Interview with Fuensanta la Moneta

A few days ago we were able to speak to Granada dancer Fuensanta la Moneta who was in La Puebla de Cazalla to take part in the town’s venerable Reunión de Cante Jondo, which has been held yearly since 1967.  In the historical plaza in front of the historical Bar Central where so much flamenco history was forged and the packets of sugar have the face of Manuel Torre, we chatted with the young dancer with the generous smile so reminiscent of Antonia Mercé la Argentina…

How many times have you been featured now at La Puebla’s festival?
With tonight, it’s four times.

In only a few years really…why do you think you’re so popular here?
[Laughter]  Well, I don’t know…you establish a relationship with the audience, and this is an inspiring place, you can feel the love for flamenco.  Just look where we’re sitting here in this plaza, there’s a very flamenco pharmacy on one side, with the window full of flamenco objects and images…and on the other side, the Bar Central.  And the whole town has that feeling, the locals get involved and the organization treats the artists with great respect.  Those of us who come here feel very good performing, and that shows on stage.  The audience here is knowledgeable, they’re good flamenco fans and they really appreciate the singing…if you don’t hold anything back, they’re very receptive.  I always respect the audience in general, and here, even moreso.

Do you enjoy performing at an outdoor festival like this, or do you prefer the comforts and infrastructure of a theater?
Well, one is completely different from the other, and you have to adapt to every kind of venue, but yes, I like dancing outdoors, it’s a different kind of experience, the theater is more…I don’t know…intimate…you know you’re up against something, the audience is out there, but you don’t see them, so in a way the space is all yours.  But here in a festival like this it’s different…you share the experience with them, you see the people’s faces, their reaction…they cheer you on and a rapport is established that you never get in a theater.  It’s a good feeling.  Also, this is a part of flamenco history, the traditional festivals, and they still survive, there must be a reason for it.

In 2003 you won the Desplante prize for dance in La Unión.  That was eight years ago…how has you dancing changed since then, if it has indeed changed?
Yes, it’s changed.  I don’t think any essence has been lost, I’m still the same Moneta I was then, but I’ve changed, because over the years I’ve acquired knowledge, your style changes, not necessarily for better or for worse, but there’s more dimension, the collaboration with other artists is very enriching, and without realizing it, it forces you to seek other ways of expressing yourself, your personality develops, but I’m the same Moneta who went to La Uníon.

You’ve done some important travelling recently…
Yes, we were at the Albuquerque Festival in the United States, then we went to Japan, and from Japan we went to Zamora and Madrid for the Suma Flamenca.  It was my fourth trip to Japan, blessed flamenco territory comparable to few others, for me it’s always a great privilege to go there, because not only do I like that culture, but they are wonderful fans of flamenco.  Albuquerque was also a very good experience, I’d always wanted to know that festival, because it has international status.  It’s the kind of festival where you spend a week, and you get involved with the rest of the people, not the typical thing where you go, you perform, and then back home.

“I don’t feel limited because I have knowledge of other kinds of dance and forms of expression”

You’re the youngest star of flamenco dance who follows what might be called a classical line, others your age are doing avant-garde things.  Are you aware of this?
Yes, and I feel good about it, because within the traditional form of expression, which is my line, I feel free, I don’t feel limited because I have knowledge of other kinds of dance and forms of expression, so I don’t stray from the path but I feel free to try other things.  But my background is so firmly rooted, there’s no danger of spinning out of control, in other words, I have freedom within the tradition.

When you perform, is there any improvisation, or is it all choreography?
There’s a little of both, there’s choreography, lots of studio hours, rehearsals and hard work with the team of musicians, but we also leave some space for improvisation.  I think it’s necessary, but not all the time.  The ‘duende’ is elusive, but you have to be after it all the time via both improvisation and plenty of hard work.  In my shows you can see both.  There are choreographies of my own, I learned a lot from having been in the  company of Javier Latorre, that was very enriching.  Also, the work with Rafael Estévez.  Generally speaking I create the choreographies to suit my own taste, I enjoy working those things out.

We see little partnered flamenco dancing these days…do you like dancing flamenco with a partner?
Yes. A lot. I’m very marked by solo dance, ever since I was small, I cook it up and I serve it so to speak.  But there’s also that other need, the desire to interact with people, to soak up influences and be able to give others what I can contribute.

Fuensanta La Moneta en los ensayos de «Muerte sin fin» de Mauricio Sotelo

Your collaboration with Rafael Estévez was pure magic…
That’s how it was for us too.

Won’t it be repeated?
Well, we don’t know.  There’s always that possibility, we would like to do it, but right now we’re both running in circles, each one with our own career, but I certainly have the hope that one day we can repeat the experience…we only did it twice and both times it was extremely enriching, we lived it intensely and with tremendous enthusiasm.

In these difficult economic times, it’s a good sign you each have so much work on your own.
Well, we’re programmed for the major festivals, but there are still problems…these are difficult times for everyone.

Do you think of Granada when you dance?
Yes.  I think you can tell.

How can Granada produce so many good dancers?
Well, I don’t know…more dancers than anything else, it’s true.  But on the other hand, the few stars of guitar and cante are extraordinary geniuses…Juan Habichuela and Morente for a start…they say it’s better to have less, but top quality [she laughs].  But it’s true that we have a wealth of dance talent.  I live in Granada because I need my hometown, and I’ve been lucky enough to continue living there.  If at some point in the future I have to follow my path somewhere else, I’ll do that, but as long as I can, I’m staying in that magical city.

How is the near future shaping up?
Well, we have a lot of projects for next year.  Among other things, we’re going to continue with two shows which debuted in 2010, “Extremo Jondo” and “Bailar, Vivir”, so we’re polishing them up for 2012.