Have you met Pablo Rodarte?

If you haven't, here is what you are missing. A Denver native, Pablo started his career as a tap dancer and then switched to ballet. After graduating from high school, he fulfilled the dream of so many young and aspiring artists: he went to New York City, where he was accepted into a ballet company.
Though he was successful, busy, and happy with his new life, there was still something missing. He had seen Jose Greco, and from that moment on, he wanted to be another kind of dancer. A flamenco dancer. Trusting to both talent and luck, Pablo set sail for Spain.
He arrived with only a smattering of Spanish, but with a solid basis in dance. He also could, thanks to his tap dance training, REALLY hit the floor. His teachers were fond of bringing others in to see the American dance. Now this was in the 1960s, when foreigners rarely studied flamenco, and seldom succeeded to a professional level. For those of you who have never attempted flamenco dance, it is probably the most difficult dance form on any planet.
Pablo worked hard, and studied with many maestros. It was not long until he was performing professionally. He continued to take lessons to perfect his craft. He took a sabbatical to open and run a dance school in Australia for 2 years. He toured the world and performed in such diverse places as Bagdad and Jerusalem, as well as Toulouse, France. I could go on and on documenting his success. When Pablo returned to the states after 20+ years of world travel, he joined the faculty of the dance department of the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque, where as a teacher, he turned out many a fine dancer and created much innovative choreography.
Now, you might ask, why is a silver dealer rhapsodizing about a flamenco dancer? Well, this silver dealer is also an aspiring flamenco dancer, and a pupil of Pablo at his dance academy here in Denver. He is a fine teacher and I am honored to have him as my dance mentor. But there is more.
Pablo Rodarte is also an artist in metal sculpture and a costume designer. When he produces a show or production, the fabulous costumes are often his own designs and hand made by him.
When he lived in New Mexico, Pablo became interested in the Santos, the folk art images of saints. He began creating marvellous sculptures in metal, some almost life size. When he relocated to Denver, he designed metalwork for a room in his house which recreates the feeling of the elaborate walls of the Alhambra. When the job was done, he had scraps of metal and glass jewels left over. Then he had an inspiration to create lamps which could hold candles, and which would evoke the art of Andalusian Spain.
Now the good news. One of these hand crafted, one of a kind lamps can be yours.