If EvaYerabuena's Ballet Flamenco is anything to go by, this is going to be the best Sadler's Wells Flamenco Festival so far. El Huso de la Memoria got the fourth festival off to a flying start with a dramatically interesting and visually co-ordinated work of nuevo flamenco.

Once flamenco ceased to be the private expression of a minority grouping in Spain and entered the cabarets and later the stages of the world, it exposed itself to influences from other dance and arts forms. To the purists this is a disaster that threatens the integrity of the form, but, it does seem that if flamenco is to survive and develop, it cannot be frozen in aspic, otherwise it becomes the communication of the past, not the present.

Eva Yerabuena has not neglected the roots of her tradition but has absorbed aspects of ballet and contemporary dance and, musically, jazz. The opening Taca-Taca incorporated pirouettes and even petit tours for the men, but the flamenco turns with their upper body corkscrew were also well in evidence. Taca-Taca was both witty and dramatic. Technically probably a chico dance, the Company managed to create a palpable air of tension at the opening that grabbed the attention and never let it go throughout the evening. Vocalisations spread beyond the usual jaleo and the choreography served to introduce individual characters.

This was an ensemble evening but Eva Yerbuena had plenty of opportunities to shine, not least in Espumas del Recuerdo with the traditional bata de cola (tail dress) and shawl. This is often used as a display of virtuoso fluidity of braceo, filligrana and upper back. Although this was less in evidence than may have been expected (she was if anything a little stiff in the back), the use of the tail and shawl transformed her into a vision of a sea creature with blurred and extended outlines. If nothing else it was a feat of stamina.

Aida Badia's solo Garcia was haunting with a marvellously surreal exit through the set. Indeed the set went beyond the functionary. Two, giant female, Lorca-esque faces stared unforgivingly out at the audience like Cheshire cats that have escaped from the House of Bernada Alba. They were then replaced by Pollack-like panels, only to re-appear later. The musicians were upstage centre behind a gauze which enabled them to be both present and central but unobtrusive. The traditional guitars were augmented by a flute and percussion; at one stage, perhaps even a rain stick? I would have liked more cante throughout, but what there was was superbly integrated into the whole, again subverting the traditional hierarchy. The costumes came from a warm, earthy palette until just before the end when dancers appeared in blue for A Galera, the choreography of which demonstrated influences from contemporary dance.

Dancing and palmas were accurate and even throughout, for once, technique being subverted to the artistic whole rather than to individual egos.

This will be a hard act to follow.

I'm really surprised to hear that - there was a photo of her in the Times a couple of days ago that had her in a glorious, well-below-horizontal, backbend!

Thanks for the review, anyway, Charlotte.

Eva Yerbabuena in Espumas Del Recuerdo

Juan Manuel Zurano and Mariano Bernal in A Galero

Carmen Cortez in Mariana Pineda

Flamenco Festival 07, Eva Yerbabuena and Carmen Cortez, Sadler's Wells, Feb 2007
Ballet.co Gallery Area
all images © John Ross

If you spot a wrongly named dancer please contact John direct - John Ross Contact Details

Edit: Fixed dancer name typo.

As you’d expect from anything presented by a woman honoured by the King of Spain for her contribution to Spanish dance, the evening was comprehensive and well structured. Far from dry and academic, it was also enormous fun. Dame Keet interspersed a wealth of information with personal anecdotes and a gentle sense of humour, the glue between performances of very different styles.

The Ingreso Examination was demonstrated by four engaging nine year-old Escuela de Baile students. It was a pleasure to watch them learn to enjoy performing as they came back on stage for other dances. Dame Keet talked the audience through a demonstration of Escuela Bolera exercises by Conchita del Campo and folk dances were represented by a lovely Fandanguillo by Francesca Frohlich and Sevillanas by the Giffin siblings.

Dame Keet lead the audience in a clapping exercise to demonstrate the complexity of the flamenco rhythm. She explained that Alegrías is one of the most complex and difficult dances before introducing the last section. Then a demonstration of Danza Estilizada was a perfect build-up to the stunning and atmospheric interpretation of Locura by Saulo Garrido and the evening was finished with a traditional Bulerías.

While it may not have been as basic as Sadler’s Wells had envisaged it’s difficult to imagine a better overview of the complexity and depth of flamenco and Spanish dance.

This surprising gem of an evening lifted my spirits and renewed my enthusiasm in dance. The enthusiasm and energy of the performers and Dame Keet’s gentle humour and passion reminded me exactly why I love dance. If this didn’t succeed in attracting more people to the flamenco festival I don’t believe anything would.

weblog entry http://www.ballet.co.uk/weblogs/edrich/archives/000383.html

Full transcript of evening
http://www.caroleedrich.com/makingspanishdancertranscript.htm Full transcript of evening

Lexicon of dance. A (includes Alegrías)
http://www.caroleedrich.com/LexiconLetterA.htm
B - Z (includes Bulerías, Dame Marina Keet, Sevillanas etc.)
http://www.caroleedrich.com/lexicon.htm

Escuela de Baile
http://www.la-escuela-de-baile.co.uk
Spanish Dance Society
http://www.spanishdancesociety.org

Charlotte Kasner

If Eva Yerbeuna represented flamenco nuevo at the opening of this festival, then Estrella Morente must surely epitomise flamenco puro. This unashamed tribute to the flamenco of the 1920's and 1930's looked startingly different, as if it has been hard to notice the gradual changes that flamenco has undergone over decades.

Not all of the staging worked; the acknowledgement to the composer Falla resulted in a dead stage for a long period at the opening which threatened to kill the evening stone dead before it had even started. It would have been better to have used the stage-sized screen to project historical images and given the evening more of a context. The recording jarred with the superb live music and flattened the atmosphere. Were it not for the expected closing bulerias, the same device at the end would have made the performance fizzle out.

This was surely an evening for cante and in this, Estrella Morente did not disappoint. A Spanish Piaf, she has an extraordinary range and a glowing personality. Flamenco priorities were restored with the song at the forefront and music next. The use of lutes gave the sound a piquancy, but it was the solo guitar work that shone.

Indeed there was very little dance in the evening and what there was disappointing. There were odd, manic solos that lacked clarity and purpose, the only exception being the chico section near the beginning. (If nothing underlined the period nature of this performance, it was the voluminous bloomers of the chico dancer!) The men were especially weak. The soleas, although played beautifully, was choreographed very oddly, for three dancers (not a soleas then, by definition?) The lighting was confined to three spot pools that did not always illuminate the leading dancer and distracted the eye. The use of the bata de cola was tokenistic and not justified by appropriate choreography.

What made this evening was the atmosphere; there were contingents of afficionados throughout the house and jaleos coming from all corners. This type of flamenco does not always work on large stages, but the combination of Morente's personality and a warm audience made this feel like a giant pena. It probably would not have appealed to an audience motivated chiefly by dance or good staging but it was unmissable for the cante and musicians.

Post Scriptum: there was a free palmas workshop following the performance which was a great post-performance wind down. Definitley to be recommended should the opportunity arise again.

True to its title, this production showcased the characteristics of the music of Málaga in flamenco, of flamenco in Málaga and of music written by luminaries Ramon Montoya and Isaac Albeniz. The simple but effective set was first host to eleven musicians in traditional dress. While playing Verdiales they were accompanied on one side of the stage by a folk dancing couple and the other by a flag dancer. However, the majority of the evening was devoted to music alone. An expressive piano, seductive violin, spellbinding guitar and enthusiastic percussion combined with soul-searing vocals and wonderful guitar to deliver a comprehensive selection of regional music.

Sergio Aranda’s zapateado (footwork) was humorous, timely and stunningly fast. It might have felt less long if he had appeared to work more closely with the cante (singing). After an expressive performance in a bata de cola (skirt with long trail), a woman described as ‘Solera Chica’ removed the trail and danced with it as a scarf. Later she joined Aranda for tangos. Sadly a stumble had taken its toll and although she danced expressively her eyes betrayed the pain that the turned ankle must have brought.

The Verdiales performers ended the evening by descending into the auditorium. An up-close and personal introduction of Malagueno music to the London audience, this was an amusing and educational night but I could have done with more dance.

I had hoped to update my blog while doing this as there is much more to tell that would not have fit into a review. I plan to do so as soon as I can and will post here in case you'd like to read it

Every individual on the stage was a talented musician and performer in their own right. It’s difficult to pick examples from an evening so packed with excellence. Ángel Sánchez and Pablo Martín played an amusing duet with Sánchez using the bass as a percussion instrument at the same time that Martín played. Sánchez (also known as Cepillo) played a great cajón and used the heel of his trainers to change its tone. Jesús Méndez’s voice was sonorous and rich. Gerardo Nuñez is a wonderful guitarist, great innovator and musical director whose performance amply demonstrated why he has been awarded so many prizes for his music. Cortés danced with fiery discipline, exuberant sophistication and a wonderful sense of humour. Her work was not an extra or accompaniment to the music but an intrinsic part of the greater whole.

This production engulfed and integrated the arts of flamenco, guitar and Latin jazz. Applauded by aficionados of every discipline, the near-unanimous standing ovation said it all. A seamless, stunning, spellbinding night this entertaining, innovative and amusing performance was beautifully produced and a pleasure to experience. Far more than the sum of its parts, I only wish I could see it again.

Charlotte Kasner

It was raining cats and dogs outside but onstage it was raining shoes. Shoes on boxes, shoes flung towards the flies, shoes just flung, shoes plummeting from the flies, shoes exiting the stage unaccompanied by feet, shoes piled into the shape of a grotto, shoes hiding a dummy upright piano, shoes disgorging sand onto the stage. Shoes as a metaphor for power, shoes as a metaphor for the unempowered, shoes as a metaphor for sexuality, shoes as a metaphor for speech.

Carmen Cortes' evocation of Lorca's women provided the third strand of this festival's exploration of the art of flamenco from neuvo to puro to narrative; and here, I feel that flamenco is at its least successful. It simply does not have the vocabulary to deal with text in the way that ballet can, and many literary ballets fail (no mothers in law again). Whereas the best narrative and "literary" ballets distil the essence of text, flamenco seems to reduce it to banalities and clichés. Oddly enough, the one exception to this that I have seen so far was a Paco Pena production of Lorca's House of Bernada Alba, and this was the most successful of the vignettes in Cortes' production.

Whilst I confess to having only an intimate knowledge of four out of the six of Lorca's plays whose women were depicted, the devices used, and soon the flamenco itself became predictable very quickly. The device of the shoes seemed to add unintended humour. (It was a bit like reading Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom: one is often wading through the dull politics in order to get to the next funny camel story). Undoubtedly, and perhaps appropriately given the preponderance of footwear, the company and Cortes herself were at their best in zapateado, which was precise and measured (in the sense of having a strict compas throughout). There was some fine castanet playing too; I particularly liked the concept of the castanet cat fight.

The music was a very mixed bag indeed; at its best when traditional and very odd when not. It almost strayed into slushy pop and, as on other occasions this week, grated when recording was introduced into an otherwise live performance. This was at its most noticeable during the recorded piano solo when the aforementioned "grotto" of shoes upstage right was cleared of its detritus of shoes to reveal a dummy upright piano. What was the point? Were the audience not expected to realise that they were not listening to guitars and percussion unless they could visualise it? I concede that it may have been a textual reference that passed over my head, in which case it perhaps should have been more integral to the performance, or even better, played live.

Some sections of the audience gamely tried to interject jaleos and others were clearly riveted by the undoubted display of technique, but mostly the evening left me cold and eventually bored. (It was not to the company's advantage that some very noisy children were allowed to disrupt the quieter moments towards the end).

On the whole, I feel that if you really want to understand Lorca's women, read the text or see the play. If you want to see good flamenco, ditch the narrative.

Charlotte Kasner

This gala evening should have brought the Sadler's Wells Festival to a rousing close fielding, amongst others, Joaquin Grilo and Isabel Bayon as soloists. For some reason, the sound, already on the edge of too loud throughout the week, was grossly over-amplified, especially in the second act where it reached pain threshold levels and throughout produced distortions and echoes. The lighting was uniformly low.

The programme featured two seguiriyas and two soleas, topped and tailed by neuvo numbers and enlightened only by one Cantilinas and an Alegrias. There was therefore as little light and shade in the dancing as there was in the lighting. The technique could hardly be faulted but it was not sufficient to raise the evening and create a joyous climax to the festival. Isabel Bayon's seguiriya provided the highpoint; intense and exciting and incidentally the only decent costume of the evening, a blue bias cut dress with matching shawl.

The men's costumes were hideous and restricting. Suits with jackets that flapped distractingly and hindered the braceo. Grilo's closing solea was executed in a glaring white suit that made him look like a frenetic Alec Guiness. He constantly flicked it off his shoulders, perhaps in an attempt to look sexy, but it did at least free his arms a little. Marco Flores' opening seguiriya was competent enough but the dull grey suit, combined with the gloom of the lack of lights made him look like an office worker who'd accidentally strayed into a pena and who rapidly began to look the worse for wear. Ties waved in the breeze, trousers bagged and wrinkled and shirts looked crumpled within seconds. At least Flores didn't have to suffer the raspberry coloured horror of a suit that was inflicted on Manuel Linan. It certainly did not enhance his already unremarkable solea.

The audience were quiet throughout, a rare jaleo ringing out in a rather forced manner. The individual dancers obviously have a following and undoubtedly have superb technique but it seems unlikely that the comparatively low key response was due to reverence on the part of the remainder. In a not unprecedented manner, the brief encore bulerias was the most interesting dancing of the evening, providing at least a semblance of spontaneity that the remainder of the evening lacked and that is essential when flamenco is not enhanced by tight staging.

A pity to end on such a low note, but Sadler's Wells is to be congratulated on co-ordinating such an otherwise vibrant and varied festival and they no doubt will be pleased with the sold-out houses and queues for returns.

I'll be reviewing it later tonight with the help of my 6 year-old niece.

Is it possible that we're an example "in miniature" of the constant contention between proponents of flamenco puro and flamenco nuevo?

I look forward to finding out!

This didn’t matter, his music is uplifting, inspiring and intellectually challenging. He melded together many other musical disciplines such as classical, Celtic, Brazilian, Latin, Gallic, jazz and even Bulgarian music and each piece was a pleasant voyage of discovery. My favourites were the Rondena “Ojos de luz” (Eyes of light) within which I seemed to hear echoes of English country dance music and the Bulerias “Tiempo en los caminos” (Time on the roads) which stayed true to the exciting and intense rhythm.

His performance at the Royal Festival Hall two years ago coupled with the prize of best instrumental recording from Premio Flamenco Hoy in 2003 set expectations very high. Those who knew his work were more than happy with the performance. Somehow a few of the audience had come expecting the evening’s Gala!

I wish they had been more considerate of others as they discussed what to do and stomped in and out.

As the dress rehearsal progressed, all the children threw themselves into expressing themselves within a lovely choreography that gave each the opportunity to perform in their own individual styles. It was all a pleasure to watch and Francesca moved to the front of her seat to see everything each time a new dance started. Particularly impressive was the older boy who consistently used with all of his body and hands and a wonderfully expressive face and a tiny doll of a girl whose hand and finger movements were as elegant as her footwork was precise. Francesca’s favourites were the boys. The youngest (who has only been dancing for eighteen months) performed a charming accompaniment to the older girls’ Alegrias. Chest out, with proud face and masculine movements his deportment put me in mind of Joaquin Grillo.

Not limited to dancers, the versatile Centro de Baile Jerez provided a gifted young guitarist and singer whose resonant voice belied his youth. Well attended by adults and children alike, the audience showed how much they loved it with both applause and jaleos.

Well produced and rehearsed, the children danced with care, enthusiasm and intensity but the final verdict is best demonstrated by Francesca, who left the performance clapping and stamping and hadn't stopped when I left her at bed-time.

The baile (dance) was both simple and sophisticated. While gestures and footwork were clean, clear and beautifully executed, Bayón showed she’s no slave to tradition with little twists in interpretation or arrangement. A sensual and persuasive Milonga was followed by the joyful start of Alegrías. Live music and cante was replaced seamlessly by a recorded Martinete and the dance transformed, conveying grief, pain and loss. Then the piece segued back to Alegrías. A celebration of life, happiness and hope. The door opened at strategic moments throughout, a symbol of the struggle between internal and external mind.

Whether old-time cante from historic recordings or the rich, deep voice of Miguel Poveda, the combination of music and dance transfixed the soul. Bayón danced with a perfectly timed fluidity, expressiveness and apparent lack of self consciousness that often made it seem that she really was dancing in a private room with no-one around.

Both Bayón and Poveda had considerable stage presence and the chemistry between them served to enhance what was already an excellent performance. Another little interpretive twist was when they performed the Paso Doble together. A romantically soft challenge to the conventionally accepted relationship between flamenco bailaora and cantaor.

Performing solo for over an hour would normally be considered a huge risk. Not so with Bayón! The highlight of a season of excellence, this evening was a harmonious, innovative and beautiful event.

Billed as a lecture-demonstration “The Making of a Spanish Dancer” was so inspirational that I wondered if the festival proper could move me as much. Two weeks later, dancing alone to taped old-time music and the charismatic Miguel Poveda, Isabel Bayón opened the door to an outstanding experience. Spellbinding, elegant and beautiful, the smooth sensuality and imaginative expression of choreography and movement appealed to both intellect and senses. It seemed unlikely that anything else could do the same.

Such pessimistic expectations were unjustified. Completely different in terms of music, pace and context, the Gerardo Nuñez Quintet demonstrated a stunning range of jazz flamenco with mature, sophisticated baile that was satisfying to both mind and soul. After tumultuous applause at the end of the show it was natural to wonder if Carmen Cortés’ own show would be received with equal enthusiasm.

Cortés’ production, “Mujeres de Lorca” was wonderful in its own right and an intriguing interpretation of Lorca’s works. An engaging combination of traditional flamenco and contemporary dance it traced stories within stories, each passionately flamenco. The stagecraft was easily the best of the season. Lighting, sound, set (including a literal mountain of shoes) music, cante, costumes and dance resulted in a singularly spectacular night.

The final performance was Dress Rehearsal by Aire de Jerez. A group of talented children performed with such enthusiasm, honesty and depth of expression that the whole audience was drawn in and loved every minute. Nine year-old Miguel Rivero Parra carried himself like a miniature Joaquin Grilo. Slightly older, Juan Carlos Abecilla is born to dance. He already commands a captivating expressiveness that's the hallmark of true flamenco.

After twenty separate events the festival is over. Far from flailing with flamenco fatigue, this season has rekindled my enthusiasm in many different ways. A year’s too long to wait for more.

Festival Review at a Glance

Best interpretation and dance
“La Puerta Abierta” by Isabel Bayón. An hour of fluent, fluid grace, perfect patterning and intriguing interpretations accompanied by Miguel Poveda’s mellifluous voice.

Most mesmerising stage presence
“Estrella 1922” by Estrella Morente. A superb singer with a superstar’s stage presence. She can strike a pose with stunning effect and has the most incredible eyes. The evening would have been faultless had she danced less like a wooden soldier and more like the beautiful woman she is, but with such a wonderful voice no-one really cared.

Most inspiring performance
The fringe production “Making of a Spanish Dancer” by Dame Marina Keet and Sherrill Wexler of the Spanish Dance Society. This tour through the essentials of Spanish dance and flamenco was demonstrated by professionals and students of the Escuela de Baile. An excellent introduction and entertaining evening.

Most intimate moment
“La Puerta Abierta” by Isabel Bayón. Whether changing her clothes or dancing alone there were times when it seemed that she performed for herself and with nobody watching.

Most surreal moment
“Mujeres De Lorca” by Compañía Flamenca Carmen Cortés. Shoes that had fallen from the flies started drifting to the wings. Meanwhile those on stage continued to dance, oblivious to the flowing river of shoes.

Best Party
Not a difficult choice since Noche de Juerga was the only party. A real Juerga with dancing in the aisles. Flamenco fun was had by all. Join in next year and experience a typical Spanish night that encapsulates the London flamenco scene.

Best stagecraft
“Mujeres De Lorca” by Compañía Flamenca Carmen Cortés. Stunning dance, fantastic lighting, and a great set that used seventeen hundred shoes. This high-level professional production was of a West End or Broadway standard.

Biggest revival
The Bata de Cola. It's well known that these long-tailed flamenco skirts have become very popular but still surprising that so many performers used them.

Most inconsiderate audience
Jaleos are good. Calling, clapping and commenting on the performers are an essential part of flamenco. Despite an excellent performance, Dorantes had to suffer a minority of people tramping in and out with heavy feet, speaking in semi-loud whispers and being as inconsiderate as it’s possible to be without being asked to leave.

Most atmospheric music
Gerardo Nuñez Quintet. Stunning music and dance that was both fiery and disciplined. This man is so talented that his flamenco fusion, Latin jazz and flamenco puro were equally fantastic. He’s also secure enough and has the artistic integrity to give all members of the quintet an opportunity to shine on their own. Get the CD.

Worst use of the Bata de Cola
Estrella Morente. Her rich voice is spellbinding and her stage presence stunning. When wearing it she looks every inch the star until she moves. I knew that a badly moved bata would end up sausage shaped but didn’t expect to see it happen on stage.

Longest solo
“Málaga en Flamenco” by Andalucía Flamenca. With a huge cast, this view of the influences on Flamenco of the region cast a very wide net. It might not have been the longest solo in the festival, but even though Sergio Aranda’s dance was technically brilliant and humorous in places it felt much too long.

Best chemistry
Between Nuñez and Cortés with the Gerardo Nuñez Quintet and between Bayón and Poveda in “La Puerta Abierta”.

Jauntiest Palos
Olga Pericet dancing Cantinas at the Gala de la Bienal de Sevilla

Most genuine performance
“Dress Rehearsal” by Aire de Jerez. Juan Carlos Abecilla is a talented and accomplished dancer despite his youth. Whether on his own or with others his performance was honest, appealing and fluid. This young man is one to watch. A star in the making, if he continues with dance he’ll eclipse all the others.

Strangest phenomenon
A flock of female flamenco fans followed Joaquin Grilo’s every move. They clustered as close to the front of stage as they could manage during the performance, jumped up to give their own special standing ovation and huddled around the stage door after the show. This may be common in pop and rock but it’s rare for flamenco at Sadler’s Wells!

Best Solea por Bulerías
Eva Yerbabuena. Ever the Maestra.

Most Jaleos
“Dress Rehearsal” by Aire de Jerez. Jaleos and clapping abounded. The audience was completely involved with the performance which, although it involved children, was completely professional and very well produced. An uplifting and inspirational end to the season.

(this review excludes Iberia and Pitingo which I was unable to attend)

I notice Clement Crisp went to see Cortes last week and (as usual) was entranced by her. I like his description of her hands "like doves in flight".

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0f795e1e-cc51-11db-a661-000b5df10621.html