GESTURE, passion, colour, tease, prayer, heartache.

Pick any word and it can apply to flamenco, it seems.

Like many in the audience, we were won over by flamenco's mystery with a past-midnight visit to a old-town tavern on a Spanish holiday.

But would it have the same appeal well away from the paella and the rioja?

Ole! True to its reputation, this touring party of six from Seville are great ambassadors for their art and prove that the unique dance and song that originated among the Andalusian gypies can transcend cultures.

All of the artistes are award-winning soloists in their own right, but rightly judge their success not in the on-stage perfection they can produce, but in reaching out to touch the audience.

It's always difficult to overcome the English reserve - but that seemed to add to the challenge and the whole experience was a rare treat.

From a Saeta, a devotional song to the Virgin Mary in candelight, we were straight into a sensual, deliriously enticing Tientos, a dance of Salome proportions - and everything in between those two extremes followed.

Authentic, spell-weaving, dizzy dances and heartfelt singing were accompanied by virtuoso guitar playing and the pace hardly slackened.

By the end of a drizzly, petrol-less night in Kendal, my worries were behind me and I was ready to ditch civilisation at the twirl of a senorita's pony-tail and run away to the fair!