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NOCHE FLAMENCA THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND IN GREAT BARRINGTON, MA!

Don´t miss the award-winning Noche Flamenca in Great Barrington, MA over the Memorial Day Weekend! We would like to offer a special discount to our special friends.

Noche Flamenca, Spain's most successful touring company, is hailed by critics around the globe for its transcendent and deeply emotional performances. Recognized as the most authentic flamenco touring company in the field today, be sure to see the company’s at Performing Arts Mahaiwe Center Saturday & Sunday, May 26 & 27 at 8:00 pm.

LOGON AT: http://www.mahaiwe.org/dance.html

"Soledad Barrio is one of the most thrilling dancers in the world" - The Arts Journal

"I can think of no current ballet star in the world as marvelous as Soledad Barrio" - The New York Times

Tickets are $25 / $40 / $65 and can be purchased by calling (413) 528 0100 or online by CLICKING HERE

Please do share this exciting event with your friends and colleagues in the area. Here are the coupon codes: FLAMENCA for $65 tickets and and NOCHE12 for $45/$25 tickets...

See you there. And please help spread the passion of flamenco to your friends!

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Agujetas to perform at City University of New York on May 22!

The Graduate Center Elebash Hall
365 Fifth Avenue
(bet. 34th and 35th Streets)

Trains: B,D,F,M to 34th St.; 6 to 33rd St.

Tickets $25; $20 for Graduate Center Members and Students (contact 212-817-8215 for discount information)

Read all the details HERE!

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REVIEW: Maya de Silva & Flamenco Revolucion in: TRANSCIONES

By Anzalone Di Monte - Special Correspondent to Flamenco Buzz

Flamenco is more than dance, it is tradition. Maya de Silva & Flamenco Revolucion performed tradition exquisitely at the Duo Multicultural Arts Center in the production Transiciones. The story follows the life of a woman in four distinct sagas (highlighting the “transitions”) via birth, adolescence, love, and finally divorce/death.

It is impossible to discuss flamenco without mentioning the music. The voices (with special mention to Carmen Estevez) soar over the audience, displaying a mastery of crescendo and intonation that makes flamenco singing so distinctly unique. The classical work of Arturo Martinez is astounding, and Transiciones incorporates longer passages of pure instrumental or poetry that emotionally guide the audience through each chapter of life.

In a more contemporary practice, Transiciones integrates videography in the beginning and end of the production, adding an element of surrealism. Flamenco Revolucion’s costumes flatter the choreography and aptly set the mood along with the music. The bright dresses of Love, Partnership bring on a festive party mood, contrasting splendidly with the dark somberness of Departure, Divorce, Death. The dancing exchanges contemporary percussive variety for something closer to dance-theatre.

Dancers communicate to the audience through facial expressions and spatial interplay. The play contains light, even carefree moments (fittingly in Youth, Innocence, Adolescence), but there is always a dark undercurrent of the inescapable death present, principally conveyed by the singing. The ending provides a momento mori: while there is enjoyment in life, one must remember their eventual fate.

There are no subtitles, but de Silva’s work is comprehensible by non-Spanish speakers. Maya de Silva creates ambience in her attention to costume, music, and video. The piece is slightly longer than an hour, and no part suffers from a lack of exposition. It is clear, yet deeply layered with the rich heritage unique to flamenco, and Maya de Silva is not afraid to add conventional twists in her choreography.

Anzalone Di Monte writes extensively regarding dance and resides in New York City.

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Review of Joaquin Cortés “CALÉ

North American Debut Thursday May 14, 2009
The Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway at 74th Street NY, NY 10023

Joaquin Cortés, Principal Dancer and Artistic Director

Company Dancers:
Ana Agraz , Alexia Ambite, Raquel Caurín, Paloma Colmena, Mónica Gómez, Raquel Durán, Mónica Iglesias, Isabel Ramírez’ Cristina San Gregorio, Montserrat Selma

Voices:
Genara Cortés, Saray Muñoz, Chelo Pantoja, Antonio Carbonell, Manuel Doya “Zambullo”, David Maldonado “David de Motril”

Guitarists:
José Carbonell “Montoyita”, Jose Antonio Camacho “Piripi”

Other Musicians: Cello - Hillary Fielding, Violin - Alberto Loranca Serra, Bass & Double Bass - Arián Suárez, Saxophone - Ariel Bringuez, Trumpet - Fernando Hurtado, Percussion - Vicente Suero “Morito”, Rafael Serrano “Agapula”, and Luis Amador

Choreography and Direction Joaquín Cortés

Music by Antonio Carbonell, José Carbonell “Montoyita”, Joaquín Cortés

JOAQUIN CORTÉS IS A ROCK STAR. It’s more than a cliché, folks. Read on.

The newly refurbished landmark Beacon Theatre was turned into a rock arena that Thursday night. The very atmosphere was charged and the pre-show excitement was a heady fragrance. Everyone was talking non-stop about the show they were about to see. The crowd, some dressed to-the-nines, was a little rowdy, a few people pushing and shoving to get to their seats. There were bare-breasted women writhing and dancing on the floor (more on that later). When Joaquin ran from the stage into the aisles in the middle of the show, the crowd just about lost all decorum.

This man has a huge following among the female sector of the species. I sat in front of a middle-aged woman who, with her husband in tow, shouted “Take off your shirt!” at Joaquin random times throughout the show. She wasn’t the only one. This was not your usual flamenco crowd.

The last time Joaquin Cortés was scheduled to perform in New York City was back in December 2006, and the show had to cancel due to the untimely illness of his beloved mother, Basilia. Joaquin, who is now 40 years old, is back and is better than ever. I have often commented on this page that I consider older dancers the more interesting to watch. The older Joaquin is even more alluring, with that white gash of a smile framing tawny-colored high cheekbones.

Calé is the proper name for the Roma people of the Iberian Peninsula, commonly known as Gitanos. I pay particular attention to anything marked “gypsy”, always looking behind the intended usage of the word – is it to honor tradition or simply as a marketing tool? The word “gypsy” as used in the arts is often synonymous with “passionate” or “exciting”. Some individuals tend to romanticize us as a people. This is an unfair representation which tends to trivialize the Roma people of Spain, and more specifically, as it pertains to flamenco.

In this production, you saw the “gitanismo” in the way the bailaoras bent their elbows forming a “v” above their heads, and in the way they moved their hips during the tangos. Classically trained Spanish dancers were grinding their hips in the manner of a proper lady getting just a little bit dirty.

The fusion of the music that night combined elements of flamenco, jazz, rock, Afro-Caribbean and North-African rhythms which are all typical of a Joaquin Cortés improvisation-heavy production. Also typical is the avant-garde choreography. There was a “sea” theme running in two of the choreographies – in one version the dancers wore long white flowing shifts. As they rolled to and fro on the floor they reminded one of waves crashing then flowing back into the sea. In the other version, the dancers were bare-breasted save for voluminous skirts which they kicked around, resembling mermaids. They alternated from sitting up and doing braceo to lying back down on the floor and writhing. The lighting sought to be flattering and was not successful. Mr. Cortes perhaps did not realize that this subject matter was not appropriate for young children, as there were quite a few of them in the audience.

The best part of the whole evening was when Joaquin simply let the music play. He would stop dancing, swaying rhythmically back and forth, a look of sheer bliss crossing his face as he closed his eyes and a slow, sweet smile would come upon his face. Then, he would start to dance, accenting the syncopated rhythms with equally syncopated footwork, especially in the bulerias portions. He introduced the audience to his particular brand of “aire” which was so warm and inviting.

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REVIEW: Savion Glover - A SoLo in TiME - @ The Joyce Theatre
(Second half of show review only)

With La Conja – Canté

And the SaiNTz:
Arturo Martinez – Guitar
Andy McCloud – Bass
Carmen Estevez – Cajón
Marshall Davis Jr. & Cartier Williams - Tap Dance

The second half started off with Savion Glover on stage in a “warm-up” and led to La Conja walking out singing a “Quillo” that traditional canté jondo lament in which the singer expends their soul through their mouths. La Conja carried this off with clear confidence, her voice inspiring Mr. Glover to improvise tap steps within and out of the compás. Her next step was to punctuate an alegrías with heel and palmas, as the Genius of tap complemented the number with his deft movements.

La Conja premiered an original composition called “Tiempo”, a tender ballad punctuated with flamenco heat. The show was staged on 3 tablaos, in which Savion and La Conja moved about. The chemistry between the two was pure electricity. Check out what La Conja is up to on here website: www.laconja.com

Next came “A Stack of Magazines”, a combo of singing acapella and tap with Marshall Davis Jr. and Cartier Williams with Mr. Glover. Entertaining and fun it elicited giggles and enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Then, Arturo Martinez and Carmen Estevez took the stage with “The Guitar”, an homage to the flamenco guitar. Mr. Martinez was able to keep up with Mr. Glover and once again, Savion’s amazing interpretation of the notes channeled from his ears directly to his feet. The number “Spain” followed, with an even more intense presentation of la vida flamenca, in which Ms. Estevez’ command of the Cajón kept pace with Savion’s rapid-fire footwork. You can check out more about Arturo Martinez on YouTube.

It’s interesting to note that he basically transmits the melody with his taps, not just the rhythm. The show is replete with original tap compositions by Savion Glover and improvography by tap maestros Gregory Hines & Jimmy Slyde. “Starz & Stripes for the SaiNTz” finished as the fin de la Fiesta, with La Conja also re-appearing, and throwing in a few flamenco moves of her own. The balance was spot on and everyone was terrific.

Hopefully this all-too-short run in NY will be succeeded with a tour, as many many flamenco and tap fans will relish the showmanship and skill of all involved. To quote from the programme:

“Savion Glover’s SoLo in TiME is a continuation of the HooFeRzCLuB tradition at attributing music through tap dancing’s percussiveness; using tap as sound, and sound as dance. Accompanied by his newest dance band Bare Soundz, live flamenco vibes, and his own acclaimed Hooferz style, Mr. Glover and company attributes the percussive medley of Flamenco through the relationship between Flamenco music and tap dancing as song. SoLo in TiME embraces yet another dance lineage exploring a montage of sounds through the intricate time passages of tap dance composition and the many ancestral forms of Flamenco.”

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