (born in a Spanish village, but raised mainly in Australia). Their daughter, Antonia Cruz Arias, is one of the few professional flamenco singers to hail from America.

In addition to their innovative but tradition-based work, Flamenco del Encuentro also explores the relationships between Spanish and Middle Eastern music and dance. (For information about their dance and guitar classes, plus the troupe's regular weekend gigs at local restaurants and their formal theatrical concerts, see www.flamencodelencuentro.com.)

The latest local entry is De Luna a Lunares. This six-year-old troupe was cofounded by Monica Herrera, a Philadelphian of Cuban descent who has studied and performed flamenco dance since age 12, and guitarist/singer/composer Cristian Puig, from an Argentine family of flamenco artists. This company specializes in fusions of flamenco with jazz, bossa nova, and Afro-Cuban music; they also teach. (Find it at www.philadelphiaflamenco.com.)

The granddaddy of all Philadelphia Spanish-dance companies is Flamenco Olé, established in 1986 by Madrid native Julia López and her guitarist-husband Carlos Rubio (no relation to Tito). In the last 21/2 decades the troupe has appeared throughout the United States and, since 1992, offered dance and guitar instruction at its Mount Vernon Dance Academy (www.flamencoole.org).

And then there is Tomás Dura, who studied Spanish dance with the late, great José Greco. Dura founded and directs the Fiesta Flamenca Dancers and teaches classes at several venues (dura.tomas@yahoo.com).

In addition, enthusiasts can study moves with veteran dancer Dolores Luis Gmitter (www.ucartsleague.org) and flamenco guitar with such experts as John Penn (www.classicalguitarstore.com). Or they can go for a twofer, taking dance classes with Teresa D'Aprile and flamenco guitar lessons with her husband, Pasquale (tpdaprile1@verizon.net). Both have spent many years studying in Spain with distinguished masters.

For all things flamenco, both locally and in nearby cities, check the website run by David Ortuño, www.phillyflamenco.com.

Meanwhile, don't forget to watch for major Spanish flamenco artists who perform here on an annual or biennial basis. These include Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca, and London-based guitarist Paco Peña.

Next up: Guitar virtuoso and bona fide living legend Paco de Lucía, at the Kimmel Center on April 10.