Their dancing is as swift and precise as Toledo steel. Their passion is as deep and hot as a heartbeat, but as restrained as a lowered gaze. Their credo is solicitousness of Spain’s traditions and technical virtuosity. The painstaking craft of each movement and each glance turns their dance into a masterpiece, leaving memories that drop directly into the treasure trove of the soul and warm it for many years to come. Brilliant performers, they plunge with absolute Iberian impetuousness into the torrents of flamenco — the proud dance of a freedom-loving people. They embody the spirit of Spain.
INVOCACIÓN BOLERA
Premiere in Russia
Choreography: Rubén Olmo
Music: Manuel Bustos
In the pomp and luxury of the 18th century, the Europe was shaken by the War of the Spanish Succession while inside the country the striking queens and talented ministers fought for influence over kings. For ages the people of Spain poured all their joy and suffering into guttural songs and passionate dances. It was in this period that the spontaneous dances of sunny Andalusia gained an academic symmetry and the name la Escuela Bolero — “the Bolero School”. Invocación Bolera is a nod to the great masters of the past who defined the development of this dance, but also a fresh and original interpretation of one of the most distinctive and unique dances of Spain.
World premiere: March 7, 2020, Teatro Villamarta de Jerez (Jerez De La Frontera, Spain)
Duration: 7 minutes
JAULEÑA
Premiere in Russia
Choreography: Rubén Olmo
Music: Manuel Bustos
For true connoisseurs, Jauleña, which draws inspiration from Granada, is a subtle mixture of the traditions of Bolero, Spanish “stylized” dancing (la Danza Estilizada) and fiery flamenco, blending the spicy, lingering, Moorish Granaina with the fractured, brittle, virtuoso Zapateado as exquisitely interpreted by Rubén Olmo.
World premiere: 7 марта 2020, March 7, 2020, Teatro Villamarta de Jerez (Jerez De La Frontera, Spain)
Duration: 6 minutes
ETERNA IBERIA
Premiere in Russia
Хореография: Antonio Najarro
Music: Manuel Moreno-Buendía
The ancient lands keep their ancient names: thus, Herodotus cited Iberia to designate the Peninsula, which was well known throughout the Greek world.
This production came about thanks to the chance discovery of a score that had only been performed half a century previously: In 1963, the maestro Manuel Moreno-Buendía wrote the tone poem Celtiberia at the request of flamenco legend Antonio Ruiz Soler for the ballet Eterna Castilla. This is music that has everything — the living fabric of history and the energy of the land on which for millennia people have lived generation after generation, developing traditions, building and destroying cities, but retaining their proud and unruly disposition. It was this score specifically that inspired Antonio Najarro to create this short piece that reflects his personal vision of Spanish dance while paying respect to the masters of old.
The piece is in five parts: Burlesca, Farruca, Danza Festiva, El Amor Doliente de Ronda, and Danza con Brio, mixing virtuoso solos, duets filled with restrained passion, and magnificent ensemble work, and embellished with castanets, Spanish capes, and Cordovan hats – the traditional ingredients of la Danza Estilizada (“stylized” dance).
World premiere: May 18, 2019, The Auditorio Víctor Villegas (Murcia, Spain)
Duration: 20 minutes
DE LO FLAMENCO. HOMENAJE A MARIO MAYA
Premiere in Russia
Choreography: Mario Maya, Milagros Menjibar, Rafaela Carrasco, Isabel Bayón, A. Rueda “Toná”, Manolo Marín
Music: Mario Maya, Diego Carrasco, Jesús Torres, Moraito Chico
In contemplating the past, you find the path to the future. Traditions should certainly not be stuck in the depths of the centuries and suffer from inevitable change. On the contrary, it is vitally important to adapt to the age and persistently seek out new forms. Art is not a sacred, inviolable memory. Art is knowing how to live and how to hear the call of your age. To shout back in answer, and in the case of flamenco to shout loudly and in time
The great dancer, choreographer, and teacher Mario Maya (1937-2008) was one of the most striking figures in 20th century Spanish dance. Many consider him a genius, noting particularly his talent for hearing and feeling — the dance, the soul, and the age. A true connoisseur of national traditions, he was also a bold innovator and trailblazer. It is he who must be thanked for the new style and school of dance that synthesized flamenco with the art of classical ballet.
De lo Flamenco is a suite of dances that reflects all the aspects of Mario Maya’s artistic style. In 1994, when he founded Compañía Andaluza de Danza, which later became Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, his productions were genuine sensations. They were hailed as a breakthrough, a breath of fresh air, and a new perspective on flamenco. Even today his choreography is seen as innovative, and the originality and distinctiveness of his artistic signature stands out against all other flamenco productions.
World premiere: March 7, 2020, Teatro Villamarta de Jerez (Jerez De La Frontera, Spain)
Duration: 40-50 minutes