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NEW YORK BUZZ - by La Gata...

(part of www.flamencobuzz.com)



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CASTANUELAS WORKSHOP W/ANDREA DEL CONTE

DATES: Tuesdays: April 1 - May 20, 2008
TIME: 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
FEE: 8 sessions. $200 prepaid or $30 per session
LOCATION: Lotus Music & Dance, 109 West 27th St., 8th Fl.
DIRECTIONS: Take Subways R, W to 28th St. 1 to 28th St. F, V to 23rd St.


CONTACTS::
Call 212.627.1076
Email: info@lotusmusicanddance.org
Or logon to: www.lotusmusicanddance.org

More about Andrea Del Conte

Andrea Del Conte is one of the country's best castanets players, known for her rapid "carratilla" (trill) and improvisation to different kinds of music. This eight week workshop teaches students the correct and most advanced techniques. Flamenco rhythms will be introduced as well as other music forms where castanets can be played. Students must provide their own castanets.

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Review of Flamenclorico: Lore of the Miners
February 6, 2008, Helen Mills Theater, 139 W. 26th Street, NY, NY 10001

Pasión Flamenca Dance Company

Abuelo/Grandfather: Jorge Navarro
Padre/Father: Antonio Hidalgo
Hijo/Son: Raúl Ortega
Abuela/Grandmother: Puy Navarro
Madre/Mother: Leilah Broukhim
Narrator: Puy Navarro
Cantaoras: Sara Salado, María Benjumeda
Guitarists: Pedro Cortés, Javier Navarro

Flamenclorico, in this writer’s opinion, is a spectacular insert into this city’s 2008 flamenco season. The company is comprised of members who are well-known and loved in the New York area and beyond, as well as invited artists from Spain. It is the tale of the lives of a mining family in Rio Tinto, a fitting representation of the microcosm that is Andalucia. We need to be aware how intrinsic the mining culture is to flamenco. A hammer striking bedrock has a unique voice, capable of piercing the heart with its telling message of bloodshed and suffering.

In Act I, the curtain opened to reveal the beginning of a typical day in the life of a minero. The lighting on the stage invoked a murky, dust-filled bleak existence as your eyes strained to make out the forms of each family member getting ready for the day. Sunlight struggled with darkness and they both came to a bitter compromise. An unexpected surprise came in the form of Leilah Broukhim in the role of the Mother. Many of us witnessed her coming up in the flamenco world and now she is every inch the consummate flamenca, leaving us all breathless. Ms. Broukhim looked as if she has stepped into our time from an earlier century, her features are certainly what God patented to define Andalusian beauty. Any sultan would have surrendered his kingdom for her hand. She is illumined from within and her performance brought to mind the rare scent of an ancient perfume we were acquainted with somewhere in our collective past.

There were fine singers on hand that night. María Benjumeda is now the possessor of a huskier-textured voice, sweetly haunting in its delivery. This is another performer that I’m proud to say I saw her beginnings. Sara Salado brought the bravura that is typical of the Andaluz, in complete command of a voice capable of thunder and a gentle whisper. Her tone is suggestively smoky and pungent like Spanish paprika. At one point, the three male dancers were, in different parts of stage, mimicking with footwork and baston, the rat-tat-rat of the drill and falling rock; it was well done and highly imaginative. Each bailaor was superbly cast and embodied their character, their dancing disseminating volumes of history. Jorge Navarro’s face and body verified the battering drudgery of the mining life, and Puy Navarro (as Abuela) his constant, reassuring consort. My heart ached as I sensed his weariness and physical pain, chin set stoic determination to provide for his family. Antonio Hidalgo is one of my favorite dancers, and I’ve always enjoyed his elegant interpretation of the farruca.

In this production, he demonstrated his versatility delivering performance that was earthy and tinged with a mixture of pride and bitterness. Leilah was his perfect complement – womanly curves coupled with a fierce love determined to protect him from the mines, employing at one point her feminine wiles to keep him from going to work that day. The words that come to mind when I see Raul Ortega are the following: “tightly wound springs for legs”; “pinging ricochet footwork”; “dancing reminiscent of a barely-controlled explosion”. I can’t help it, I think in pictures, ok?. Another innovative shift in this performance is the narration of the story in English, which was completely unexpected but made sense. It is a way for the non-Spanish speaker to understand what was being portrayed on stage, as well as hearing the translation of some of the letra.

Flamenclorico had my complete attention, and had this been a book, I would not have been flipping the pages fast enough. I got to know every character and their sentiments, the sound effects and lighting transporting me deep into the earth where these noble people sacrifice their lives on a daily basis. This is not to say that joy and celebration weren’t displayed, because it was. I was able to enjoy the united communion of these families, from the men at the local taverna fortifying their nerves to their gathering in a juerga at one of their homes. The common thread was the love they shared one for another.

One further arresting moment was when there was an explosion at the mine. The stage morphed into snapshots of each character’s reaction to the explosion with sirens blaring, in one scene both men had to hold Mr. Ortega with all their strength from running to the scene of the disaster. Brilliant!! I saved my last comment for the best – the music composed by the ever-soulful Pedro Cortés. The melodies expertly transmitted the melancholy of this genre. Although Mr. Cortés has graced the pages of the Flamenco Buzz many a time, I shall never tire of his guitar. I had the pleasure of hearing the other guitarist, Javier Navarro at Alegrias recently, and was impressed then by delicate musicality of his falsetas. May we see more productions from Pasión Flamenca.

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From Alfonso Cid:

This is not an update on Gazpacho Andalú’s events but on my own work as a traditional flamenco singer.

There are two events I would like to let you know about. Both of them are taking place at the Flamenco Latino Dance Studio, located at 244 West 54th Street 4th Floor (between Broadway and 8th Avenue ). For more information call (212)399-8519 or log on http://flamencolatino.com/

The first one is the Flamenco Singing Workshop I’m teaching every Monday at 8:30PM. You do not need to have any experience in flamenco singing or dancing to take these classes. I’ll teach you how to produce the right sound so you don’t harm your throat, how to breath properly within the phrasing of the songs and I’ll pull apart the flamenco rhythms so you’ll understand how it works within the singing and also, something very important for dancers, within the dancing.

The other event is a Cante or Flamenco Singing Recital on Friday, February 29th at 8:00PM. I will be performing with the wonderful flamenco guitarist Javier Navarro from Córdoba.

Come and join us in a recital of traditional flamenco song in which we will go through a repertoire of different “cante jondo” or deep song and more light and “festero” or party like forms.

There is also some good news for Gazpacho Andalú. We got a really nice review on our album “Flamenco de vuelta e ida” by Angel Romero, the founder and Senior Editor of the world music webzine World Music Central.

He said about our music: New York-based band Gazpacho Andalú surprises with its fiery delivery of Nuevo Flamenco. This is not the new agey stuff that many times is passed off as Flamenco in the United States . Instead, Gazpacho Andalú is led by singer-songwriter Alfonso Cid , a Spaniard from Andalusia , which gives the music authenticity.

To read the whole article log on HERE!

LOGON TO: www.gazpachoandalu.com

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Viva Flamenco NJ



Check out Toni Messina's new website:

VivaFlamencoNJ.com

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The END of an ERA!!!

FAZIL'S CLOSES!

(article published 2/8/08 on www.meetup.com with thanks to Maya de Silva.
Check out her website at: www.mayadesilva.com)

NEW YORK, NY: Where will we go? What will we do? Gentrification was just a dirty word until it affected me personally. Fazil's AKA Times Circle Studios, a rehearsal studio and a cultural center for ethnic dance of all kinds has finally breathed its last here in NYC...read more here

And here is more about the tragedy courtesy of The NY Times

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Cristian Puig - Guitarist



Check out his website here!

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Review of Costi “El Chato” - Alegrias at La Nacional, New York, NY

I was able to chat with Costi a few moments before the show. He’s very warm and approachable, possessing a profound love and knowledge of flamenco as a complete dancer/musician. His recent workshop at Fazil’s was a hit – so many of his students commented to me how easily he transmits not only the feeling and the mechanics of the dance, at the same time provoking them to really listen to the music and letra. Costi told me he notices how much love there is for flamenco in this city, yet feels that dance students are afraid to ask questions in class. I quote, “They need to conquer their fear and educate themselves”. I shared with him that it is common for people to approach flamenco scientifically, since it is in another language and a culture that may not be easily understood by foreigners. He reiterated how it’s important to familiarize yourself fully, to live it and the only way to do that is to go to Spain. Even if it’s only for a moment, one needs to experience the “aire”. Whatever the dancer is going through needs to be drawn out, danced out. Costi further stressed that the cante and guitar must be respected, otherwise it will look like a dogfight on stage. Even he had to go to Sevilla to learn, and when I jokingly questioned that decision (forgive my ignorance, people) “Why would you leave Barcelona to experience flamenco there?” he replied wisely, “I needed to experience the atmosphere that birthed flamenco, and the air of other pueblos where flamenco lives”. Oleeee......

He is of the Fernandez Jimenez Gypsy clan of Barcelona, formerly of Almeria and Jaen. Costi learned to dance at the skirts of his mother who was not a professional dancer but instructed him in the structure and thought behind the dance, introducing him to flamenco early in his life. He later studied flamenco professionally. Be sure to check out the links of him performing on You Tube and MySpace. He is extremely grateful to people like Jorge Navarro who allow the audiences in New York to breathe in fresh air from Spain which is vital to cultivate interest this art form. He is currently featured at the Tablao del Carmen (Amaya) in Barcelona.

It is very hard for me to sum up to Costi el Chato as a performer with a few words. There are so many layers to him. How does one capture the volume and force of nature, the subtlety of thought? I’ll try. Oscar Valero’s soulful and raspy singing [he’s a triple threat in his own right] was the perfect backdrop to Costi’s earthiness. He shares his strength as a performer with others of his cuadro, guiding the compass as needed. The expression on his face as I watched him perform branded my soul as with a hot iron. It was like watching liquid silver in an old-fashioned glass thermometer slowly coming to a boil from his belly and making its way to the top of his head, bubbling duende spilling out onto the audience, his feet forcefully searing the tabla at Alegrias. A gentleman, Costi allowed the guitarist, Javier Navarro from Cordoba to finish delicate falsetas, something I do not see many artists do. He allowed the river of cante to rise before he started dancing, at one point pausing for the letra “la fatiguita que yo paso, se lo cantare a la tierra”.all the weariness that is my life, I’ll tell it to the world. I would not do him any justice by analyzing each palo performed. He has to be seen, simple as that. Another treat to watch was Marco de Ana, who has graced New York with his presence through his many performances with Andrea del Conte. He “draws” elaborate patterns with his footwork and powerful backbends, a sinewy gravity-defying dancer. The dialogue between him and Costi was one of warriors trading strategies, recanting many victories and anticipation of the next battle. The theme of that night was “strength”. I unashamedly admit that much of the night was spent drinking it in. It was an atmosphere that nourished.

As always in Alegrias, the fin de fiesta included anyone who was around, including but not limited to, our local dancers as well as members of dance companies who are here visiting from Spain. You never know who will hop on stage at Alegrias and what mayhem ensues. Let’s all hope that Costi returns to us.

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ROBERTO CASTELLON! on YouTube!

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Manué CD!!!



Listen to Manué's CD here!

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REVIEW: Alegrías en la Nacional (Jorge Navarro – Artistic Director)

Presents: Elena Andújar – Extraordinary Flamenco Singer/Dancer

July 21, 2007 - 11:00 pm show

Featuring:
Guitarists: Miguel-Luis Manzano
Percussion: Peter Basil

Jam Guests:
Dancers - Alejandro Granados, Jorge Navarro
Guitarist - Juanito Pascual
Singer: José Anillo



Starting out with a lovely Rhumba, Elena showed off that slammin’ Gitana style in an off-the-shoulder white dress accenting her gorgeous curves. Rhythm comes very naturally to her and she had the house rockin’ in beat. Juanito Pascual – so prominent in the Boston Flamenco Scene, jammed in with the troupe.

A Bulería followed which was dedicated to visiting members of the Noche Flamenca Dance Company who were in the audience. By the way… young guitarist Miguel-Luis Manzano is none other than the SON of Noche’s resident guitarist “Chuscales”!!!

Jorge Navarro – Director of Alegrias came onstage to dance a formidable farruca, and his power was amazing – the crowd went wild for sure.

A song entitled “Maestro” was sung by Sra. Andújar with an almost tearful passion. Dedicated to the Master (Jesus) who leads seekers out of the darkness and into the light, it is from a Christian Flamenco group called Alabastro. Not so surprising to note, Elena’s arrangement was executed in the true flamenco format.

Miguel-Luis Manzano masterfully presented his own version of a Vicente Amigo tune “Ciudad de Ideas” and honestly it was just as tremendous to hear him play as Vicente’s CD one. Accompanied on percussion by Jorge Navarro and Peter Basil – this was really intensely satisfying.

The highlight of the evening had to be when dancer Alejandro Granados and singer José Anillo of Noche Flamenca came onstage to jam with Elena. It turned into a true juerga with heartstopping music, song, and dance. It was no accident that Flamenco Buzz reporter Damaris “La Gata” Solis and Editor Mari Katsigianis happened to be at a front row table, basking in the glow of this terrific impromptu performance and sampling an incredible cheesecake dessert.

Alegrías has developed into the MAJOR meeting place for great flamenco entertainment since Brooklyn’s Meson Flamenco went out of business. In the last few years, Jorge Navarro has strived to create and promote this venue as the pre-eminent flamenco performance space/dance club. Great local performers (and visiting ones from Spain) usually contract for a month (Fri/Sat nights) and stage some intimate yet intense shows at this downtown NYC tablao. Food and drink are served – some of the tastiest tapas around, in fact! The address is 239 W.14th Street between 7th & 8th Avenues, 2nd Floor.

For more info on their club, logon to www.alegrias.com or call 917.667.2695.

Elena Andujar performs one last weekend Fri. July 27, and Sat. July 28…two shows – 9:00 & 11:00 pm. Alegrías August Schedule will be posted shortly.

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OMAYRA AMAYA participates in...

Lincoln Center Summer Arts Festival Presents Slow Dancing (World premiere)
Motion Portraits of Dancers – A Multi-Channel Video Installation
Conceived and directed by David Michalek

DATES: Tuesday, July 10 2007 through Sunday, July 29, 2007

LOCATION: New York State Theater Façade at Josie Robertson Plaza, 63rd Street & Columbus Ave.

SCREENING TIMES: 9:00 pm - 1:00 am

ADMISSION: FREE

Beginning July 10, Lincoln Center Festival will present Slow Dancing, an outdoor installation of larger-than-life, hyper-slow-motion video portraits of extraordinary dancers and choreographers from around the world, conceived and directed by artist David Michalek. The installation will be seen on three five-story screens hung on the front facade of the New York State Theater on Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza. With Slow Dancing, Mr. Michalek attempts to simultaneously capture the beauty of the body in motion, while laying bare its most intricate workings. Slow Dancing will run from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., from July 10 through July 29.

Each subject's movement (approximately 5 seconds long) was shot on a specially constructed set using a high-speed, high-definition camera recording at 1,000 frames per second. The result is approximately 10-minutes of extreme slow motion a motion portrait in which each dancer’s unique artistic expression and technique are revealed as never before.

For the Plaza installation, a cycle begins as a full-length figure of a dancer appears on each of the three screens. Over the next 10 minutes, what at first appears to be a series of still photographs unfolds gesture by barely-perceptible gesture, into an elaborate choreography. Viewers can choose to focus on one dancer's complete performance or observe the interplay among the three screens. The extreme slow motion also allows the viewer to share privileged information about the complexity of the simplest gestures; catching details that would normally escape the naked eye.

The subjects chosen for Slow Dancing are some of today's foremost modern and classical dancers and choreographers, as well as recognized master interpreters of a range of traditional and contemporary dance forms. Omayra Amaya is one of the featured dance artists filmed for Slow Dancing. The dancers represent a diversity of body types, sizes, training, styles, traditions, ages and ethnicities. They hail from the worlds of ballet (Herman Cornejo, William Forsythe, Isabelle Guerin, Allegra Kent, Alexei Ratmansky, Wendy Whelan); modern dance (Karole Armitage, Trisha Brown, Holley Farmer, Bill T. Jones, Desmond Richardson, Shen Wei); tap (Roxanne Butterfly), and from many countries, including the United States, Russia, Guinea, Bali, China, Turkey, Brazil, India, Taiwan and New Zealand. And they represent dance traditions and contemporary styles as diverse as Javanese court dance (Miroto Martinius), Krumping (Lila C), "Voguing" (Benny Ninja), Afro-Brazilian Capoeira (Maestre Joao Grande), Hip-Hop (Kwikstep and Rokafella), Shantala Shivalingappa (Indian Kuchipuri), Beijing Opera (Wu Hsing-Kuo) and Flamenco (Omayra Amaya).

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Review of Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company, ¡A Compás!

Friday, March 30, 2007, 8:00 pm

The Town Hall, NY, NY

(Reviewed by Damaris "La Gata" Solis with Mari Katsigianis)

Featuring:
Dancers: Ángel Muñoz, Charo Espino, Ramón Martinez
Guitarists: Paco Peña, Paco Arriaga, Rafael Montilla
Singers: Miguel Ortega, Inmaculada Rivero
Percusión: Nacho Lopez

What comes to mind when you think of the word “tradition”? I always picture barrel-chested Tevye, who proudly proclaimed to the skies in Fiddler on the Roof, “TRADITION!!!.” There was most definitely a beautiful display of flamenco tradition on stage that night. World-Class Master Flamenco Guitarist Paco Peña started off with an elegant Petenera, one of many palos which he performed that are not part of the usual theatre fare.

At another instance in the show, guitarists Paco Arriaga & Rafael Montilla’s skillful fingering complemented his playing, each adapting harmonies-- one higher, one lower, all melting into the sound of one guitar. There is a statesman-like quality to Sr. Peña’s playing, clothed in his humble willingness to be the guitar that accompanied the other members of the company as they danced. I could not believe how much stage time he allotted to all his performers, this was a TROUPE in the very noblest sense of the word. Paco has enough confidence in the quality of his own person “product” that he understands that audiences will evaluate his mastery without the need to “hog” the stage as others have in the past. Each and every number had a connection to the one before it, and highlighted the skills of the dancers, guitarists and singers in a truly even-handed way.

Now for my favorite part of the show – sorry but I am rather prejudiced when it comes to Ángel Muñoz & Charo Espino, who are husband and wife. They executed an achingly exquisite Flamenco “pas de deux”, to the point that I felt as if I was peeking into an intimate moment between lovers. You could tell this was much more than a working gig for this pair – it was an expression of their deep love and regard for one another as dancers and as life partners. Angel’s hands caressed the air around the curves of Charo’s body, an unseen string connected his hands to her hips, her deep backbend and outstretched arms signaling her submission. Separately, they are masterful performers. Together, they produce an intense, slow burn that FEW contemporary performers either seek to perform or if attempting to perform, can achieve...

(Angel was principal dancer for many years with Compañía María Pages, and while touring with her, he only got to dance a fraction of the kind of rare and traditonal flamenco seen this night. I was absolutely sucker-punched by his amazing grace, strength, and control!) Charo Espina is highly regarded throughout Spain and has joined in performing with Angel’s company in the past.

In fact I can’t remember the last time I have seen a pair dance so exquisitely – these days it’s about solo performances or huge stage gatherings, but the simple “man/woman” thing gets short shrift in modern flamenco productions. Kudos to Sr. Peña’s keen understanding that most American theatre-goers are STARVING for the real deal which he has so graciously provided in this particular production!

New to me, Ramón Martinez’ danced an Alegrías that breathed the heady fragrance of love into the air that lingered momentarily. It’s bright and sunny joyfulness conveyed the promise of young manhood - - - bravado-fueled leaps and hair-tossing turns marked it’s sentiment. I appreciated his sense of playfulness, the audience responding in kind. Like Antonio el Pipa, he smiled and emoted freely (with no regard for any external judgment.) Unlike Sr. el Pipa, his emotion served as accent to the dance and not as a full-fledged character in the story… Isn’t it wonderful how music and movement is a language spoken worldwide and needs no translation? This dancer is a tremendous talent and another hidden jewel of the male flamenco dance community. After a mind-numbing selection in Jerez, it was so refreshing to see Ramón Martinez blow the audience away with his style.

The style of the Farruca danced by Angel Muñoz is by definition seminal to the question plaguing many dancers; how to marry the balletic training with the earthy feel of flamenco without seeming stiff and/or contrived. He is the very characterization of how to portray classical form with a distinctively masculine grace. The Farruca is where your technique is laid bare for the entire world to see – the lunges, the turns, the compás. It is astonishing to see how much his feet, arms, even hair are an extension of his thoughts. That is true, unadulterated talent wrapped up in one of the finest performers on the world stage today. This man deserves his own show New York – uhh - New York… are you LISTENING???

In one of the many gorgeously-staged numbers, Sr. Peña and Sra. Espino sat face to face, he with guitar, she, armed with castanets. They conversed, his tone was thoughtful one, she answered sharply and distinctly, the castanets an extension of her arms (again with extensions… must run in the family!) In the end, she acquiesced and they both agreed. There is a seamless co-existence between Paco Peña and his artists, no matter what was being performed; you instinctively knew they completely understood each other. Flawless.

Charo Espino is a sketch artists’ dream. Imagine if you will a blank page where you are asked to define a moving object in not more than six strokes of your pencil. If you use the plumb line of Charo’s back, you can clearly illustrate how a female dancer is supposed to move.

Singers Miguel Ortega & Inmaculada Rivero are two well-matched voices. It is not an easy feat to have different voices blend well, this is a testament to Paco Peña’s ear. Where Mr. Ortega’s voice was powerful in volume and expression, Srta. Rivero’s quiet intensity was demonstrated in the amount of the control it took to transmit jondo lament. It was the contrast of explosion versus implosion. Both forces can bring down the foundation of a building.

Towards the end of the show, something only heard on recordings, yet there it was, live on stage! The guitarists turned into blacksmiths, pounding a Minera compás on ANVILS in the style of “La Fragua”, no less! Neurons [those little electrical impulses in your brain] were firing throughout the entire theatre, especially within the head of yours truly. There’s more – the rest of the men were rapping their knuckles on a table, and the two women in the company were doing palmas. In fact Charo was doing palmas AND dancing while sitting down. (Try that sometime, I dare you all!) They coursed through different palos, as if to say, compás is found anywhere and in anything you do, it is as close to you as the air you breathe. It is the heartbeat of flamenco.

This show with it’s simply designed costumes, bare stage, and minimal use of lighting left me gasping for more – they even had an intermission can you believe it? The 8:00 pm show let out sometime before 11:00 pm and yet still left the audience gasping for more. I was totally enraptured for the ENTIRE show, no wandering of mind, no fidgeting, just pure devotion the elegant offering that was ¡A Compás!

(Editor’s Note: The Company tours North America – check on Page one of www.flamencobuzz.com for the cities listed and to see which production – “¡A Compás!” or “Requiem” is coming to your town!)

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Review of Gala de la Bienal de Sevilla
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Presented y World Music Institute
City Center, NYC

Featuring: Joaquín Grilo, Isabel Bayón, Fuensanta La Moneta, Olga Pericet, Manuel Liñán, Marco Flores

Inclement weather will not deter New Yorkers from seeing any of the Flamenco Festival performances. Record low temperatures with wind chills at 0º and everyone was equally outfitted, worthy of the Iditarod. The best of the Bienal de Sevilla was in town!

In the beginning number titled “On”, Srta. Pericet and Srs. Liñán and Flores outfitted in black pants and suit jackets, served up flamenco “neat”. They danced, staggering the stage, dancing a round, where one started, the second one began and so on. There is something so uniquely satisfying about seeing a dancer dressed in black that I will presumptuously say is unique to a large metropolitan city. We choose to wear black to state that we’re all business. These young dancers were precisely that, the sum of what’s young and smart in flamenco today.

Marco Flores followed with a Seguiriya best described as, [yes another drink reference], “dry and shaken, not stirred”. No flourishes were needed or necessary, the beauty of the compass was allowed to shine and the elegant simplicity of the dance was profound to watch. I appreciated his restraint. Next, a lively Cantiñas was danced in a contemporary bata de cola costume by Olga Pericet. One of the moves that caught my eye was how she executed a shimmy which begun on her hips, went to her waist, traveled through her torso and shoulders ending with a snap of her head. All of this, and at the ending of a phrase, no less. Brilliant! I applaud any artist who brings forth palos that are not the usual fare.

Manuel Liñan’s dancing in the Solea was like watching black molten metal flow, unhurriedly moving over and around a solid object. The movements of his upper body, arms and hands were fluidly fierce and smoldering, yet tender. Backing up these dancers were the guitars of Arcadio Marín and Antonia Jiménez. This is a first for me, to see a female flamenco guitarist at such a high-level theatrical performance. I’d like to point that it takes years to perfect that crisp sound in a guitar which is so coveted by singers and dancers alike. There should be more emphasis put on developing musicians for flamenco in this country. Rounding out the musical tapestry were Leo Triviño and Emilio Florido (vocals), and Ana Romero and La Tacha doing palmas. I hear that La Tacha is in town for a dance workshop. Check with Fazil’s Time Circle Studios for more information.

After the intermission, La Moneta delivered an Alegrias “old school”, dressed in a traditional bata de cola. Her Alegrias differed in that she took the time to build the compass upwards, instead of attacking the audience with rapid footwork at the beginning, as many artists do. That is not meant to be as a negative criticism towards anyone, but I am after all, a dance critic. Very feminine in her upper body, with deep backbends and undulations, she demonstrated where the strength of a female bailaora truly lies, coupled with a flamenco character that demanded the audience to pay attention, better known as the interjection ¡Escuchame!. I am referring to the fact that if you are a performer, you need to become acquainted with the persona that takes over when you perform. That is whom audiences see, and needs perfecting, just as an actor must hone his craft. Technicality alone won’t get you anywhere. As things were heating up, she then unleashed footwork that shook the proverbial wooden boards, including a last deep backbend done so quickly the audience gasped, since it looked as if she had injured herself. On her way back up, her facial expression replied “take that!”. Fuensanta La Moneta is concentrated gitana pura essence, the kind only The Almighty through DNA can create. If you have a weak flamenco stomach, then she is not for you. A true aficionado can live off of what we the audience watched, for days on end.

At the other end of the flamenco radar is Isabel Bayon. In my opinion, Srta. Bayon is a thinking person’s flamenco dancer. Her dancing is so thought provoking and refined, every move a picture. Even when she moves quickly, it is in compass without being frantic. I am grateful she chose a Seguiriya. She calls to mind a wisp of smoke as it winds its way upwards slowly, suspended in the air yet you stare at it in fascination, mouth agape. In the footwork portion, she chose musicality over force. She draws the viewer in through the whole palo, giving the audience moments to process her dancing in between her phrasing. She should have been allowed to dance another number, to truly understand her transparency. When I say transparency, I mean as in stunningly ethereal.

The best is always saved for last – Joaquín Grilo. This man is a fully-fleshed flamenco ROCK STAR. As I was walking out of the theatre, there was a couple behind me raving about him, even to the point of comparing him to Elvis Presley. I concur. I had seen him a few years back, and now, he is dancing better than ever. He paced about in his Solea like a panther in a cage too small to contain him, a musky fragrance of earthy confidence marking his territory. Sr. Grilo made full use of his trademark lunge, holding that position (the lunge) while perched on the ball of his foot. You could feel the tensile strength and control in his movements. This is the mark of a dancer in his prime. His trademark fast footwork was present, used precisely at the right time to accent and enhance the cante.

I was happy to hear that Juan Requeña was one of the guitarists, the other being Paco Arriaga. Where in the first half the guitarists’ crisp playing backed the younger talent to perfection, the guitarists in the second half of the show had a deeper soul-flavor. Rounding out the cante was Carmen Grilo, who has a powerful voice, with Jose Valencia and Miguel Ortega echoing that power and smoothly complementing it. There is something for everyone in the Flamenco Festival USA.

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Review of Ballet Flamenco Sara Baras in “SABORES”

City Center, NY
February 14, 2007

Special presentation sponsored by the Junta de Andalucia

A perennial favorite of the Flamenco Festival USA, Sara Baras graces New York’s City Center with “Sabores” (Flavors), which she dedicated to her mother, Concha. This production was evocative of the “aire” of Andalucia – the fluid movements of the hips, the flirtacious movements between the male and female dancers, as well as the costume of white shirt and black vests paired with long black skirts with volantes (ruffles) at the beginning of the portion of Bolero that melted into a Tangos. The lighting mirrored sunlight, around 4 or 5 in the afternoon, when everything in creation looks golden, and changed accordingly through the different portions of each dance, every phase of an andalusian day.

What strikes me most about Srta. Baras is the sheer physicality of her dance. She has the lines of a whippet, torso pulled sky high, her taconeo musically resonating throughout the theatre. This woman has the most powerful legs and feet I’ve ever seen. The corps de ballet echoes her strength as they all dance in unison, each and every one a strong and fiery dancer. They exuded confidence and were inspiring to watch. In the Martinete number, Srta. Baras wore leather chaps over pants, and a bandana around her wrist. I believe that everyone in the audience interprets the story line of a production in their own way, creating a dialogue in their minds. Here, she made a powerful statement – as if struggling with her thoughts, background black, as she then unwinds the bandana of her wrist and waves it above her head, it becoming cues for the cantaor and guitar to join in. Sara Baras knows how to be in character at the right moment as she drinks from the river of honeyed duende secreted by the musicians Mario Montoya, Miguel de la Tolea (vocals) and José María Bandera, José Carlos Gómez (guitarists). She reveled in it.

Another highlight of that night was a masterful Seguiríya danced by Luis Ortega, with castanets, no less. How unusual, a man playing castanets with breathtaking lines and footwork to match. I recognized him from a previous production that chronicled the life of Mariana Pineda. The Alegrias danced by José Serrano was refreshing to watch. He wore a beautiful linen suit with a broad hat, the trappings of a caballero (gentleman).

This production was flawless, and in between the dance numbers, a Bulerías compás was introduced, causing one’s heart to beat faster and anticipating the next palo. It made one feel the pulse of Andalucia, especially in the Zambra portion with its ancient musical roots. I would love to have a DVD of this performance to study the vocabulary of the dancing and music. I felt as if I had sampled delicious tapas, and it left me wanting more.


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Review of Compañia Juan Polvillo presents Memories of India, December 5th and 6th, 2006 at Joe’s Pub, NYC

Juan Polvillo, Maha Akhtar Dancers
Jose Manuel Tudela, Guitar
El Tañe, Emilio Cabello Singers
Nicasio Moreno, Cello
Sanju Sahai, Tabla

This production was enjoyably different in context to the previous production I reviewed at Joe’s Pub, in the earlier part of this year. Imagine if you will the colors of rich gold, bronze, burgundy, indigo, and every graduation of hue in between. This is how Memories of India looked to me. It is ever evolving into a deeper-colored carpet lining the road between India and Spain.

There was a last minute substitution of the Indian sarangi with a cello, played by Nicasio Moreno. According to Wikipedia, of all Indian instruments, the sarangi is said to get closest to the sound of the human voice – able to imitate vocal ornaments such as gamakas (shakes) and meend (sliding movements). It is seminal to this production to evoke a profoundly bittersweet sound, serving as a backdrop to the story of Anita Delgado and the Maharaja of Kapurthala, who subsequently became his Spanish “Rani” (Princess) after her marriage to this man. Maha Akhtar is the granddaughter of that union. Sr. Moreno did just that, drawing with his bow a haunting melody surrounding Emilio Cabello’s voice, hanging thick and heavy in the air, as he sang “my poor son has been bewitched, you bewitched my son, If I wasn’t married, I’d be with you, I’d get lost in you .”. The letra was referring to Sra. Delgado’s affair with her stepson, after being shunned for other concubines by her husband.

I was startled at the fact that La Maha allowed her life story to be told so openly and in such detail to the world. I believe it bears repeating that the letra of the cante is extremely important to set the tone of any performance. There was a remarkable determination to her taconeo this time, calling your attention to its clarity, evoking the density of the material of heavier palos i.e. martinete, along with a weighted heaviness to her arms. For a moment there I observed a delicate vulnerability peeking out from beneath the flamenca veneer. Choreography is nothing until that dancer fills it. I especially loved her petenera, complete with shawl and bata de cola. Once again the letra at the beginning “who made you my savior?” sounding like the response from Sra Delgado to her Indian husband . The character portrayal of the Petenera is a woman, bitter in her resignation at the unfortunate events in her life yet defiant in her desire to continue living. La Maha danced this role well.

The flamenco seguiriya’s umbilical cord has never been severed from the Indian seguiriya. It is an ancient rhythm which thankfully has not evolved much from the original. There was the addition of Sanju Sahai’s brilliant tabla playing along with Sr. Moreno’s cello plus the counterpoint taconeo to both. That, and try throwing a bata de cola around a not so large a stage. Maha’s costume was another protagonist as she swirled and twirled the skirt, reminding me of life’s twists and turns all the while keeping balance. The tabla sounded like a beating heart, the bottom register of which goes right through you. A feature of his playing is the fluent “scat” or “bol” prodigiously melodius in its vast vocabulary. It’s amazing how Mr. Sahai pulls out a whole orchestra from the tabla.

The tensile strength and angles of Juan Polvillo were mirrored in the decisively sharp and authoritative guitar played by Jose Manuel Tudela. One is constantly being brought back and forth from India to Spain. The younger rakish raspiness of El Tañe’s voiced contributed to the mounting intensity. There are many levels to Sr. Polvillo. When he raises his arms, it tricks the mind into thinking he’s actually reaching the ceiling as he stretches. Think of an eagle. He’s a tremendous showman, engaging his audience with a look, daring them with leaps and split-second turns. The element of surprise is Juan Polvillo’s secret weapon. Predictability in a dancer can turn the audience off. His solea is an event, and at the close, everyone is cheering, whistling, whooping – in a word, involved!. His dancing joyfully evokes the festive atmosphere of a feria. Worries and cares melted away at the sight of him dressed in a bullfighter-red suit as he delivered a testosterone-fueled alegrias. There were jazz-like components to the choreography in the tangos, danced by Sr. Polvillo and Maha. At times, their movements were complementary, at other times they disagreed. Like any good relationship, no? I noted especially that Maha allows Juan Polvillo to take the rhythmic lead in the tangos, for an example, and how she is portrayed as the “darker one”, physically and figuratively. It’s that undercurrent of melancholy, even when playful.

The show stopper, in my opinion, is the tablao solo by Sanju Sahai which melds into the interplay between Maha’s feet and his tabla responses. At the moment you are lulled into the sensation of time ceasing through his playing, she appears -- a vision in a beautiful burnt umber colored sari, flamenco shoes strapped on, of course. This is the crucial moment of the whole production, demonstrating the link between the two lands through the compas. I believe the reader can appreciate the fact I am powered by colors and patterns, yet it must be understood every detail in a production must be thought out, to get the audience interest peaked, especially if you are dealing with audiences unaccustomed to flamenco.

Juan Polvillo returns to Spain after this, and I highly recommend to all of you who are serious in studying flamenco dance to take his workshops in Sevilla. La Maha will next be seen sharing a stage with the great Manuela Carrasco in the new production, “Romali, Danza de Gitanos” which will commence with a 10-day run at the Teatro de la Gran Via in Madrid, followed by a three-month tour of Europe and Japan. I understand that Sra. Carrasco and Maha will be bringing this show to the United States.

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Entrevista with Oscar Valero

(Oscar Valero interviewed by La Gata)

Oscar Valero has been gaining ground in the New York City flamenco scene, after being asked to perform as Principal Dancer in Andrea Del Conte’s Company in January 2005, fresh from working with Antonio Canales’ Company, amongst other important artists in Spain and elsewhere. Make no mistake, this man is a heavyweight in his own right – he is a consummate professor, composer and musician, teaching in dance workshops world-wide. We are privileged to have him here in our city. Sr. Valero has now established his new dance company and introduces his latest work, FUERZA, and is a big proponent of creating flamenco works for theatre. For more details, please see his website at www.oscarvalero.com

FB: What were the things that came into your mind as you were putting together this production?

OV: I had premiered this work with my previous company, based in Valencia, Spain. I also wanted to showcase this work, to test the waters so to speak, which included trying out the musicians based here. I composed the original score, and I wanted to see if the “aire”, the essence, could be portrayed at this time. The concept? Well, it’s a culmination of everything I’ve ever heard, that I’ve learned throughout the years: in many companies, many countries. In the end, it’s the “swing of flamenco” that I try to capture and live by.

FB: Who will be performing in your company?

OV: There are two new dancers: Rebecca Thomas and Lia Ochoa, as well asUlla Suokko (Flute), Leanne Darling (Viola), Carlos Revollar (Guitar), Rafael Brunn (Guitar), Alfonso Cid (Singer), and Sean Kupicz (Percussion).

FB: Why so small a company?

OV: Let me tell you that when you’re starting a dance company, it takes time to develop the dancers and musicians into interpreting your style, your dance phrasing, etc. This is a work in progress. It is a lot more stress on the director of a dance company as opposed to, for example, being simply a participating dancer in a production.

FB: How long did it take you to establish a presence in this city?

OV: I first came to New York City with Maria Pages during one of the Flamenco Festivals, and became fascinated with the city. After that, I started teaching workshops, then I made great friends, got to know the flamenco community here, and I firmly believe that if there’s anywhere you need to be as an artist, it’s in New York City. Think about it – you have Broadway here, producers, connections, you name it. It’s a great place to start or re-invent your career. This is an extremely artistic city, and I love that. Plus, my wife is from here, and I love her, and… (laughs).

FB: What are your expectations from the public in this city?

OV: First and foremost that they like my brand of flamenco – that it’s modern, very musical in its interpretation of fusion. I will do a Seguiriya, then a Jaleos/Tangos, and lastly, a Solea. Of the many palos that exists in flamenco, I’ve chosen the most important palos. In the Seguiriya, for example it’s the “quejido” the lament, the most mournful. On to the Jaleos and Tangos, which is fiesta, a celebration of life, and the end, “La Solea del Rubio.

Oscar Valero is quoted as saying:

“Un quejio que te atrapa, un a juerga que no te deja marchar, y una solea para bailar” which translated means:

“A soul-jarring lament that arrests you, a party that begs you not to leave, and a solea that sets you to dancing”…

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An Entrevista with Farruco



FB: Welcome, Farruco. Tell me about your participation in the Lincoln Center Fall for Dance 2006. Were you invited, or did you ask to participate?

F: Well, I’ve known about this festival for a while. I’ve been told that in this festival there are all types of dance involved, and it is something that ...Read more HERE!




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Entrevista con OMAYRA AMAYA

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SPANISH TAPAS BARS IN NYC

Manhattan - Below 14th St.

Cafe Español -63 Carmine St. (7th Ave.) Greenwich Village- (212) 675-3312

Cafe Español 172 Bleecker St. (MacDougal & Sullivan St.) Greenwich Village (separately owned) (212) 505-0657

Flora del Sol - 361 Greenwich St. (btwn. Franklin & Harrison) TriBeCa -(212) 334-6411

La Nacional - 239 W. 14th St. (btwn. 7th & 8th Ave.) - (212) 243-9308

La Paella - 557 Hudson St. (between Perry & W. 11th St.) Greenwich Village - (212) 627-3092

btwn. La Paella - 214 E. 9th St. (btwn. 2nd & 3rd Ave.) East Village - (212) 598-4321

Ñ (33) - 33 Crosby St. (btwn. Broome & Grand St.) Flamenco dancing in SoHo -(212) 219-8856

Rio - Mar - 7 Ninth Ave. (little W. 12th St.) Spanish taverna in meat packing district - (212) 242-1623

Sala - 344 Bowery (Great Jones St.) East Village - (212) 979-6606

Xunta - 174 First Ave. (bet. 10th & 11th Ave.) East Village (pronounced shoon-ta)-(212) 614-0620

Manhattan - 14th - 59th St.

Cafe Andalucia - 533 Ninth Ave. (btwn. 39th & 40th St.) featuring the longest tapas bar in NY- (212) 736-9411

Costa Del Sol - 369 W. 50th St. (Ninth Ave.) in Hell's Kitchen- (212) 541-8382

El Cid - 322 W. 15th St. (btwn. 8th & 9th Ave.) Chelsea - (212) 929-9332

Paradis - 145 E. 50th St.(btwn. Lexington & 3rd Ave.) Flamenco in midtown - (212) 754-3333

Riazor - 245 W. 16th St. (btwn. 7th & 8th Ave.) Spanish café - (212) 727-2132

Solera - 216 E. 53rd St. Spanish Tapas bar in midtown - (212) 644-1166

Spanish Tavern - 203 W. 38th St. (7th Ave.) Spanish bar in garment district - (212) 517-4445

Manhattan - Above 59th St.

Sabor - 462 Amsterdam Ave. (btwn. 82nd & 83rd St.) Upper West Side - (212) 579-2929

Session 73 - 1359 First Ave. (corner of 73rd St.) international tapas menu - (212) 517-4445

Tapas Lounge - 1078 First Ave. (at 59th St.) near the 59th St. Bridge - (212) 421-8282

Taperia Madrid - 1471 Second Ave. (btwn. 76th & 77th St.) Flamenco dancing Sun. & Mon. - (212) 794-2923

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