Spain and Portugal for Visitors

The face of flamenco on the Spanish talk-show circuit because of his quick wit and easy manner, Canales had a brush with US immigration officials in Florida some months ago which inevitably received a lot more publicity in Spain than it really merited and drew satisfactorily cringing apologies from the American authorities.

No longer a representative of the new generation of flamenco dancers as she was when Carlos Saura recruited her for his film Flamenco, but a solidly established figura.

Veteran of the tablaos and undisputed custodian of traditional flamenco dance, Cristina Hoyos is the force behind Seville's Museo del Baile Flamenco.

A young (born 1970) but acclaimed flamenco dancer with a thirst for recognition from the world of serious culture - note that the site is entitled "Eva Yerbabuena - Flamenco Ballet." This beautiful, exemplary website, though Spanish-only, has all the content you would expect - information, photos, press cuttings and so on - plus great music and an enchanting, imaginative design including an aural mouse roll-over which allows you to take part in the dance without getting out of your chair.

Slightly out-of-date (2001) list of flamenco dance artists and their productions from Andalucia.com. The most glaring omissions are Sara Baras and the late Antonio Gades.

An international group under the musical direction of Rüdiger Zietz. The flexible flamenco constellation consists of voice, dance, guitars, percussion and saxophone. (If anyone knows what this means, could they let me know? J.G.R.)

Any relation to Joaquín?

Yet another graduate from the Compañia Andaluza de Danza, and I am afraid that is the full extent of my knowledge of Israel Galván.

If you are struggling to put a face to the name, Joaquín Cortés is the one who dances topless and sweats a lot. This is his Spanish-only official website and has all you would expect, bio, shows, lots of photos, even the odd video (you would think being "the first Spanish artiste to perform in the White House" would be something he would want to keep mum about, considering its present resident's cultural cred, but no, he has to go and put it on the front page, as if it were something to be proud of).

The only female flamenco dancer to have achieved popular recognition on the same scale as Joaquín Cortés or Antonio Canales. Her Spanish-only website has her biography, photos, details of her dance company and, of course, tour dates.