“Asimetrías” Cía. Andrés Marín Wednesday, September 29th, 2004. 9:00pm. Teatro Central, Seville     Program XIII Bienal de Arte Flamenco Seville

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Dance: Andrés Marín, Ursula López, Leonor Leal, Elena Algado. Cante: Encarna Anillo, Londro, José Valencia. Guitar: J.A. ‘Canito’, Salvador Gutiérrez, Antonio Rey. Percussion: Daniel Suárez. Trumpet: Irapoan Freire. Panderos: Álvaro Garrido.

The lesson that dancer Andrés Marín gave at Seville’s Teatro Central on Wednesday, September 29th was as magnificent as it was simple. He’s not the first person to seek a fresh look in flamenco, but he’s one of the very few, if not the only one, who has done so with absolute, almost blind faith in traditional forms and giving cante its due. With that jumping-off point he sets out to demonstrate just how much this art can still expand, the little it’s been explored and how mistaken those people are who only see traditional flamenco as a dusty museum-piece when it’s their own minds that are closed.

There are some novel concepts: the three singers standing up, each one with a directional overhead spot, singing to the audience while the dancer dances behind them; the dances end almost without anyone noticing, no flash or speed-ups; small metallic plaques with amplification for the intelligently brief heelwork sections; cante solos which are as carefully mounted as any of the dances instead of being treated as mere fill-in. The lighting is a work of art for each dance, so we shall name the lighting designer, Francis Mannaert – artists deserve recognition.

Marín has an imposing presence, his aesthetic is fascinatingly Egyptian, he makes the most of profiles and angles of arms and hands. It’s a cerebral, controlled and elegant approach, but never cold – with his relentless dignity he’s the Güito of the new millennium. Minimalism minimalized, distilled, without any kind of effects. You don’t dare look away lest you miss one single moment of beauty, each gesture and movement is a finished work of art and sends a message about how much respect the dancer has for his craft…the flamencometer shoots off the chart.

How mistaken those people are who only see traditional flamenco as a dusty museum-piece when it’s their own minds that are closed.

The three lovely women dancers are extremely professional and disciplined – it’s unfortunate they are poorly matched in physical appearance as two are well-rounded while the third is extremely thin. They do a beautiful dance with batas de cola to the seldom-heard alegrías de Córdoba.

A singing solo called “Generación del 27” is carried out in stages by the three singers: Londro with free-style fandangos, Encarna Anillo with fandangos de Huelva and José Valencia with verdiales style to close, all three giving voice to poetry by Alberto, Miguel Hernández and García Lorca, and unlike other similar attempts during the Bienal, on this occasion you could actually hear the words. Throughout the show the guitars were excellent and respectful with many original touches, never seeking to upstage, always at the service of the dancer and singer.

Nowadays when young dancers have little interest in cante and can almost do without it, the serious flamenco fan can read on the program that Marín’s soleá includes the styles of Triana, Charamusco and Alcalá. A sort of musical drone with sustained dissonances gives new mystery to one of the most basic forms of flamenco for Marin’s main dance which closes this evening of flamenco which has been tastefully updated without deformations.