Flamenco at FLOR: How a Maine-Based Performer Created a Flourishing Dance Nonprofit

In 2004, Lindsey Bourassa began practicing the expressive art of flamenco dancing. These initial lessons were the first steps on a lifelong journey that would lead her to form Maine’s first flamenco arts nonprofit organization nearly 20 years later.

A flamenco performer, teacher, and mentor, Bourassa has played a central role in forging Maine’s vibrant dance community for years. And she’s now extending her role and expanding that community through her Topsham-based nonprofit, FLOR.

FLOR’s mission is about more than teaching dance to community members. It’s about exploring the deep-rooted history of flamenco, introducing dancers to cultural touchpoints, and honoring expression at the intersection of music, movement, and emotion.

A Multicultural Approach to Flamenco Arts

What exactly is flamenco? According to Bourassa, it’s a combination of dance, culture, and history. “So many influences came together to form the art in Southern Spain: the Sephardic Jewish communities, the Moors from North Africa, the Roma, and, later, people from West Africa and Latin America,” she says.

The passionate dance reflects an amalgamation of cultures, rooted in Spain and connected to specific musical structures, languages, and geographies. Bourassa and her team infuse that cultural knowledge into each lesson. In addition to semester-based dance classes, FLOR offers multicultural community performances, film screenings, discussions, and more. Bourassa also leads flamenco shows and workshops at local retirement homes and correctional facilities.

Each of these programs is designed to expose more people to the beauty and history of flamenco dance, which is often accompanied by guitarists, spoken verses, and other musical elements.

“A good number of FLOR members are from the Latino community,” says Bourassa. “There’s a real connection to the verses, since they’re in Spanish and are often about belonging or identity.”

Indeed, FLOR values multicultural, multigenerational learning and emphasizes artistic, cultural, and community stewardship in every class. “We’re focused on using flamenco as a tool for bringing people together and creating a sense of belonging and connection to one another,” says Bourassa.

Setting the Foundation for Nonprofit Success

When forming FLOR, Bourassa balanced her deep knowledge of flamenco arts with a keen understanding of what she didn’t already know about running a nonprofit. To fill those gaps, she sought out experts, including Ian Bannon of Mayo Street Arts and John and Carol Farrell of Figures of Speech Theatre. These organizational leaders walked Bourassa through the steps of setting up an arts-focused nonprofit and helped her set the foundation for FLOR’s success.

“It made me organize everything into a methodology,” says Bourassa. “What are we offering? What will students expect at every level? I was able to send my ideas to people and get really good feedback.”

Relying on trusted organizational partners for advice led Bourassa to determine that creating a nonprofit was the right path to take to achieve her goals. It would allow her to reach a broader audience, while maintaining creative control over how her programming would evolve.

Establishing the board was another key step in preparing to launch FLOR. By gathering people with both a passion for flamenco and knowledge about running a nonprofit, Bourassa was able to establish support early on to ensure longer-term stability. In fact, María Mazorra, the organization’s current board chair, strongly encouraged Bourassa to seek legal support and helped research potential legal firms. Ultimately, they partnered with Rob Levin, an attorney who specializes in establishing nonprofits.

Advice for New Nonprofits

This level of preparation is incredibly impactful. As Bourassa says, it helped her “get her ducks in a row” before even opening FLOR to the public. Now, she’s able to focus on evolving her offerings to serve her community.

Establishing an arts-focused nonprofit is no easy feat, but having the right foundational support in place can make the process smooth. Bourassa’s advice for other prospective nonprofit leaders is threefold:

• Seek out other orgs. Explore materials, websites, and marketing content from other organizations to learn what works and what doesn’t. And don’t be afraid to reach out directly to them: “There are so many great organizations that have already learned a lot, so talk to them first,” she says.

• Lean on existing partnerships — and forge new ones. Bourassa held multiple events at Mayo Street Arts to generate interest in FLOR, and the two organizations continue to share resources and co-host events. “It’s like having a big sister or brother,” says Bourassa.

• Build a board of kindred spirits. A board can help in a number of ways, from marketing the nonprofit to the public and helping secure funding to offering operational insights. Bourassa says, “When you first start, it’s important to bring in people you already know and trust. Creating a nonprofit is a lot of work, and it helps to have other voices spreading the word.”

Flamenco for All

Since achieving nonprofit status in 2024, FLOR has already reached audiences, musicians, and dancers across Maine. Events tend to have a full house of enthusiastic supporters who revel in the expressive art form. “Flamenco is so raw and unapologetic, and I think there’s a need for that right now,” says Bourassa. “It’s a safe way to let it out with our music and our voices and our bodies.”

Bourassa has also seen students take a greater ownership over their lessons and a stronger pride in the organization as a whole. Many have integrated the art form into their daily lives and find joy in expressing themselves alongside their classmates.

FLOR’s success so far is a testament to Bourassa’s dedication and willingness to put the right organizational pieces in place up front to drive long-term success. With an open door and a commitment to honoring the culture of the art, FLOR continues to be a space for cultivating community and immersing oneself in the magic of flamenco arts.