Director, original idea, choreography and dance: Rafael Estevez and Nani Paños. Dancers: Gala Vivancos, Moisés Navarro, Encarnación López, Raquel Lamadrid, David Coria, Christian Lozano, Laura Rozalén, Alvaro Paños, Rosana Romero, Irene Lozano. Guest artists: Concha Jareño and Antonio Ruz.

Text: Rubén Gutierrez
Photos: Málaga en Flamenco (Álvaro Cabrera)

DIGGING UP THE ROOTS IN SEARCH OF THE CONTEMPORARY

That’s the starting-point for dancers and choreographers Nani Paños and Rafael Estévez. The theory, a grand production in which flamenco dance is not the only star, but also respect for tradition in cante and guitar-playing, has led us to this show in which only the greats participate.

Don Antonio Chacón, Juan Valderrama, Manuel Vallejo, el Tenazas, Pepe de la Matrona, El Gallina, Manuel Torre, Tomás Pavón, Jacinto Almadén, Carmen Amaya, Antonio Mairena, Juan Varea, Juan Talega, la Niña de los Peines handle the vocals, occasionally in polyphonic fashion, and Sabicas, Joe Beck,Niño Ricardo o Don Ramón Montoya are on guitar, all offstage sound. With musicians like that, it’s no surprise the feats they accomplish in the choreography. Rafa and Nani have put aside flamenco stereotypes, and with hardly any footwork, and an elegant but discreet wardrobe, they found the way to pull off one of the best works we’ve seen so far this century. That look to the past, without forgetting the present, was backed up with exquisite lighting which allowed us not to miss one single detail of the evolution of the dances

The choreography, line and all dancerly elements are represented in the great names of flamenco: Argentina, Antonio el Bailarín, Rosario, Vicente Escudero, La Malena, La Macarrona and Encarnación and Pilar López. Their movements have been recreated to perfection, but with an avant-garde touch that enhances those great maestros even more. Old photographs, recordings and historic videos were the basis for this work by two young men who have carried out a tremendous investigation, because to include saxophone player Federico Vílchez, or the LP “Rock Encounter”, the first fusion of flamenco and rock, not to mention the film “María de la O” with those great barrel turns of Carmen Amaya, is only possible with a great deal of hard work. At the same time they demonstrate great love for flamenco, because it’s not normal that a dancer take such interest in the history of cante and guitar or vice versa, without forgetting the texts of Romero Murube.

One of the best works we’ve seen so far this century

The styles performed, nothing less than a lesson in flamencology: tonás, garrotín. farruca, guajiras, tangos gitanos y argentinos, peteneras, soleares, bulerías, milongas, tanguillos, seguiriyas, la caña, martinete, fandangos por soleá, asturiana, taranta, zambras. Noteworthy is the work of Antonio Ruz, although a specialist in modern dance, there’s a certain gut-wrenching quality, especially in the melody of “El Cisne” by Camille Saint-Säens with the influence of Vicente Escudero. The other guest artist, Concha Jareño, was also excellent, particularly with the bata de cola and castanets. It’s pleasing to see castanets have a prominent place in the dances, duets, trios and group numbers, all executed with tremendous coordination, and capable of situating us on the stage of a theater café in Andalucía during the Romantic era, without ever forgetting the “opera flamenca”. Quite a lesson, and one which demostrates that the house of flamenco is built from the bottom up, and without the maestros, it’s hard to even get off the ground.

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Special MÁLAGA EN FLAMENCO