Rubina Carmona's housing and medical care

From Marcos Carmona -

"A huge GRACIAS to all the donors to our GFM. We met our immediate goal of paying three months worth of Rubina's expenses thus allowing time for me to set up a new mortgage. And a very special thanks to Jackie MacLin and Espacio de Arte for their sponsorship. OLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!".

From Espacio de Arte - Donation acceptance is now closed

Thank you to our amazing flamenco community for your gracious donations! Because of you, Espacio de Arte was able to give back $33,865 to the Carmona's for all they have done for the flamenco arts in our region and beyond. Thank you once again for caring and making a difference!

You can make a difference by donating today to Espacio de Arte.

The time has come to show our support for this matriarch and force of nature Rubina Carmona. She has been battling Parkinson’s Disease now for over sixteen years and with a heavy heart, the reality is that the disease has taken over. It is of the utmost importance for the flamenco community near and far to come together and support this crowd-sourcing plea for both Marcos and Rubina Carmona, as they try to keep hold of what they have left in their savings.

ALL DONATIONS WILL GO DIRECTLY TO THE CARMONAS AND ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE!

Here is a little background about the Carmona's, coming from those of us who love, admire, and support them in any way we can.

From Espacio de Arte:

Rubina and Marcos Carmona have been performing and teaching flamenco, since the late 1960’s. They lived and worked professionally in Spain for nearly four years during the 1970’s and in Los Angeles until 1988, when they relocated to Seattle, where they have been a major force in establishing and growing the flamenco scene in the Pacific Northwest. Although there was some Flamenco in Seattle when the Carmona's arrived in 1988, Carmona Flamenco soon began to create new opportunities and venues for performance and learning. Both have always been teachers and they immediately began acquiring students. Rubina continuously emphasized the importance of the gypsy style of flamenco dance and the integration of song and dance, as well as the phenomenon of flamenco as one of the earliest and still evolving “world music” styles. Marcos and Rubina’s dedication and contribution to the art of flamenco, the Seattle area performing arts community and previously in L.A., numerous institutions of learning, and upon the lives of countless students, aficionados, and professionals is undeniable.

Throughout the years, Marcos and Rubina embodied the pursuit of expressive and artistic determination. Because of this, the flamenco communities grew and went on to include students from all walks of life. As of 2023, many of the performing flamenco guitarists in Seattle are Marcos’ students or former students. Several of the original members of La Peña de Seattle are now performing and have made Flamenco an important part of their lives as well as important players in the ethnic makeup of Seattle’s diverse entertainment community.

Espacio de Arte is Seattle’s non-profit organization determined to continue sharing our passion for flamenco with the people of the greater Seattle area. Marcos and Rubina represent the worthiest and most exemplary “flamencos” for our support. Now it is our turn to step forward and make a difference in the lives of these two treasures. Let us join forces, all of you in California, Spain, Seattle, Vancouver, Portland and beyond and make this happen by giving as much or as little as you can to help offset this devastating financial hardship.

With much gratitude and mucho jaleos,

ESPACIO DE ARTE | Promoting Flamenco in Seattle

Personal testimony from Yaelisa Caminos Flamencos:

Rubina and Marcos were a fixture in the Bay Area, left for Spain and settled in LA for a few years before moving to Seattle. Rubina was a friend and colleague of my mother Isa Mura though we are talking many many years ago, I will always honor and remember Rubina as a beautiful person and artist, generous and loving. I urge anyone who can, to donate what they can; professional full-time flamenco artists who give so much to their communities do not have 401k's, or unlimited retirement funds, having been self-employed their entire lives. Some of them give and give until they cannot, and because healthcare in the U.S. is abysmal, are left with only the communities themselves to assist when health fails. Rubina and Marcos need us at this time (please read their story in the GoFundMe for historical context) and I send them love and support. Honoring and treasuring our flamenco elders (we are all going to be there too) who have contributed so much, is essential.

From Marcos Carmona (one of the beneficiaries)

My name is Marcos Carmona (age 78). My wife Rubina Carmona (79) and I are the beneficiaries of this “GoFundMe” appeal. I am a professional flamenco guitarist and Rubina is a professional flamenco singer and dancer. I was the director and guitarist for the flamenco troupe CARMONA FLAMENCO for over thirty years. I was also the director of the non-profit FLAMENCO ARTS NORTHWEST. In addition to her role as singer and principal dancer for Carmona Flamenco, Rubina was also the artistic director of La PEÑA FLAMENCA de SEATTLE, a student flamenco troupe comprised of her dance and singing students and my guitar students.

After years of performing, teaching, and living in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sevilla, Madrid, and Seattle, we retired from performing in 2017 due to our health problems. Rubina was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2007 and suffered a fall that resulted in a serious shoulder injury in 2018. In 2015, I was diagnosed with Focal Dystonia which had begun to affect control of the fingers on my right hand.

Rubina underwent brain surgery to implant an electronic device in 2016 to help alleviate some of the symptoms of Parkinson, such as motor control and rigidity. This helped for a time, but after a few years, it could no longer halt the progression of the disease. She is now wheelchair-bound and needs help with all her mobility and daily care needs, such as dressing, toileting, grooming and eating. Initially, I was able to be her full-time caregiver while still teaching some guitar lessons at home.

As Rubina’s quality of life deteriorated and with the knowledge that her neuromuscular capacities would continue to degrade, she expressed that she no longer wanted to live. After a great deal of family discussion, we had a licensed medical nurse perform an evaluation of Rubina’s condition to see if she would qualify for medical termination but she was turned down because she did not meet the condition of having less than six months to live. After fifty years of power singing and dancing, her heart and lungs still had the strength to go on while her brain and muscular system continued to shut down.

By 2020 Rubina required 24/7 care and by 2021 I was no longer able to provide the level of care she needed at home, so she moved to an Assisted Family Living facility. She continues to experience intense and debilitating pain from her prior shoulder injury even after numerous injections, X-rays and MRIs. The Oxycodone prescribed for her pain leaves her either knocked out or barely responsive.

The past 16 months of paying out of pocket for Rubina’s housing bills and meds ($8,700 per month) have consumed almost thirty-eight years of savings which we had hoped to use for retirement and to pass on our house to our three grown children. This no longer seems a possibility. I visit Rubina every other day and she is also visited by many of her ex-students, friends, as well as our children. She is occasionally alert for short times, which is always a joy.

Our goal is to reach $120,000 which will be sufficient to cover a little over a year of Rubina’s housing and medical expenses. I am currently living on social security and the few students I have left after retirement from performing and the losses due to Covid 19. Yes, that is a huge sum and any donation, no matter how large or small, will help and my family and I will be eternally grateful.

Muchas Gracias, Marcos Carmona