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BAILE: Farru, Jose Maya, Barullo. Artista invitado: Van the Man Porter, CANTE: Antonio Zúñiga, Simón de Málaga, Pedro el Granaino, El Rubio de Pruna, Maria Vizárraga, Ángela Bautista, Teresa Bautista, TOQUE: David Cerreduela, Miguel Iglesias, Antonio Rey, PERCUSIÓN: Luqui, El Bandolero, Juan Carmona.
Texto: Sonia Martínez Pariente
“Al Natural” is the new show starring the Farruco family represented by Farru and his cousin Barullo, on this occasion with Pino Sagliocco in charge of production.The two dancers are undertaking a new path without Farruquito, who was always in charge of the family shows. José Maya, whose concept of dance is in the line of the other two, shares the bill.
The premiere came off in grand style, specially prepared for friends, relatives, journalists and jet-set personalities who always help promote new projects.
“Al Natural” is enveloped in an aesthetic that features lighting effects, smoke machines and a youthful wardrobe, elements which have been incorporated in other flamenco shows giving a touch of Broadway musical.This is in stark contrast to the family’s previous offerings based on the dynasty of the Farrucos and which came from a very personal point of view, something which is missed in this show.But the new look and feel helps bring this particular style of dance to the general public and make it appealing to an international audience.
A touch of Broadway musical
The most important thing is the essence of the show itself: three dancers, each in his own line, which synthesizes the roots and the contemporary projection of flamenco.Although the show is a series of unrelated dances, the attraction is in the individual interpretations.
José Maya, Farru and Barullo open with seguiriyas. A temperamental dance, charged with the power that serves as their calling card.
The musicians do a tango solo, and did a fine job backing up the dancers when the time came.In the fandangos, there was no doubt left about the group’s high quality.
Farru and Barullo offer an alegrías duet.They are comfortable dancing in unison and their movements blend in a natural way.They take turns creating spectacular effects and it’s all in the most traditional family line.
José Maya dances soleá por bulerías.His is a passionate, brave dance, with intensely flamenco moves.Ability, technique and tradition.When singer María Vizárraga approaches him to sing pointblank, there are some wonderfully intense moments, charged with emotion.It all comes together perfectly in his stylized figure: arms, feet, head and always the sizzling temperament.
A tempest of feetwork with nothing held back
Barullo dances a weighty soleá. At first contained, slowly pacing out his steps and moving his arms.This leads to some powerful footwork, the family’s characteristic leaps, and the very flamenco precision stops.Once again the tempest of footwork, with nothing held back.The dance builds up to a dramatic moment when Barullo makes a great show of removing his shoes in order to dance barefoot, and it’s all done with “arte”.
The contrast is total with tap dancer Van The Man Porter, but the parallelism between flamenco and tap is clear.It’s as if a dancer from the Bronx came tap dancing tangos, strutting through the Santa Cruz neighborhood which is represented on the backdrop.Porter’s dancing is entertaining, uncomplicated and interactive.
But the number “Encuentros” is more in keeping with the spirit of the show and the two art forms are integrated in “Encuentros” when José Maya appears in a red suit, once again delighting the audience.
A footwork dialogue that includes poses, gestures and turns ensues between the Madrid dancer and the Afro-American, competing, challenging one another like two proud studs.A kind of fusion of rhythms that is very attractive.
Farru appears atop a platform to let rip his catalog of footwork and turns. Back down on the ground we are able to enjoy his dance of taranto.At first: elegant and contained.Later, his scorching footwork and pirouettes executed with extreme precision.And to wrap up, he treats us to that part of him that was under wraps in the early part of the show: the proud dandy, the seductor, the very flamenco dancer.He uses his whole body, his abundant hair, his on and off with the jacket, his swagger…
For the end, the three dancers perfectly synchronized, men’s flamenco dance at the source.
Of course there was a bulerías ending where some of the members of the backup came out and did their bit, including Pino Sagliolooco.
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