”Gitanas”
Saturday, October 14th, 2006. 9:00pm. Teatro Lope de Vega

Special 14th Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla. Reviews, programa, photos...

Text: Estela Zatania

Dance: Rosario Montoya “La Farruca”, Pilar Montoya “La Faraona”, Angelita Vargas, Carmelilla Montoya, Saray de los Reyes. Guitar: Román Vicenti, El Perla, Eugenio Iglesias. Cante: Juana del Revuelo, Mara Rey, Encarnita Salazar, María Vizárraga.

Saturday evening at the Lope de Vega theater, was the last show of the Bienal de Sevilla before closing night.

The title “Gitanas” seems to imply that all the members of the company are gypsy women, but not all are gypsy, nor are they all women (the three guitarists are men), nor is racial distinction good medicine. Nevertheless, the universal fascination with gypsies is a constant, and the idea of a group of women dancers and singers doing flamenco from the perspective of a culture which is essentially male chauvinist (no point denying it), is intriguing.

The concept is even more provocative if we take into account that this is the Farruco family. If Israel Galván and Andrés Marín are delivering their flamenco message with an approach that is more cerebral than physical, this family continues to follow the “shirt-ripping” school of dance – unruly hair in the face, sweat, speed-ups and machine-gun footwork, emotion on display, and no holds barred. In this light, flamenco is a men’s art, so the dilemma is served.

It’s a brave and novel undertaking the women resolve mostly successfully. The simple but attractive set represents a 19th century café cantante which could just as easily pass for a current tablao, and the occasional illumination between numbers of the rear corners of the stage reveals imaginary dressing-rooms. A little bit of theatrics and a lot of dancing is a welcome prescription to counter the effects of so many pretentious works we’ve seen during the festival.

After an opening siguiriya with the whole group, the rest of the show is developed as individual numbers, as you would expect to see in café cantante or tablao. Saray de los Reyes imitates Farruco’s style when she would have been better off following the intense feline approach of Farruca. Angelita Vargas’ tientos brings some high quality moments in one of the most neglected flamenco forms.

An off-night for this group is more interesting than many other people’s best nights

The rapport between Carmelilla Montoya and Encarnita Anillo (Salazar) in the soleá por bulería sets off the first sparks of the night, and the audience responds with cheering. Carmelilla, that slip of a girl who thirty years ago on this same stage danced to the cante of la Negra, has had her professional highs and lows without ever becoming a top star, but on this night she demonstrates just how much she has to offer.

They let Faraona really dance this time, instead of using her as comic relief between numbers. There’s more of old Farruco in her than any of the others. Her sister, Farruca, spiritual matriarch of the family, in rigoruous black, long sleeves and high-necked dress looks a high priestess of flamenco. Powerful and temperamental, she’s the only one who translates the Farruco style to an appropriate language for women. Although it’s not her best night, she is imposing, her movements communicate important messages and she rejects all superficiality. Little Carpeta comes out, a few inches taller than the last time we saw him. His mother kneels at his feet and he kisses her. The child continues with the soleá his mother started, and dances with all the confidence of an adult – his dancing is now more sophisiticated, more together. Another young boy appears to sing for him, a little nervous and off-tune at first, but then for bulerías they both get cooking. This leads to a threes rhythm with cantes popularized years ago by Lebrijano.

The bottom line: there have been many all-male groups, and there’s no reason why a female one should be a failure, so the show must be judged on its own merits. Good cante is missing. The four women singers do their best, but nowadays female flamenco singers tend to specialize in festive cante and employ a pseudo pop delivery, perfectly valid in certain circumstances, but lacking the power to support a dancer. There is first-class dancing, but the Farrucos themselves have set a very high standard, and in this show don’t reach their own level as seen in former works. Even so, we mustn’t forget, an off-night for this group is more interesting than many other people’s best nights.

At the end, Farruca gives her thanks to the technicians and other people behind the scenes, emphasizing the debt to her son Farruquito who comes out to bow alongside his mother and receives warm applause.

More information:

Special XIV Bienal de Flamenco. Program, reviews, photos