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XI FESTIVAL DE JEREZ
Rafael de Carmen
Saturday, 24th february, 2007. 7pm.
Sala La Compañía
Text: Estela Zatania
Photos: Paco Sánchez
Dance: Rafael de Carmen. Cante: David “El Galli”, José Valencia. Guitar: Juan Requena. Percussion: Antonio Coronel.
The second day of the Festival de Jerez began with the presentation of the book “Gracias a la Vida” by Juan Manuel Suárez Japón on the life of Cristina Hoyos, and the first show of the day took place, as is customary, at the Sala La Compañía.
It’s a tough job writing about dancer Rafael de Carmen who opened the series “Solos en Compañía”.He’s frankly a magnificent dancer with infallible compás, impeccable technical command, enough energy to stop a freight train and very flamenco.Why then is his offering not convincing?Why does one leave the theater without that feeling of psychic satisfaction which, at heart, is what we’re all looking for when, as an act of faith, we plunk down hard-earned money in exchange for a small piece of paper which will provide access to the space where others of our species will carry out amazing feats designed to provoke emotions?
 At 38, Rafael still hasn’t settled down artistically.Just like Farruquito at 16, he fills every instant of his dances with incredible rhythmic combinations, impossible leaps and surprising acrobatics. The non-stop energy flow and the absence of any sort of contrast are his greatest enemy, all subtlety escapes him...as does self-control or nuance... He turns dance into an olympic event where he is the undisputed champion.It’s like a war move with nothing but explosions and gunfire...you end up anesthetized, and after the first twenty minutes, the audience shows no reaction to even the most brilliant moves.
The contrast of voices between Moron singer David “El Galli” and José Valencia from Lebrija, is interesting.From the same generation, the first one represents the post Camarón school, while the second is staunchly classic, two valid perspectives, no need to take sides.Apart from that, the Sala la Compañia is a poor venue for presenting dance.Unless you sit far towards the rear, the dancers are only visible from the waist up, and the amplification presents problems that have not been resolved over the years.
María del Mar Moreno
Saturday, 24th february, 2007. 9.00pm.
Teatro Villamarta, Jerez
Text: Estela Zatania
Photos: Paco Sánchez
Dance: María del Mar Moreno, Juan Ogalla, Rocío Marín, Julián Vicente “el Kuki”. Special guest dancers: Dolores “Chicharrona”, Yoya “la del Pipa”, La Bastiana, Rocío Moneo. Cante: Antonio Malena, Ana Salazar, Luis de Pacote, Juanillorro, Rosario Soto, Macarena Moneo. Guitar: José Luis Montón, Santiago Moreno, Malena hijo. Accordion: Gorka Hermosa. Palmas: Luis de la Tota.
The Villamarta Theater featured a homegrown dancer who is known for being sincere and hard-working. Jerez loves its own, and the theater was packed with local fans and relatives of group members, in addition to out-of-towners.
Maria del Mar Moreno has long been trying to produce the show that would combine her profound love for what she does and for tradition, with the contemporary taste for elaorate works that are somehow “different” – to be noticed without betraying her own values.She has occasionally gone too far in one direction or the other, but the fact is, she has yet to hit the mark. “Maria, Maria” is another show that delights locals because of its mostly Jerez cast, rolly-polly dancer ladies included, but which doesn’t come together as theater.
There are confusing references, most notably Rocío Marín’s dance to accordion with obvious French clichés that recall the work “La Francesa” which we’ll see in a few days at the Sala La Compañia, and when Ana Salazar sings “La Vie en Rose”, it’s an uncomfortable moment. There are also images inspired in Eva Yerbabuena, such as when Maria sits alone on stage, nearly motionless, with a dramatic overhead spot, while we’re obliged to listen to a scratchy old recording of opera that lasts about one and a half eternities.
Her profound love for what she does and for tradition, and the contemporary taste for elaborate shows that are somehow “different”
A farruca danced by Juan Ogalla, mercifully without the heavy-going cante many have tried to bring back in recent years, is no-nonsence flamenco dancing, and the audience reacts accordingly despite the excessive length.
But Maria also dances, and a fine job she does. One number, which to judge from the depth and intensity, as well as the basic black dress and black shawl, looks more like solea than anything else, but surprisingly, it’s caracoles.Later, por solea, the dancer finds herself and holds nothing back.Now is when the pained gestures and sudden attacks of angst are appropriate, and Maria does her town proud.
And it all comes down to the inevitable, the unavoidable, essential and genuine: the bulerias fiesta. A small circle of women singers and dancers keeping compás without musical accompaniment, and triggering sincere shouts of approval from the audience. Maria joins the group and we behold the most authentic image of the show, because each one is playing her true self and participating on an equal basis.
Throughout the show, José Luis Montón’s guitar accompaniment is noteworthy and enriching.
CARMEN GRILO / MARINA HEREDIA
Bodega Los Apóstoles
24th February
1st Part. Cante Carmen Grilo; Guitarra José Quevedo “El Bolita”; Palmas Luis Cantarote y Carlos Grilo.
2nd Part. Cante Marina Heredia; Guitarra José Quevedo “El Bolita”; Palmas Luis Cantarote y Carlos Grilo.
Text: Manuel Moraga
Phogos: Paco Sánchez
Orient and Occident
It was a night for trying different flavors at the Los Apóstoles wine cellar, and not of wines...well, not only of wines...but mostly of voices.The feeling, the approach and the over-the-top quality was provided by Carmen Grilo.Granada’s mystique was brought by Marina Heredia.Two diametrically opposed aesthetics.One based on strength, the other on beauty.Between the two of them, and the extraordinary guitar of El Bolita, flamenco fans were able to enjoy the very essence of the artistic experience: variety.
Pure Jerez in her life and artistic output, Carmen Grilo has to struggle constantly against her torrential voice. It may seem paradoxical, but when I say “struggle” it’s essentially because that kind of strong clear voice seems to be conducive to a lowered emotional output in flamenco singing.Nevetheless, this is not the case with Carmen Grilo. And it didn’t happen because the cantaora has confidence in her voice, as is logical, but only enough to get herself through the tough moments, because she puts up a fight. She relishes that which is difficult, pushing the limits, as is appropriate of flamenco, especially in Jerez. She’s never satisfied, and keeps forcing the frontier.It was with these coordinates that she offered a recital based on rhythmic forms, being noteworthy the cabal she used to close siguiriyas, the alegrías and soleares which included a powerful and emotional style of Fernanda de Utrera. And of course, the bulerías of Jerez, where her brother Joaquín jumped up for a few steps in the fiesta finale. The recital grew from less to more and the audience went wild, including, we’re sure, the smallest of the Grilos, Carmen’s little baby who was crying shortly before the show because he needed to eat, or sleep, or perhaps hear his mother’s singing.
With out hearts beating in three quarter time from Jerez after Carmen Grilo’s performance, Marina Heredia, dressed the most traditional flamenco style, began the second part of the program with sounds from the Levante of eastern Spain.With the minera we realized that yes, flamenco from the east is also part of the big picture.Her soleá, calm and tranquil – something nearly unthinkable in Jerez – brought a wide range of styles.She’s not even thirty yet, but Marina Heredia shows a command of cante more appropriate to maturity: stopping, breathing, on top of things at all times.Granada first came into view with the fandangos of Albaycín used to close malagueñas, and afterwards, some wonderful tangos, those Moorish-sounding melodies from Granada, slow and dark.She ended with something almost impossible to imagine: a Galician song to bulerías.The verses of José Bergamín flowed from the melifluous and flamenco voice of Marina Heredia with solid-gold 3x4 format, now imbued with the mysticism that envelops a good part of the flamenco output of the eastern provinces of flamenco.
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Jerez and Granada.Occident and Orient. Strength and mysticism: two different takes on the same artistic reality.
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