Linda Vargas Flamenco

11/05/2026

To all our beautiful friends, family, students, and colleagues in South Africa —
As we prepare to begin this new chapter in Spain, our hearts are overflowing with gratitude for the extraordinary love and support you have shown us.

Your heartfelt farewells, beautiful tributes, generous gifts, messages, and countless expressions of kindness have touched us more deeply than words could ever truly express. We feel incredibly blessed to have such a remarkable community surrounding us.

Leaving our beloved South Africa is not easy, but the love you have poured into our lives has given us courage, comfort, and strength as we take this next step.

Thank you for reminding us how deeply connected we all are. You are, and always will be, part of our soul family.

May this not be goodbye, but rather the beginning of a new journey of connection with all of you from Spain. Please keep in touch — our bonds run deep, across every distance. 🙏💞✨

With all our love and gratitude,�Linda & Demi 🇿🇦❤️🇪🇸

25/11/2025

We’re thrilled to invite you to *CELEBRATING SPAIN*, featuring the incredible Ramon Fernandez all the way from Spain—live in Cape Town!

📅 Friday, 30 January
⏰ 7:30 PM
📍 Herschel Theatre, Claremont
🎟️ R200

This is a vibrant flamenco showcase bringing together artists from across Cape Town. Let’s spread the news far and wide and introduce as many people as possible to the flamboyance and exhilaration of flamenco—right here at home.

Book your seats: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/349158-celebrating-spain/ #/

💥 Share this with friends, family, and anyone who needs a little flamenco fire in their life! It is going to be unforgettable!

01/10/2025

✨ *Seminar with Ramón Fernández | 23–25 January* ✨

We don’t often get the chance to learn directly from the source — Spain. Having Ramón Fernández with us in Cape Town is a rare gift, and an opportunity to soak up authentic knowledge, inspiration, and technique straight from a maestro. Don’t miss it!

📅 Dates: 23–25 January 2026
📍 Location: soloFLAMENCO Pinelands studio, Cape Town

*Intermedio Course (3 Days)*
🕖 Fri 18:30–20:00 | Sat & Sun 11:00–12:30
💰 R1500 (Early Bird: R1400 until 30 Nov)

*Elemental Course (2 Days)*
🕘 Sat & Sun 09:30–10:45
💰 R900 (Early Bird: R800 until 30 Nov)

🔗 Sign up here: https://forms.gle/qNK6HX1sRoq4H7kN8

29/05/2025

UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, popularly known as The Jazz Centre, will honour the inimitable flamenco guitarist and educator, Demi Fernandez, through a lineup of the institution’s guitar alumni on Friday 30 May.

He is the long-standing guitarist for the Linda Vargas Flamenco Dance Company, lecturer and senior music staff member at UKZN.

The Jazz Centre is located at Dennis Shepstone Building Level 2, Howard College Campus. Tickets are sold for R120 general public, R90 for pensioners and R60 for students with a valid student card. Doors open at 18h00 and the concert starts at 18h30

UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, popularly known as The Jazz Centre, will honour the inimitable flamenco guitarist and educator, Demi Fernandez, through a lineup of the institution’s guitar alumni on Friday 30 May. Fernandez, who was born in Brazil to Spanish parents, has long been a bridge...

22/10/2024

Join Linda as she presents an all levels workshop in Cape Town on Saturday the 7 December 2024 for the Cape Town Flamenco Collective.

Linda will also be hosting the workshop in Durban in November - contact Linda for more details

01/10/2024

Centre for Jazz and Popular Music Presents Latinfluence Featuring Demi Fernandez and Neil Gonsalves

The Centre for Jazz and Popular Music is proud to present Latinfluence, a captivating performance by Flamenco guitarist Demi Fernandez and jazz pianist Neil Gonsalves on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, at 17:30.

Demi Fernandez and Neil Gonsalves have shared an impressive three-decade-long collaboration as music educators, beginning at Technikon Natal and continuing at the University of KwaZulu Natal. Their musical partnership, established about 15 years ago, is rooted in a deep admiration for each other’s talents and a shared vision to explore the orchestral potential of the guitar-piano duo format within the rich landscape of Latin music. Their acclaimed debut CD, Latinfluence, was released in 2013.

The duo’s journey includes notable collaborations, such as their work with Latin percussion maestro Efrain Toro to accompany the Linda Vargas Spanish Dance Company during the production of Flamenco Jazz at the Centre for Jazz and Popular Music in 2012. This collaboration blossomed into an annual showcase, with subsequent productions like More Flamenco, More Jazz in 2013 and Flamenco Familia, Mundo Flamenco, and Juego Flamenco in the following years.

Fernandez and Gonsalves have graced stages at prestigious events, including the Hilton Arts Festival, the UNISA Concert Series in Pretoria, and performances at Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University, and the Centro Cultural Franco Mozambicano in Maputo. Their recent collaboration with folk guitarist Nibs van der Spuy resulted in a series of sold-out concerts in Durban, further highlighting their versatility and appeal.

Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the vibrant fusion of Flamenco and jazz as Demi Fernandez and Neil Gonsalves bring their passion and artistry to the stage.
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, October 2, 2024
Doors open at 17:00; Music starts at 17:30
UKZN Centre for Jazz and Popular Music, Dennis Shepstone Building, Level 2, Howard College Campus

Tickets will be available at the door for R110 for General Admission, R80 for Pensioners and R50 for Students. To ensure your spot, booking is essential via email at [email protected].

05/09/2024

*LATIN AMERICAN JAZZ CONCERT*

Join us for an enchanting evening as Flamenco guitarist Demi Fernandez and jazz pianist Neil Gonsalves come together to blend Latin and jazz influences in a dynamic live performance.

Expect an unforgettable night of music that will captivate your senses!

*Date*: Friday, 13th September 2024
*Concert Time*: 18:30 for 19:00
*Venue* :The Ballroom
*Tickets*: R450 pp

Tickets are available through Concierge. Don’t miss out on this unique musical experience!

Kind Regards,
The Pencil Team

Book via: [email protected]

26/06/2024

It is with the deepest gratitude and love that I bid farewell to my beloved students and friends in Durban. Your tribute yesterday filled my heart with such joy, peace and gratitude. I have been blessed to have had the honor of working with many of you for many years and I love you all dearly. I consider you all my family. Some of you started dancing with me as children and I have had the joy of watching you grow into accomplished adults, parents and mature leaders in your own right. This is the blessing of being a teacher but particularly a dance teacher. I feel so blessed to have had you all in my life and I will continue to be a part of your lives wherever possible.

I would also like to thank the incredible musicians I have had the privilege of working with for many years.

Firstly my dearest Demi Fernandez who has devoted his life to making the most incredible music for us to dance to and who continues lecturing and mentoring so many brilliant musicians. Words will never express what you mean to me and all of us. THANK YOU🙏

Then to the magnificent Neil Gonsalves, Martin Sigamoney, Bryan Stone and Bruce Baker, my profound thanks for sharing your musical talent with so many of my dancers and elevating our shows to a level where magic happens. Dancing to your music has been a privilege.

To my right hand man Wesley Maherry, who I not only have had the honour of working and dancing with, but who is literally my right hand man, always doing the necessary before I even ask. Thank you for lighting all my shows so magnificently and for friendship that reaches the level of family. I am so grateful to have you in my life and I know we will find ways to continue working together.

Thank you to the incredible photographer Val Adamson, who provided all my magnificent photos for all my shows. As flamenco dancers you have captured our souls with such creativity and skill. Thank you!

A special thanks to my magnificent stage manager Romi Schumann who always steps in to help and always goes the extra mile!

Then to my wonderful publicists Illa Thompson and Sharlene Versfeld, a very big thank you for making sure our audiences knew about all our shows. You have all been simply magnificent!

To my beloved student Gemma Schumann, I say a heartfelt thank you for organising my farewell tribute. I love you dearly and thank you for being so willing to keep our flamenco dancers dancing in Durban. I am so proud of you and wish you everything of the best as you take over my dance studio and keep the flamenco light burning in Durban. You are so knowledgeable and accomplished and the dancers are all going to love your classes. Thank you for all you are in my life precious Gemma.

And finally a huge thank you to all my dance colleagues, loyal patrons and dear friends who have supported all our shows. I have been blessed to work with so many wonderful talented people and I leave with Durban with nothing but gratitude and love for you all.🙏❤️

It has been simply magnificent.💃

THANK YOU🙏

Track ID " Her Face, when she Dances" - Demi Fernandez and Neil Gonsalves (c) 2013

Neil Gonsalves Bryan Stone Martin Sigamoney Wesley Maherry Val Adamson Photography Romi Schumann Illa Thompson Sharlene Versfeld Gemma Schumann

29/10/2023

So proud to be born in our beautiful South Africa where her people are filled with so much love and joy. Thank you to our magnificent Bokke for reminding us of all that's good in our country and her people.

19/10/2023

More on our recent trip to Harare, Zimbabwe:

Mzansi dancer dazzles at Spanish culture fest