Cristina Hoyos offers the essence of flamenco

«YERMA»
Ballet Flamenco de Cristina Hoyos

Cristina Hoyos offers the essence
of flamenco

Series: Lorca y Granada en los Jardines
del Generalife.
Staging: José Carlos Plaza.
Music: José Luis Rodríguez.
Place: Generalife Gardens, Alhambra..

With her show «Yerma» Cristina Hoyos, the dancer
and choreographer from Seville, gave a lesson on how to present
a modern flamenco work based on the deepest roots of the art
of flamenco, taking a classic piece of literature as inspiration.
At no point during the course of the show is the Andalusian
ambience which feeds and inspires gypsy flamenco art lost,
neither in the music, nor in the dancing, nor or any concessions
made to music or to folklore.

«We have to
conserve the roots of flamenco, but
with a logical evolution in order to try help it become great»

As the artist maintained in a recent interview with journalist
Gabriel Pozo of the «Ideal»: «We have to conserve
the roots of flamenco, but with a logical evolution in order
to try help it become great. 'Yerma' is a fresh presentation,
something new within which flamenco comes face to face with
its natural development».

Within the 80-minute framework of the show, not only first
dancers Susana Casa and «El Junco», but the entire
company, dance in a flamenco way and with great command of
flamenco technique and with great expression and feeling,
but when silence envelops the audience and Cristina Hoyos
playing the part of the «Vieja Pagana» begins to
dance por soleá or por siguiriya, a new dimension of
flamenco dance is opened up. Without acrobatics or flashy
heelwork, without any sort of effectism, with only the movement
of her hands, arms and torso she constructs a choreography
of the very essence of flamenco. Indeed, as a dancer, Cristina
Hoyos is able to create new dimensions of time and of tempo
within flamenco.

The choreography
of the flamenco essence,
of the depth which García Lorca spoke about.

It's no accident that the following has been said of her:
«when she clings to the air trapping a ray of light,
when an invisible current runs through her body from rebellious
head to stiletto heel, when her eyes become dark diamonds
that her dancing seems to charge with passion, we all remain
silently holding our breath and our hearts are suspended in
time waiting for the next moment. Then suddenly she frees
us with a step, with her feet, with a movement of her waist
or hip, with her women's arms that are art in motion, almost
against her will».

Cristina Hoyos

She is the dancer who has
received more prizes and
honors in Spain and abroad than any other

Also noteworthy in the corps de ballet is the choreography
of the tangos and tanguillos and the carefully constructed
final number which is served up by the whole company without
one whit of pandering and with much elegance and art.

Cristing Hoyos was trained in her city of birth and educated
on stage at the hands of maestros Adelita Domingo and Realito,
and as an adolscent was already choreographing in addition
to dancing. She was the partner of Antonio Gades in his ballet,
and it is said that this is the person from whom she learned
the most. She has created innumerable shows among which the
most noteworthy are: «Sueños Flamencos» (1990),
«Caminos Andaluces» (1994), «Al Compás
del Tiempo» (1999) and «Tierra Adentro» (2002)
among others. She took part in about ten films and TV series,
including «Despacito y a Compás» filmed in
2002 where she stars in her own biography.

She is also the dancer who has received more prizes and honors
in Spain and abroad than any other, in particular, the Premio
Nacional de Danze (National Dance Prize) awarded by Spain's
Ministerio de Culture in 1991, and prize for the best dance
company at Seville's Bienal de Flamenco of 2002.

Text & Photos: Carlos Arbelos

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