Rio Hondo College News

MEDIA ALERT
3600 Workman Mill Road / Whittier, CA 90601 / 562-692-0921
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Merle Enriquez   Secretary
Department: Planning and Development
Phone:  (562) 692-0921  Ext. 3412
Rio E-Mail: MEnriquez@riohondo.edu


Article published: Tuesday, February 7, 2006

Whittier Daily News and San Gabriel Valley Tribune

WHITTIER - Although he battled prostate cancer and celebrated his 66th birthday last year, Juan Talavera is nowhere near ready to hang up his high-heeled dancing boots. The Whittier flamenco performer and teacher is too busy rehearsing for shows throughout Southern California and readying to teach another round of classes at Rio Hondo College. "I'm still able to dance, so why not?" said Talavera, as he twirled and clicked his heels on a wooden stage on his driveway.

In upcoming weeks he will teach flamenco dance classes that explore the dance, music and song of Southern Spain, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Putnam Center at Rio Hondo College. The beginning level will be Feb. 16 to March 23 and the intermediate level will be April 6 to 11 and May 4 to 11. The class is typically well-received, said Corine Doughty, director of community services and contract education at the college.

"Juan has a lot of passion for what he does and flamenco is becoming even more popular with the new show `Dancing with the Stars,"' she said. Talavera also teaches at East Los Angeles College, in semi-private home classes and at a dance studio in Palm Springs. On stage, he now appears at La Luna Negra in Old Pasadena and will give a guest performance in "Forever Flamenco" on Sunday at the Fountain Theater in Hollywood.

Talavera, who raised three children in Whittier over the past 33 years, first tried on a pair of dancing shoes at age 7 in East Los Angeles. It wasn't his first choice, but his mother decided it was a good idea after doctors told her he had an enlarged heart and needed exercise. He fell in love with flamenco dancing at age 13 when he visited a studio in Hollywood and heard flamenco music being played.

He studied at the facility, Rainbow Studios in Hollywood, for the next four years and attended Hollywood Professional High School, along with Mouseketeers and child actors, so he could continue his dancing career.

At age 17, he started dancing weekends at the Purple Onion nightclub in Hollywood, before going on to open El Cid restaurant and nightclub in Hollywood. He danced there from 1962 until 1989.

He also danced in the opera "Carmen" in New Orleans, New York and Chicago. "Doing this hasn't made me rich, but it has helped me pay the bills, travel all over the world and work with some of the biggest stars in movies and television," he said.

-RHC-


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