“Flamenco” courtesy of the artist Vel Verrept
Semana Flamenka The 9th New World Flamenco Festival Presentation
Sept 19-25
IRVINE
BARCLAY THEATRE
Yaelisa, Artistic Director
I r vine B ar c la y Theatr e • www.thebarclay.org
www.thebar cla y.or g • 949.854.4646
Semana Flamenka Sept 19-25
The 9th New World Flamenco Festival Presentation
Yaelisa, Artistic Director
Contents Semana Flamenka........................................................................3 Semana Flamenka schedule..........................................................4 About Yaelisa, the artistic director.................................................6 The 2011 Artists............................................................................7 About the New World Flamenco Festival...................................... 10 What is Flamenco?..................................................................... 12 Press articles from past Festivals................................................ 14 Artists from past Festivals........................................................... 25
Semana Flamenka is sponsored by
Francisco J. and Hana Ayala and a
Signature program grant from the City of Irvine
Cover art entitled “Flamenco” courtesy of the artist Vel Verrept
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
Does it feel as if a certain passion has been missing from life these past few years; that some vitalizing element has been absent from the local diet? It is perhaps not entirely coincidental that the Irvine Barclay Theatre’s world-famed New World Flamenco Festival has been on hiatus for that time. Sure, everyday life is a wonder, but an occasional reminder doesn’t hurt, and there’s scarcely anything better than a festival full of tempestuous, romantic, dramatic, sensual, floor-pounding dance and song. We’re talking about sparks practically flying from Cuban heels as they strike a wooden floor; handclapping as an existential art; fragile cedar guitars flailed to the breaking point; voices crying their plaint so emotively they can be heard on the moon; all this by persons whose long, vibrant culture and tradition dictate that if you are performing —whether on a concert stage or on the hard-stamped dirt by a campfire —you had better damn well be thrilling. It’s titled Semana Flamenka: Semana because it’s a full week of concerts, workshops and intimate tableaux performances in local nightspots; and Flamenka because, in their writing, gypsies substitute k for c, and who are we to argue? Like the festival’s most recent production, 2008’s Somos Flamencos, the lineup isn’t comprised of existing companies, but of a first-time-anywhere combination of stellar artists, assembled by the fest’s longtime artistic director, Yaelisa.
“Our eight previous festivals give us a lot to live up to, and I’m confident this year will continue that tradition.” - Yaelisa
There is a decidedly New World twist this time, she explains: “Many of this year’s dancers and musicians are American-born, or are Spanish-born and based here. Our mission statement has always been that this is an international festival, and, to that end, we’ve been so involved in the effort to present the best European flamenco companies that we hadn’t taken advantage of all the great talent we have here. We’ve also been very fortunate that some of the European artists we’ve wanted to present have moved to the U.S. in the last year or two, so it seemed like a perfect time to celebrate some of the best and the brightest the United States has to offer in flamenco.” Along with the Spanish and Gypsy performers who split their time between the States and Spain, the festival will also be featuring some American-born performers who traveled the opposite route, having become so immersed in flamenco they’ve moved to Spain, where their talents gained them a ready welcome. The two concert programs Yaelisa is planning will be a unique experience for all involved. “A number of these artists have never had an opportunity to work together before and that’s always an adventure and a challenge,” she says. “They all have their own companies and groups they’re accustomed to performing with. But, like we did with the artists in Somos Flamencos, we’re asking them to step outside their comfort zones, to come together in a team effort with this group of people I’ve chosen, and we’re all going to make a show together. To do that takes complete and utter cooperation and trust. It’s taking a chance, but the results can be magical.” Each of the festival’s dancers, singers and musicians will have an opportunity to shine in the concerts. Several will also be featured in intimate performances at local restaurant and nightclub settings. With the concerts and fiestas, the thousands who attend will have a rewarding full week of activities to choose from. “Our eight previous festivals give us a lot to live up to, and I’m confident this year will continue that tradition,” Yaelisa says. “Flamenco has a long history in the U.S., of artists expatriating to this country, and of people growing into the culture here. This is our opportunity with this unprecedented group of artists to show our audiences that there’s a wealth of talent, expertise and passion working here.” Introduction by Jim Washburn
I r vine B ar c la y Theatr e • www.thebar cla y.or g • 949.854.4646
Semana Flamenka The 9th New World Flamenco Festival Presentation
The Fiestas
Yaelisa, Artistic Director
7-10pm nightly
Monday through Wednesday, three magical evenings in unique locales featuring selected artists from the Semana Flamenka ensemble as well as other artists from around California. Intimate, fun, and interactive, these shows change with each locale. Food and beverage menus are available at each venue. General admission: $10 in advance; $15 at the door. Advance tickets recommended due to limited capacity at the venues.
Fiesta Mesa - Mon, Sept 19
A rousing evening of flamenco in a club setting. MESA, 725 Baker St, Costa Mesa CA corner of Bristol & Baket at The Camp www.mesacostamesa.com valet parking available: $3
Fiesta Tangata - Tue, Sept 20
An atmospheric evening of flamenco in a courtyard setting. Tangata/Bowers Museum, 2002 N Main St, Santa Ana CA 92706 www.patinagroup.com/tangata/ Free parking
Fiesta Laguna - Wed, Sept 21 co-presented with Laguna Beach Live! A magical evening of flamenco in a garden setting. The Rose Garden of the Hotel Laguna 425 South Coast Hwy, Laguna Beach CA 92651 www.hotellaguna.com valet parking available: $5
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
The Power, Passion & Poetry of Flamenco celebrated in a week of fiestas and performances.
The Concerts The largest ensemble ever presented by the Festival, 14 stellar dancers, musicians and singers have been gathered from the U.S. and Spain. In the gypsy tradition of improvisation and inspiration, the ensemble will perform nightly with different soloists being featured from night to night. With a cast this large, you can expect the fin de fiesta, the joyous finale of the show, to be full of fireworks.
Fri, Sept 23 at 8 pm Sat, Sept 24 at 8 pm Sun, Sept 25 at 6 pm Tickets: $35, $40, $48 | $100 Gold Seats include vip seating & Gold Bar admission.
Among the many reasons to like the Irvine Barclay’s New World Flamenco Festival is just how darn well flamenco’s many flavors and facets are presented to the audience — easily digested by connoisseur and novice alike. It’s done not with didacticism, but with unadulterated style; we can really see, hear and even feel what differentiates the artists on a single program, and those from all
the others in the festival. You may not like it all; that is, you may favor one style over another. But there is no skimping on quality here. The artists and the artistry are so fine that choosing to like one over another is a simple aesthetic choice. It’s like favoring chocolate ice cream rather than strawberry. They’re both creamy rich. - Laura Bleiberg Orange County Register
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I r vine B ar c la y Theatr e • www.thebar cla y.or g • 949.854.4646
Yaelisa, artistic director
Yaelisa is the co-founder and artistic director of the New World Flamenco Festival. Since its inception in 2001, the Festival has been recognized as a model of success, both critically and artistically. Her vision and curatorial skills provide the groundwork which makes the NWFF unique from the majority of flamenco festivals as an artistic project with a point of view, one which explores concepts, themes and uncovers new talents for American audiences to discover. Raised by a Spanish flamenco artist, Yaelisa was surrounded from birth by the rhythms, gestures and vocal laments of the art in its purest form, where her unique improvisational abilities began to flourish. At the age of 4 she danced on the stage of the famous Casa Madrid, and her immersion in flamenco culture became a part of her life because of her mother, the renowned singer and dancer Isa Mura. She has performed with many of Spain’s finest artists, including Alejandro Granados, Antonio “El Pipa,” Manuel and Antonio Malena, Domingo Ortega, Enrique “El Extremeno,” Yeye de Cádiz, Mateo Soleá, El Junco, Juan Ogalla, Geronimo, Felipe Maya and others. Since 1986, Yaelisa has spent extensive periods of time living and performing in Spain, presenting her choreography there and in the U.S. Her choreographies have been commissioned by several modern dance companies, including John Malashock & Company, Rose Polsky and Collage Dance Theatre, and she choreographed and performed in the San Jose Repertory Theater production of “Twelfth Night.” In 1995, she was one of eleven international choreographers in Spain invited to present her choreography at the prestigious Certámen de Coreografía in Madrid, and the only American choreographer chosen among them. In 1996, she returned to the U.S. where she continues to develop and train dancers for her company. She has choreographed and appeared in several feature films and music videos. Internationally recognized as a master teacher, Yaelisa has developed a teaching style that emphasizes cultural understanding and knowledge of the cante. Her unique improvisational knowledge and history lend an authority to her workshops and classes, and many of her students and dancers have gone on to study and perform in Spain and the U.S. Yaelisa is the recipient of an Emmy Award for Choreography in 1993 for the PBS program, “Desde Cádiz a Sevilla,” and an NEA Choreography Fellowship. In 2005, Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos received an Isadora Duncan Dance Award for excellence in the category of “Best Company Performance,” and in 2006 she was chosen as one of ABC-7’s “Profiles in Excellence” Hispanic leadership awardees. In 2007, Yaelisa choreographed and consulted on a production of Garcia Lorca’s ‘Blood Wedding’ for Shotgun Players Theater group.
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
The Artists of Semana Flamenka Bailaores
Cantaores
Manuel de la Cruz (France/Los Angeles) Oscar Valero (Cordoba/New York)
José Cortes (France/Los Angeles) Antonio de Jerez (Jerez/Los Angeles) Kina Mendez (Jerez/San Francisco) Jesus Montoya (Sevilla/Los Angeles)
Bailaoras Guitarristas
Maria Bermudez (Jerez/Los Angeles) Leilah Broukim (Madrid/New York) Nelida Tirado (New York) Yaelisa (San Francisco)
Chuscales (Granada/New Mexico) Jason McGuire (San Francisco) Richard Marlow (Washington D.C.) Pedro Cortes (Malaga/New York)
Fiesta Artists Fanny Ara Vanessa Albalos Reyes Barrios José Cortes Jason McGuire Jesus Montoya
Rina Orellana Mizuho Sato Juan Talavera Antonio Triana Briseyda Zarate
[artists are subject to change]
I r vine B ar c la y Theatr e • www.thebar cla y.or g • 949.854.4646
Artist bios
(click on the artist’s name for more information)
Maria Bermudez’s (bailaora) critically acclaimed performances have graced the stages of prominent venues in Spain, North America, and throughout the world, including the Hollywood Bowl and The John Anson Ford Theatre in Los Angeles, The Joyce Theatre and Lincoln Center in New York, Festival de Beaucaire in France, and The Teatro Villamarta, Spain, during the prestigious Festival Flamenco de Jerez. As the founder and artistic director of the flamenco group, Sonidos Gitanos, Maria has exposed audiences across the world to the unique Flamenco sound and style of Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, the city where Maria has resided for many years. In 2007, she formed the Chicana Gypsy Project, which draws on her rich Mexican-American heritage and her immersion in the Gypsy culture of Andalucia. Her extensive career has inspired the documentary film, Streets of Flamenco, released in 2009. Inspired by the premature death of her brother, a promising Flamenco dancer, the film follows Maria’s journey from the barrios of East Los Angeles to the Gypsy barrios of the flamenco world. Maria’s dedication to both traditional flamenco and her Chicana Gypsy Project continues to thrill worldwide audiences, communicating a vast range of emotions, cultures, sounds and beauty. Leilah Broukhim (bailaora) was born in New York of
Iranian parents, but she has now been based in Spain for more than a decade. She trained at the renowned dance academy Amor de Dios under great masters of flamenco, including Maria Magdalena, Manuel Reyes, Rafaela Carrasco and José Maya. At the same time, she rounded out her knowledge of flamenco in Seville with the ¨Farrucos.¨ Her professional career took off back in the U.S. with Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana (New York) and María Benítez Teatro Flamenco (New Mexico). Leilah has performed in the principal tablaos of Spain, including Casa Patas, El Corral de la Morería, El Corral de la Pacheca, El Café de Chinitas, Las Carboneras, Las Brujas and El Cordobés. She has also danced in companies of Rafael Amargo, Paco Peña and Javier Barón. Leilah is featured in Casa Sefarad-Israel’s official promotional video, and performed in a series of concerts in collaboration with guitarist Augustin Carbonell “El Bola” and flute player Jorge Pardo. In 2009, she premiered her first solo show “Enlazados” in Segovia’s Juan Bravo theater and performed in Gomaespuma’s 10th Festival Flamenco Pa’tos, sharing the stage with Marina Heredia, Carmen Linares and Eva la Yerbabuena. In 2010 she presented her latest project “Traces” at New York´s 92nd Street Y.
Chuscales (guitarra) is a native of Antequera, Spain, and grew up in a traditional Gypsy family known for its professional musicians and dancers. His grandmother was among those who lived in the caves of Sacromonte, one of the legendary cradles of flamenco. Chusco began guitar lessons at age six under the instruction of his uncle, Joaquín Fajardo, as well as Maestro Agustinillo, two prominent masters in the region where such greats as Segovia have studied. As a teenager, Chuscales found himself frequently in the company of Paco de Lucía, who often performed in the area and would take time to play with the talented youngster. Meanwhile, he began his performing career as a dancer — an experience that provided him with a detailed understanding of flamenco’s rhythmic nuances. He has played the guitar for the prince and princesses of Spain at Santa Fe in 2009; and has appeared in such films as Camelamos Nauerar (1976), Gypsy Heart (1998), Flamenco Passion & Soul (1999), Viaje Al Duende (2009),The Spanish Table (2010), and El Payo (2010). Audiences find Chuscales’ music at once touching and exotic, his presence is engaging, and his skill as a guitarist, simply astounding.
José Cortés (cantaor) first toured Europe at the age of fifteen, and has since been a leading voice of flamenco. José Cortés & The Gipsy Dreams have traveled the world sharing the stage with great artists during many live performances as well as a TV special with the Gipsy Kings and family. They had the privilege of playing as the opening act for several James Brown concerts as well as for Jennifer Lopez in the south of France and in Los Angeles. They have recorded with Bruce Willis for his album preceding his Planet Hollywood tour and performed for several Eva Longoria and Tony Parker charity events, as well as being the highlight of special events for Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone and other celebrities. José Cortés & The Gipsy Dreams never fail to delight their loyal audience around the world. The band combines the talents of Antonio Cortés, a guitar player on the road with José Cortes since he was fourteen, and Manuel Gutierrez, an international flamenco dancer. Pedro Cortés (guitarra) has gained international
recognition as a soloist and composer; his works have premiered at the Teatro Albeniz in Madrid (En la oscuridad de las minas) and at New York’s Joyce Theater for the Carlota Santana Spanish Dance Company. Mr. Cortes was commissioned by Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre to write a score for a dance drama, Garden of Names, which was inspired by Lawrence Thornton’s novel, Imagining Argentina. He also wrote music for an HBO children’s program, Fairy Tale for Every Child. Mr. Cortes has toured with the dance companies of José Greco and Maria Benitez, and has performed with such artists as Farrucita, La Tati, Merche Esmeralda, Manolete, and the late Lola Flores. He has appeared as guest artist with the St. Louis Opera and the New York Grand Opera, and was commissioned as the musical director by the Guthrie Theater for their production of Federico García Lorca’s Bodas de Sangre. Presently, Mr. Cortes is the artistic director of his own flamenco fusion group, Amanecer Flamenco De Hoy, and is also musical director of the performance companies Mimbre Y Vareta, Zorongo Flamenco, Flamenco Y Mas, and Maria Benitez Estampa Flamenca.
Antonio de Jerez (cantaor) is one of the most
highly regarded flamenco singers currently living in the U.S. Born in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, his father was a well-known flamenco singer and his mother was a dancer. Antonio has been singing and dancing since childhood. After performing extensively throughout Spain in concerts and tablaos and festivals, Antonio came to the U.S. in 1977. Since then he has sung for many companies, including the Jose Molina Ballet, Rosa Montoya, the Boston Flamenco Ballet, Carmen Mora, Roberto Amaral, Luisa Triana, La Tania, Yaelisa and Caminos Flamencos, Domigo Ortega, Rafael Campallo, Pepe Habichuela, Alejandro Granado, Andres Marin, among others. He is the artistic director of Canela Pura. Also a poet, Antonio frequently writes lyrics for the songs he sings. Antonio is featured on Gareth Owen’s newest CD, El Cobre.
Manuel de la Cruz (bailaor) was born in France, but it is the blood of Córdoba that flows in his veins. At age 4, he began his performing career without any formal training, and at age 8 won his first dance award. Flamenco is his family birthright, and Córdoba is where he began his dance training and career, performing in some of its best tablaos in Spain. Manuel is a charismatic performer and a rhythmic virtuoso who has toured throughout the world with such prestigious artists as Juan Carmona, Chispa Negra, Chicuelo, Esperanza Fernández and famed singer Duquende. Manuel is also a talented musician and composer, and is frequently requested in performances as a percussionist. As a leading performer in Paris, Manuel has choreographed and performed in many successful shows, including “Romancero Gitano,” “Barrio Flamenco” and the long-running “Flamenka,” which ran for five years in Paris and London. He is most proud of the production “El Emigrante,” a moving dedication to his father about the post-war Spanish emigration. He has worked in television and on stages throughout France and Europe, considered one of the finest young talents in flamenco today.
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
Jason McGuire “El Rubio” (guitarra) has become synonymous with flamenco despite his Irish/American heritage. With over 30 years of playing experience and concerts from coast to coast, he has been for many years the guitarist other professional players have turned to in hopes of honing their craft. In 1995, Jason recorded with famed Gypsy guitarist Carlos Heredia on his CD Gypsy Flamenco and with Jesus Montoya “El Genio Gitano” on the CD Sentimento Gitano. As musical director of the award-winning flamenco dance company Caminos Flamencos, as well as musical director for The New World Flamenco Festival, Jason has shared the stage with some of the top flamenco artists in the world today, including Enrique “El Extremeño,” Alejandro Granados, Domingo Ortega, Yaelisa, Antonio de Jerez, Chuscales, Roberto Castellon, La Conja, and Omayra Amaya, as well as other legendary performers like Carlos Santana, Savion Glover and Wynton Marsalis to name a few. Jason’s album, Distancias, has received much critical acclaim and his compositions have been compared to some of Spain’s most important guitarists. Ricardo Marlow (guitarra) was introduced to the
guitar by his father, the eminent classical guitarist John E. Marlow. He subsequently studied with Gerardo Núñez in Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain. Since 1997, he has performed with Arte Flamenco Dance Company in such venues as The Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage and the Baltimore Museum of Art. Mr. Marlow fulfilled an essential role in Edwin Aparicio’s productions of Bailes Inéditos, Encuentros, Intimo, and Entresuenos, where he shared the stage with Jesús Montoya, Alfonso Cid, Roberto Castellón, Pedro Cortes Jr., “La Truco,” Nelida Tirado, and Carmela Greco. In 2005, Mr. Marlow performed at the 20th Annual Mayor’s Arts Awards at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall; Manuel de Falla’s El Amor Brujo with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Strathmore Music Center in Rockville. Mr. Marlow has toured with Louisville Flamenco in Kentucky, Indiana, and Nashville, TN since 2007 and has performed in Edwin Aparicio’s Dos Mundos at the Gala Hispanic Theatre in 2008. In 2009, Mr. Marlow performed L.A. Olé! for the Flamenco Forever Series at the Ford Amphitheatre, Hollywood CA, under the direction of Antonio Triana. Since the release of his debut solo CD, Madera Sonora, Mr. Marlow has appeared at solo recitals and teaching workshops/master classes at numerous venues.
Kina Mendez (cantaora) is part of the renowned Mendez family of Gypsy artists from Jerez. She began singing under the influence of her aunt, the legendary singer La Paquera de Jerez. Her professional career began when she joined Manuel Morao’s company. She has worked with Mario Maya and toured internationally with Salvador Tavora’s productions of Carmen and Carmina Burana. Performing in such festivals as La Fiesta de las Bulerias and Las Fiestas de la Vendimia in Jerez de la Frontera, she has shared the stage with Agujetas, El Grilo, La Macanita, and others. A featured artist at last year’s Festival de Jerez, her solo CD, De Sevilla a Jerez, was released in 2009 in Madrid. She recently performed with Jose Galvez and Lakshmi. Jesús Montoya (cantaor) was born in Seville, Spain, into one of the oldest Gypsy families. He was the featured singer for such legendary performers as Fernanda Romero, Isabel Vargas, Andres Marin, Pepe Rios, La Cipri & Manuela Salazar, Juan Ogalla, Manolete, Jose Galvan, among many others. In addition to his Spanish and European touring credentials, he has toured with major flamenco companies throughout the United States and Canada, including: Jose Greco, Maria Benitez, La Tania, Yaelisa & Caminos Flamencos, Eric & Encarnación’s “Raíz Flamenca”; and with the finest guitarists in United States: Chuscales, Pedro Cortes, Jason McGuire, Roberto Castellon, Ricardo Marlow, Jose Tanaka, and Eric “El Comanche Gitano.” An accomplished recording artist, his resume includes CD’s of his own original compositions as well as collaborations with various world class artists. Jesús’ 8th CD, with musical genius Osvaldo Golijov on Duetsche Grammophon, features him as the voice of Ruiz Alonzo. The recording of Ainadamar: Fountain of Tears was a double winner at the 2007
Grammy Awards for Best Classical Contemporary Composition and Best Opera Recording. Jesus has also appeared in such films as Sombra del Sol, Soledad, and Gypsy Girl, and is a SAG member. Jesús regularly performs with his own flamenco company, Pureza Flamenca.
Nelida Tirado (bailaora) was an original member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Spanish Ballet, where she performed in Franco Zeferelli’s Carmen at the Met. She has performed in the Bienal del Arte Flamenco, Festival de Jerez, Festival de Otono, Festival de la Guitarra in Cordoba, and the Flamenco Festival USA. In 2000, she was part of the World Music Institute’s Gypsy Caravan with Compania Antonio El Pipa. She has worked with many of Spain’s major flamenco artists and companies including: Maria Pages, Fernando Romero, Manolo Marin, Manuel Soler, Antonio Reyes, Juan Ogalla, Juan Manuel Canizares, Antonio Malena, among others. Upon arrival to the U.S., she has worked with the Noche Flamenca company and was a featured flamenco star in the highly acclaimed Riverdance on Broadway and Jarocho, which toured Mexico and China. In June 2007, she presented her first solo concert, Flamenco Pa’ Dos, with guest artist David Paniagua at The Peter Jay Sharpe Theater at Symphony Space. An accomplished Latin dancer, Nelida had the privilege of working with the late greats Tito Puente and Celia Cruz, participating in Tito Puentes’ 100th album tour, performing with Tito for President Bush at the Ford Theater, and appearing in Orquesta de La Luz’s Somos Diferente video. Óscar Valero (bailaor) currently divides his time and artistry equally between the United States and his native Spain. His New York City-based Óscar Valero Dance Company presented Valero’s original creation, Fuerza,, at the renowned Baryshnikov Arts Center, the JCC Arts Center, as well as The Connelly Theater in NYC. From 1998 to 2000, Óscar was a soloist with the Antonio Canales Flamenco Company and was the featured artist in the company’s productions. Óscar has been featured at the most prestigious flamenco festivals in the world: Festival de Jerez, Festival de Cantes de las Minas, and La Bienal de Sevilla. With Antonio Canales he performed in the international festivals of Lyon, Bogotá, Tel Aviv, Spoleto, Tokyo, Boston, and N.Y. Another dimension of Óscar’s work includes TV and movies. He appeared in a TV film about the life of the great flamenca Cristina Hoyos, entitled Despacito y a Compás and danced flamenco in the Sony Pictures production of Pink Panther 2 with Steve Martin. In 2004, Óscar was invited to New York to perform as a soloist with Andrea del Conte’s Danza España for its 25th anniversary production at the Thalia Theater. In 2009, he was a soloist in the opera Carmen in Chautauqua, N.Y, as well as a dancer in New York’s Metropolitan Opera’s production of this classic. Yaelisa (bailaora) has performed with many of Spain’s
finest artists, including Alejandro Granados, Antonio “El Pipa,” Manuel and Antonio Malena, Domingo Ortega, Enrique “El Extremeno,” Yeye de Cádiz, Mateo Soleá, El Junco, Juan Ogalla, Geronimo, Felipe Maya, among others. During the last twelve years, Yaelisa has spent extensive periods of time living and performing in Spain, presenting her choreography there and in the U.S. Her choreographies have been commissioned by several modern dance companies, including John Malashock & Company, Rose Polsky and Collage Dance Theatre. In 1995 she was one of 11 choreographers in Spain invited to present a piece at the prestigious Certamen de Coreografia in Madrid, and the only American choreographer chosen among them. In 1996, she returned to the U.S. where she continues to choreograph, develop and train dancers for her company. Creating innovative theatrical presentations has established her as a choreographer of merit; she is the recipient of an Emmy Award for Choreography in 1993 for the PBS program, “Desde Cadiz a Sevilla,” and a Choreography Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts in 1996.
Fiesta Artists: Fanny Ara (bailaora)
Mizuho Sato (bailaora)
Vanessa Albalos (bailaora)
Juan Talavera (bailaor)
Reyes Barrios (cantaora)
Antonio Triana (guitarra)
Rina Orellana (bailaora)
Briseyda Zarate (bailaora)
I r vine B ar c la y Theatr e • www.thebar cla y.or g • 949.854.4646
About the
New World Flamenco Festival
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
Since its first appearance in 2001, the New World Flamenco Festival has fostered a trend that is being noticed around the world -- flamenco has a stylistic variety and point of view as rich as anything found in contemporary dance. One of the hallmarks of the Festival is its ability to convince established flamenco artists, stars of their generation, to create new and exciting obras specifically to premiere at the festival. Juana Amaya, Yolanda Heredia, Isabel Bayón, to name a few, have participated in this creation process. Exciting collaborations -- such as “Sin Fronteras,” with Savion Glover and Yaelisa in 2006, and “Jerez, Puro,” created by Yaelisa and Antonio Malena and featuring six of Jerez de la Frontera’s greatest singers -- have become staples of each edition of the festival. Since its inception in 2001, the Festival has strived to demonstrate to American audiences that the relevant artists are not simply the two or three most widely recognized flamenco companies, but include a range of dancers and musicians who represent either the next wave of talent, or who are tried and true believers in the roots of traditional flamenco. Stylistically and conceptually, Artistic Director Yaelisa has taken audiences on a quest to discover flamenco as she sees it, with a rich and diverse history, helping audiences to discover the beauty of the bata de cola, the energy of Gypsy tribal flamenco (Los Farrucos), the meaning and significance of flamenco dynasties (Jerez, Puro), the differences between flamenco in Cádiz or Sevilla, or to take a moment to look at young talent hitting its stride. From Antonio Canales, who was presented to West Coast audiences as a true creator of present day contemporary flamenco, to Juana Amaya’s tribute to her famous family history (Del Gastor family), Yaelisa asks the artists themselves to stretch their imaginations. Not only interested in presenting the more traditional performers, the Festival has many firsts. The New World Flamenco Festival was the first and only North American Festival to commission the following performances: “Jerez, Puro,” featuring members of six separate flamenco dynasties on one stage; “Y Una Batita de Cola,” a performance featuring the bata de cola as the star; and last year’s “Sin Fronteras,” featuring the exceptional pairing of Savion Glover with Yaelisa, and an assembled troupe of artists from Jerez to accompany them. The Festival opens doors for rising stars, such as last year’s U.S. premiere of Rafaela Carrasco’s “Una Mirada del Flamenco.” Revivals are also not out of the question, as evidenced by the 2005 presentation of Antonio del Pipa’s signature show “Vivencias,” first premiered in Spain in the early 90’s and never before seen in the U.S. [Both Antonio el Pipa and Rafaela Carrasco were subsequently invited to participate in the New York Flamenco Festival.] Festival themes such as “Tradición y Familia,” “Fronteras” and “La Flor de la Vida” unite audiences with the artists in ways that allow them to connect, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved. There is a shared experience and ownership felt among the audiences that is palpable. Attending a festival performance is an experience enjoyed on many levels -- and not just an evening out.
I r vine B ar c la y Theatr e • www.thebar cla y.or g • 949.854.4646
What is Flamenco?
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
Flamenco differs from all other styles of music, and even though its spontaneity and emotional depth has similarities with jazz, or even the early blues, which was also the music of outcasts, it is the words and the driving rhythms that are the most important part. Harmonies and melodies are not the principal element in flamenco like in western music, where we tend to listen first to the tune, and after the rhythm and words. The rhythms of flamenco also differ considerably to those of modern music. The spontaneity of the dancer, and the way the singer interprets the words ensures that no two performances will be exactly the same. Flamenco history has only been documented for the past two hundred years or so, and anything before this time is open to debate and speculation. Much of what we know from before this time comes from stories and legends that have been passed down through family dynasties, in a similar way to the flamenco song itself. One thing we can be sure of is that flamenco in its original form was only voice, a primitive cry or chant accompanied only by the rhythm which would be beaten out on the floor by a wooden staff or cane. This style is known as Palo Secos, or dry styles, and they are the oldest forms of song known today. Flamenco is made up of four elements, Cante [voice], Baile [dance], Toque [guitar], and the Jaleo, which roughly translated means “hell raising” and involves the handclapping, foot stomping, and shouts of encouragement. In whichever way jaleo presents itself, it is performed by the audience as well as the artists and anyone else who feels the urge to participate. The handclapping or Palmas is an art in itself, and although it may look easy, it is not, and the palmeros will weave intricate rhythms around the bases of the song, and in the tablaos this is used in conjunction with the zapateado. The zapateado is the tap dance style of footwork, the dancers show piece where he will demonstrate his skill with his feet, and the noise created by this and the palmeros will be ringing in your ears long after you have left the tablao. The addition of the guitar is surrounded in apparent mystery as the exact date is not known, but gradually the guitar was introduced as an accompanying instrument for flamenco. Another important component of flamenco is the element known as duende, and this is shrouded in as much mystery as flamenco itself. Writers and poets over the years have given duende a magical and mysterious meaning, a spiritual significance that goes beyond human understanding. The poet Federico Garcia Lorca romanticized duende saying, “Duende could only be present when one sensed that death possible.” Many will say that duende can only be experienced in certain surroundings like an intimate flamenco session where a singer will be possessed by the dark tones of the song and the spirit will enter the mind and soul of anyone who opens up to it. “Duende a strange presence that everybody senses but no philosopher can explain ,” or, “All that has dark sounds has duende.” What ever you believe, duende does exist, and to experience it, is one of the wonders of this mystical art.
Many believe flamenco to be the invention of the gypsies, and although they have been the main protagonists of the art, they are not its sole creators. Flamenco song can be broken down into two categories- Cante gitano, gypsy songs, and Cante andaluz, andalucian songs. When the gypsies arrived in Andalucia from India around 1425, they brought with them many song and dance styles that have strong Indian connections. At this time Andalucía was still under Arab rule, and along with the Jews and the moors, the gypsies were soon to be persecuted by the Catholic monarchs and the inquisition. The moors were forced to convert to Christianity, and failure to do so resulted in expulsion from Spain, the Jews suffered a similar fate, and the gypsies were subjected to some of the worst atrocities in an attempt to exterminate them as a race. Many laws were passed by various monarchs, which forbid them anything to do with their identity. They were to stop wearing their style of dress, cease speaking in the Romany language, and to stop their wanderings and seek steady employment, which prohibited them obtaining money by the usual gypsy traits like horse dealing, trading at fairs, and sorcery. These laws and restrictions resulted in bands of gypsies, moors, and Jews taking refuge in treacherous mountainous areas, which were too desolate for the authorities to pursue them. These different cultures lived in relative harmony for many years, and the fusion of their music and dances are what we know today as flamenco. In the eighteenth century attitude towards the gypsies changed considerably,which resulted in numerous bands of gypsies descending on the small villages and towns, bringing with them their exciting, seductive music- flamenco. At first this music was not considered worthy of attention, and flamenco was only performed in the homes and private get togethers in the gypsy community. Their mysterious music and stimulating dances were soon to catch the attention of the romantic writers of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Stories abound of these strange people performing their wild dances and of the harsh unusual tones of their songs. It wasn’t long before the gachó, those not of gypsy lineage, became intrigued by this music, and gypsy singers were hired to entertain the señoritos, or “toffs” in private parties, know as Juergas, where the rich would entertain themselves with women, alcohol, and flamenco. taken from Andalucia.com
Learn more about Spain and Flamenco
Flamenco in the U.S. [click on the links]
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www.andalucia.com www.spain.info www.flamenco-world.com www.deflamenco.com
www.SFflamenco.com www.planetflamenco.com www.flamencobuzz.net www.flamenco-lessons.com www.flamenconow.com
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Articles about the Festival
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weekend Calendar
T H U R S D AY AUGUST 9, 2001 WWW.CALENDARLIVE.COM
Flamenco, the Debate Is the future of the passionate dance in its past? By Chris Pasles Also: Inside the changing local scene. By Emmanuelle Sichet. Page 7
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Cover Story
THURSDAY, AUGUST 9, 2001
Flamenco’s Next Step Efforts to modernize the traditional solo dance are spurring controversy
W
By CHRIS PASLES Times Staff Writer hen two or more flamenco aficionados get together, expect a hot argument about what constitutes real flamenco. The New World Flamenco Festival, Friday through Aug. 19 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, is only going to fan the flames. “The basic idea is to present new work from artists who are on the cutting edge of what they’re doing,” says festival artistic director Yaelisa, a San
Francisco-based flamenco dancer who will be appearing with her company. “The name says it all: The New World Flamenco Festival has to represent the work of artists today.” So what’s wrong with that? “In Spain, there is a perception among older flamencos, who grew up performing in the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, that flamenco is going down the tubes,” Yaelisa said. Flamenco evolved among gypsies who migrated to southern Spain in the middle of the 15th century. Denied any social status there, they expressed
Spain’s Domingo Ortega is a leading performer of the art of flamenco.
their pain and joy through solo songs and dances. Characterized by stamping and tapping feet, flamenco dancing initially was accompanied only by voice and clapping hands. Later, guitars were added. For the purist, flamenco still consists only of singer, dancer, guitarist and a palmista or palmero (a person who claps the rhythms). But sometimes the music is played without dancing. Recent developments have included the addition of other instruments and an expansion of the dancing to duets or even groups. These “theatrical” innovations are the subject of the debate. Yaelisa ticks off the complaints: “There are too many instruments, people are dancing with way too much footwork. The choreography draws on everything from hip-hop to contemporary dance, African American, Indian. The costumes have changed. “People are so opinionated about what is true flamenco. But I feel, like [famed flamenco guitarist] Paco de Lucia said, ‘What is puro?” Something that comes from your heart and something that comes from the very moment you’re giving it. If you believe it and want to give it at that moment, then it’s traditional. It’s flamenco of today.’ “ The festival is the brainchild of Yaelisa, who was persuaded to bring the idea south by Irvine Barclay Theatre President Douglas
Rankin. The two met when they were both serving a few years ago on a dance panel for the California Arts Council. “We’ve had some considerable success in presenting flamenco over the years,” Rankin said. “Also, I like flamenco, which makes the task rather that much easier.” The budget is about $250,000, with half coming from grants and the rest expected from ticket sales. The plan is to make the event a two-city festival, alternating yearly between Irvine and San Francisco. Workshops and master classes fill out the 10-day event, which includes a juerga, or party and jam session (Sunday at the Steelhead Brewery in University Center). In addition to Yaelisa (Tuesday and Wednesday), the festival visitors include two groups from Spain: Compania Domingo Ortega from Jerez de la Frontera (Friday and Saturday), and Compania Belen Maya from Madrid (Aug. 17-18). “Domingo Ortega is one of the top male dancers in Spain right now,” Yaelisa said. “His idea for a show is intriguing. Basically, it started as an all-male show, with all male dancers as well as all male musicians.” Ortega was born in Jerez, a major cradle of flamenco. “I wanted to show that a man can have feelings as much as any other human being or a woman has and
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still be strong,” Ortega said in a recent phone interview from Madrid. “The whole performance is about men’s need for love.” But his original all-male emphasis threw some audiences. “Everyone missed women,” he said, “particularly because of the title [of the program], which names a woman: ‘I Will Go With My Mother.’ So now the company has been enriched. It has grown. Now there are three women dancers and a woman singer and a woman playing the violin.” It is the mixed group that will dance his “... Y ahora me voy con mi mare” at the festival in Irvine. Belen Maya, whose parents were legendary flamenco dancers, took the opposite path. She formed a company entirely of women. But this too has recently changed. “At that moment, I wanted to do a show that was completely full of female feelings, of emotions,” Maya said in a phone interview from Barcelona. “When we opened in Australia, at the Perth festival, people were shocked because they never saw only women on stage. They had this idea of the bullfighter, the torero, the male dancer, fighting for the woman. “My generation, we don’t dance that. We dance more on feelings, the feelings that women feel—sadness and loneliness.” It was a struggle to pursue this vision. “It’s really hard for anybody to have a company, men or women,” she said. “But for women, flamenco is really a tough world. Guitarists and singers are men, and you have to push really hard to get what you want from them. “I was lucky. I found my own musicians early in my career. I found people that liked my way of understanding flamenco music.” Maya’s company now includes a male dancer, Manuel Reyes, a friend from childhood. “There are wonderful male dancers in Spain, but I didn’t
feel close to their approach to dancing and didn’t feel close to them personally,” she said. “Then last December, I found Manuel again, after all these years. He’s great. He’s the balance. We need to have balance, on stage and in the world.”
Dance Will Honor Company’s Teachers Maya’s company will be dancing “Adir” (Heritage), which pays homage to the teachers of her company’s members. Yaelisa’s San Franciscobased company falls between the two camps, she said. “I like avant-garde work, contemporary work, but my choreography comes from a traditional background. “As an artist involved in this, I feel that it’s just that flamenco is what it is. It’s a changing art form. It’s modern. Well, it’s modern because we’re in the year 2001.” Even so, all three artists feel some sympathy with people who criticize contemporary flamenco as less “pure” than it used to be. “With the really younger generation, they’re forgetting the roots of flamenco,” Yaelisa said. “They’re going out and doing a solo that has no improvisation, or if it does, it’s too thought-out. “Flamenco has to have an element of improvisation. If it doesn’t, it starts to lose its spark. It never was intended to be choreographed from beginning to end.” How can you tell if someone is really improvising? “If you look on stage and you see the artists or the musicians sitting on the edge of their seats, that’s it,” Yaelisa said. “There’s a kind of energy when the choreography is not a known commodity.” Ortega too has his criticism. “Authenticity is being lost, but not because of the reason you think,” he said. “It’s lost by people who become famous, people who want to move 6,000 people. “Flamenco is very inti-
mate. You can’t move people in a football or a soccer stadium. That’s when the sacrifices start because you’re trying to appeal to the majority. Flamenco is intimate and you can’t do it like that.” Maya said, “I hate [all the new] percussion, all this drumming. It covers [up] everything—the singing, the footwork. I hate it.” She goes further: She feels the form itself needs to be expanded. “Flamenco is very limited,” she said. “It only talks about certain feelings: anger, loneliness, jealousy and sadness. You can’t play roles in flamenco. You can’t be a daughter, a sister, a wife. There are no roles. You’re only this woman who is feeling this emotion. There are only four or five emotions. “That’s why we try to use these [other dance] techniques—contemporary and Indian dance—and try to put some of the feeling of them, very humbly, as I understand them, into my dancing. Not only me, but a lot of others.” Both Yaelisa and Rankin hope the festival will catch on and continue. They might even include flamenco programs without flamenco
dancers. “If you go to the festivals in Spain, at least 15% to 20% of the performances will not have any dance in them whatsoever,” Yaelisa said. “In Spain, [music is] considered more important in some circles than the dancing. “I thought about that at this festival. But I don’t think we’re ready to do that. The public is not educated enough.” The future may also bring a shift in emphasis. “We might want to do different programming, looking back and seeing the flamenco of 30 years ago,” she said. “It was very different. Definitely there’s a place for that.” ***
The New World Flamenco Festival, Friday-Aug. 19, presents three companies—Compania Domingo Ortega, Yaelisa and Caminos Flamencos, and Compania Belen Maya—and related activities at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. $24 to $35. (949) 8544646. Copyright 2001 Los Angeles Times
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Weird, wild, wacky - and awesome
Compañía Israel Galván unleashes the power of flamenco in unexpected ways. By LAURA BLEIBERG The Orange County Register
It was obvious from the get-go that Compañía Israel Galván, the second dance offering of the New World Flamenco Festival, would be out of the ordinary. The curtain was up, the wings gone, the rear cement wall exposed and a floor lamp with bare light bulb glowing as the audience took their seats at the Irvine Barclay Theatre. This is a preferred setting of avantgarde post-modern dance. And if you want to categorize what Galván does, that’s the best moniker: post-modern flamenco. It was weird, wild and wacky. It was also awesome to behold. Galván was a rag ing force - a virtuoso artist of matchless technical skills who has little interest in the usual conventions to exhibit them. His attraction is to the dissonant and the deconstruction of flamenco’s artistic elements - not for the purpose of destroying those elements, but for disassembling them and putting them back together in a different order. These dances highlighted flamenco’s pieces, as much as its whole.
Compañía Israel Galván
• WHAT: New World Flamenco Festival • WHEN: Aug. 12 • WHERE: Irvine Barclay Theatre • CONTINUES: Friday-Sunday, Compañía Antonio Canales • CALL: (949) 854-4646, Ext. 4 • ONLINE: www.thebarclay.org
Galván’s manner was edgy and angular, his dancing a kind of volcanic power of nervous-making and unusually long pauses before the red-hot explosion of flashing feet and flailing arms. His partners in these experiments were his sister, Pastora Galván, with the oh-sosexy way of rolling her hips and torso, and a polished, French-born dancer La Fani. “Pastora! The most beautiful girl in Spain!” friends of hers yelled out in Spanish. She responded with a small, sweet smile. Even if you didn’t agree, the charisma of both Galváns was like a laser. Miguel Iglesias and Alfredo Lagos were the two excellent guitarists; the fine singers were José Anillo and David Lagos. The live music was complemented with computer generated sounds. They all gathered Tuesday to perform
MIGUEL VASONCELLOS, THE REGISTER
POST-MODERN FLAMENCO: Israel Galván, left, founder of the company, performs “Tonas,” part of “Máquina Vieja.” Center, La Fani performs a piece alled “Alegrais.” Galván’s sister Pastora joins him for “Trilla.”
“Máquina Vieja” (“Old Machine”), a newish show in eight sections. The first half was the most compelling, in part because the bare surroundings so ably matched the dancing’s stripped-down aesthetic. (After intermission, the stage was “dressed” in more conventionally arty black backdrop and overhead spotlights.) The titular machine was a small box that the performers fiddled with to “turn on” the electronic sounds. Lagos began the show by singing to the recorded sounds of tapping feet - a singer performing to canned dancing, instead of the other way around. Such a switcheroo was emblematic of Galván’s quirky mind. The dancing highlights were equally clever. In a remarkable duet, Israel and Pastora often split the dance - he would stamp his feet and she would twirl her hands, for example. Standing at opposite ends, diagonally across the stage, they would fiddle with awkward-looking body positions and disjointed phrases, seemingly improvising, and then unexpectedly met up for a dead-on-perfect stamping duet. One minute they were engaged in a brief folk
dance; the next they flattened themselves into two-dimensionality, a reference that recalled to this viewer Nijinsky’s flat choreography for “L’Après- Midi d’un Faune.” In “Acorde No. 10” (the title of the electronically altered guitar music, written by Israel Galván), the choreographer danced seated in a chair. In “Mariana,” La Fani stiffly limped about the stage, while Pastora undulated with a samba-like fluidity. As apotheosis to that number, La Fani actually stood on Pastora’s bata de cola skirt - the cascading layered fabric that drags on the floor - which, it would seem, could be a cardinal sin. The other costumes were as well-conceived, for the most part; La Fani’s final outfit, a knee-high skirt and knitted halter top was too disconcerting for this viewer. She seemed more appropriately dressed for a cocktail party. But Pastora’s butt-hugging, flamboyant blue-and-white dress and Israel’s loosely sloppy black shirts were just the right costumes for flamenco turned on its ear. _______________________________________ CONTACT THE WRITER: (714) 796-4976 or Lbleiberg@ocregister.com
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AUGUST 5, 2005
the New World Flamenco Festival: guys a decidedly informed traditionalist, who has stomping about on a wooden floor, women explored new styles of dance, musical texstomping right back, a brutal flailing of cedartures and presentation, but keeps only that topped guitars, beshawled matrons wailing which he can bring home to the styles of his like their entrails were being gnawed by native Jerez. His 2003 Barclay performance hyenas, enraptured audience exploded with passion, drama and wit, as members shouting, “Viva le if he were some possessed cross between maquina de escribir!” which, of Danny Kaye and a centaur doing a Gene course, means, “Long live the Krupa drum solo with his feet. typewriter!” This year, he returns heading his You won’t find any word Compania Antonio El Pipa, performing processors at this year’s festione of his established works, “Vivencias” val, as it’s a decidedly (“Experiences”). “The theme of the old-school affair. show is how the people of his THE NEW WORLD While flamenco grandmother’s generation FLAMENCO FESTIVAL AT IRVINE BARCLAY THEATRE, 4242 labored in the fields, some music and dance have CAMPUS DR., IRVINE, (949) 854-4646; of the poorest people WWW.THEBARCLAY.ORG. enjoyed and anywhere, and how they LOS FARRUCO, FRI.-SAT., 8 P.M.; SUN., endured would come together to 6 p.m. $36-$100; Y UNA BATITA DE considerable COLA, TUES.-WED., 8 P.M. $32-$100; join as one family and experimenCOMPANIA ANTONIO EL PIPA, AUG. take care of one another,” tation over Yaelisa said. “And their 12-13, 8 P.M.; AUG. 14, 6 P.M. the past two gatherings were where a $36-$100. ALLA AGES. decades, the theme great art blossomed. It’s not of this year’s 10-day a huge production, but flamenco Barclay fest is “Tradicion y doesn’t need that. It is so expressive it just Familia.” needs a few props and great artists onstage.” “There was a long trend of In the remaining set of performances, trying to make flamenco more titled “Y Una Batita de Cola,” the dancers contemporary or commercial. make magic with a few yards of cloth, specifiThe trend I see now is toward cally the fabulous trains of their dresses. the roots of flamenco,” said “The style of dancing with the flamenco festival artistic director Yaelisa. train (called bata de cola) requires an amazThe acclaimed one-named ing amount of agility and technique,” Yaelisa dancer/choreographer has said. “It’s an art, but you really have to be an presented some astonishingly athlete for it. It lost popularity for years, but in effective fusion flamenco at Spain today, many young girls are taking an previous New World fests, but interest in dancing in that dress again.” this time, “I felt it was important Unlike the three previous flamenco fests, to address the renewed appreYaelisa isn’t dancing in this one, leaving that to the Spaniards who are generations-deep in the flamenco life. She’s lived, studied and danced extensively in Spain, but she grew up in San Francisco, the daughter of a half-Spanish modern dancer who adopted flamenco after seeing the legendary Carmen Amaya dance. “My mother became a professional flamenco dancer and an even better singer, so ciation for tradition. And all the companies I grew up with the art form from the time I was we’re featuring have something in common, in her belly. That was all I knew, with visitors which is family, a very important thing in flafrom Spain around the house all the time. So, menco. In most gypsy families, the flamenco of course, in my teen years, I went through is handed down to the next generation solely a period of being interested in anything but as an oral or physical tradition. flamenco. Then my mom put me in one of “A perfect example is Los Farruco, where her shows, and I got bit really bad by the half the members are related to one another. flamenco bug. They are one of the strictest dynasties in “What I get by dancing and performing on Spain, where they are maintaining the style a stage can’t be replaced by anything. But I and the integrity of the patriarch, the origiget a great satisfaction from helping to bring nal Farruco.” (The legendary patriarch, El this project together and seeing people from Farruco, died in 1997. The company features all over come to enjoy flamenco,” Yaelisa his daughter, La Farruca, and 17-year-old said. “And I especially love working with the grandson, who has now taken the name Barclay Theatre, where the people are just Farruco.) amazing—not worried about the bottom line, In flamenco, traditional in no way means but about doing the best presentation of the stuffy. Consider Antonio el Pipa, who was a art form. It is very rare in my business to find featured artist at the fest two years ago. He’s a group of people like that.”
It’s Going to Rock Your Gypsy Soul New World Flamenco Festival returns to the Barclay by JIM WASHBURN Most of the things I loved about rock & roll — all that freedom-emotion-earthinessimmediacy-expression stuff — were pretty well leeched out of the music years ago. Sure, there are still a few pockets of resistance, but these days you’ve got to look somewhere other than rock music. In 2002 and 2003, for example, I saw performances at the Irvine Barclay Theatre that were about as thrilling as seeing the Beatles live had been, and the only thing in common were the Cuban heeled boots. The shows were the Barclay’s in-house creation,
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SPANISH ART: Jerez-style flamenco dancer Andrés Peña will perform with his company Aug. 14-15 at Irvine Barclay Theatre as part of the annual New World Flamenco Festival.
MIGUEL ANGEL GONZALEZ
By LAURA BLEIBERG The Orange County Register
F
lamenco is not one art form, but three, and they are linked like the sides of a triangle. The dance, the guitar (and other instruments) and the singing are inextricably bound. Take away even one, and it’s not flamenco anymore. The Irvine Barclay Theatre’s New World Flamenco Festival, “La Flor de la Vida” running Aug. 10-19, gives significant emphasis, if not equal time, to the festival’s musicians and singers. This partly explains why the festival has a music director – guitarist Jason McGuire – plus an artistic director – dancer and choreographer Yaelisa. They take care to invite singers and musicians whose credentials rate as high as those of the dancers. Many hail from the dynastic gypsy families who are among the most important names in this Spanish art, which dates back about 150 years. The classes and workshops that are an integral part of the Barclay festival feature flamenco guitar and singing lessons, in addition to dancing. “First of all, this (flamenco) is a union – singer, dancer and guitar have to be united no matter what,” said cantaor(flamenco singer) Jesus Montoya, who is from Seville but now lives in Long Beach. The lead shifts among the dancers, singers and guitarists, throughout any given number, McGuire said, which makes it similar to jazz music. When the dancers perform, McGuire said he follows them on his guitar. And if the singer launches into a plaintive number, everyone else stays in the background. “I pretty much equate it to a conversation among hopefully very polite people,” said McGuire, describing how the participants’ dominancy changes. “They can ‘talk’ to each other without interrupting, but then can direct the ‘conversation’ their way.” The dance has become the more well-known of the three, thanks partly to its athletic flashiness. Formal dance schools have sprung up in Spain and in countries worldwide.
THE SINGER, DANCER AND MUSICIAN SHARE THE STAGE, AND THE SPOTLIGHT.
Flamenco trinity
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The music, on the other hand, is still handed down primarily through oral tradition, because not a lot of the music was ever written down. Montoya compared the great gypsy singers to blues singers in this country, and said it’s not something that can be taught anyway. It must be felt. “You have it or not. It’s from inside your body, from your blood,” he said. Audiences face a different challenge with flamenco. The fast and fiery footwork speaks for itself. Appreciating the other two of flamenco’s three elements can be more difficult, particularly for those who do not speak Spanish. Knowing a few basics about the music, however, can go a long way toward understanding. With that in mind, what follows is a musical interlude. THE TREE OF FLAMENCO McGuire has an analogy that is a helpful place to begin. Think of flamenco as a tree, he said, and its branches are the different songs. Flamenco is performed to a variety of song forms, or types of songs. They can trace their lineage to certain cities, and each has a specific melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structure. Each song form has its own emotional hue, too, falling into two major categories, either sad, known as cante jondo, or lighthearted, cante chico. The alegrias, for example, is generally attributed to the port city of Cadiz. It is performed at a medium tempo, with 12 beats per measure, and it is generally a joyful song. “A lot of them are fisherman stories about going out to sea to get their food and a hope that they’re coming back safely,” McGuire said. “There is a general, happy vibe that people who live near the ocean tend to have, kind of laid-back and everything is happy.” The polar opposite of the alegrias, is the soleá, the “mother of all flamenco” songs, as McGuire called it. The soleá is the most sad, and its lyrics are thematically the darkest. And though these songs also have a 12-beat rhythm, a soleá is typically played more slowly, although it can have fast flourishes. It can end at a considerably faster tempo than it began and even switch forms entirely into a bulerias, a much faster, but still sorrowful song, from Jerez. “The idea would be that the dancer or star is overcoming something, or at the end it can be something that’s reflecting on that darkness,” McGuire explained. Listeners also need to pay attention to the emotions in music. It can be tricky, though, because most of flamenco music is in the Phrygian mode – a series of notes, a scale, that is noted for its wild or unsettling sound. Our ears tend to hear major scales as “happy” and minor scales as “sad” or mysterious. Flamenco music can straddle a middle territory, made even more complicated when forms change within a number. “There’s this concept of bittersweet (in flamenco),” McGuire said. “You can have something happy that’s in this kind of minor-type
RETURNING: Maria José Franco formed her own company shortly after performing on the Irvine Barclay stage in 2005 as a principal dancer with Antonio El Pipa.
ANDY MOGG
TEAM PLAYER: Guitarist Jason McGuire, music director for the New World Flamenco Festival, says he gets “inspired by what the singer or dancer did just before me.”
New World Flamenco Festival-La Flor de la Vida
de Jerez, whose father’s family were singers. “You are going with the moment of the situation. If a dancer is dancing, let’s say soleá, a really serious dance, basically everything you sing about is tragedy. You don’t know which one (beforehand). You don’t choose the song sound. It’s not always cut and grab their time in the spotlight (in advance). You just start dried. And then the poetry is with a solo called a falseta, a singing and that’s it.” With all that going on at all full of double meanings. spur-of-the-moment melodic On the surface, it can be variation. The traditional once, it might seem a miracle talking about something very singer, too, does not plan that it doesn’t degenerate into sad and it can end up being what he or she will sing. They chaos. All the participants a metaphor for something have a repertory of hundreds know the basic, unwritten else.” of songs, which they call rules, though. McGuire noted the musical framework Spontaneity is another upon as needed. hallmark of flamenco singing “Usually you don’t have a was left purposely simple, to allow musicians from and instrumentals. Guitarists script,” said singer Antonio different towns to play
What: Compañía Maria José Franco When: 8 p.m. Aug. 1 0-1 1, 6 p.m. Aug. 1 2 What: Andrés Peña and Pilar Ogalla When: 8 p.m. Aug. 1 4-1 5 What: Compañía Juan Ogalla When: 8 p.m. Aug. 1 7-1 8, 6 p.m. Aug. 1 9 Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine How much: Weekdays: $33, $38; Saturdays and Sundays: $38, $43 Call: 949-854-4646 Online: www.thebarclay.org
DEAN THOMAS
MIGUEL ANGEL GONZALEZ
PARTNERS: Andrés Peña and Pilar Ogallaʼs latest work, “A Fuego Lento,” pays homage to the traditional male and female duet.
together. It also encouraged improvisation. Musicians and dancers have to be very aware of what the others are doing, though, and know when it is time to cede the spotlight. “Artists have to have manners,” McGuire said. “You have to know when enough is enough. I get inspired by what the singer or dancer did just before me.” De Jerez, who lives in Los Angeles, complained that some flamenco artists in the United States have a harder time stopping than their counterparts in Spain. “They keep going and going. What are you doing? You get everybody tired. You
have to know when to stop. You don’t have to give people so much. A little bit – good,” de Jerez said. The bottom line, though, is that flamenco music, dance and singing are fluid arts. Even the traditional flamenco is constantly undergoing small changes, within its more rigid structure. De Jerez noted that he is always learning new songs. It is a never-ending process. “You will never say, ‘I have enough and I don’t need anymore.’ Flamenco is like a ladder that you will never see the end of it.” Contact the writer: 714-796-4976 or lbleiberg@ocregister.com
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FIRM FOOTING
BIGGER PRODUCTION: Maria Jose Franco is among the five soloists of Somos Flamencos – New World Flamenco Festival.
SET FOR A NATIONAL TOUR, O.C. FLAMENCO FEST IS BOOSTING THE FORM, ORGANIZERS SAY. B y PAU L H O D G I N S THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
L
ike most kids, Yaelisa thought what her mom did for a living was the most uncool thing in the world. “My mother was a flamenco artist in the San Francisco Bay Area – a very wellknown singer and dancer who had been ensconced in the scene there for years,” she recalled. (Yaelisa’s mother, the late Isa Mura, was a renowned flamenco specialist.) “So I grew up with flamenco.”
ENSEMBLE: Performers at the Irvine Barclay Theatre include dancer Juan Ogalla with Yaelisa, left, and Franco.
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FLAMENCO: O.C. launch pad FROM PAGE 1
But as a career, the beloved Andalusian art form that combines energetic and percussive dancing, singing, guitar and other elements held no allure for the young girl. “I didn’t really take it too seriously. Whatever your parents do, natural rebellion sets in and you automatically reject it.” As a young adult, though, Yaelisa finally caught flamenco fever, spending several years in Spain studying its complex forms, styles and social implications. By the time she returned to San Francisco in 1996, she was a flamenco professional with a burgeoning career. She had even married a flamenco musician, guitarist Jason McGuire, a native Texan whom she met in New York. For the past decade, Yaelisa has made her name as a consummate flamenco artist on both sides of the Atlantic. And for seven years, her artistry has produced the New World Flamenco Festival, an annual event at the Irvine Barclay Theatre that since its inception in 2001 has drawn fans from all over the U.S. almost every summer (there was no festival in 2004). This year’s festival, titled Somos Flamencos, or “we are flamencos,” features its biggest cast yet: five solo dancers, four singers and three guitarists. The group has been rehearsing for the past few weeks in the Spanish city of Cadiz, a flamenco center that threw open its rehearsal facilities for the occasion. “The city donated its beautiful municipal flamenco center for our rehearsals. I did a radio interview; there was a lot of local interest,” Yaelisa said. Since many in the cast are from Spain, it made financial sense to conduct rehearsals there before bringing the performers to Irvine. The Irvine show, as well as being bigger than previous efforts, is different in another crucial respect: Somos Flamencos is designed to tour, and its producers plan to visit several American cities next year, though dates and venues haven’t been worked out. “This is a chance for the public and presenters to see the show first,” Yaelisa said. “Hopefully, that will start the ball rolling.”
ROSE PALMISANO, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
ISSUES OF TONE: The flavor of this year’s New World Flamenco Festival is intended to be more raw and improvisatory, organizers say. Maria Jose Franco is among the dancers.
IRVINE: O.C.’S FLAMENCO CAPITAL? The festival wouldn’t even exist were it not for a chance meeting and some casual remarks between Yaelisa and Douglas Rankin, the Irvine Barclay Theatre’s longtime president. “It came about as an idea in a conversation between us,” Yaelisa said. “We were sitting together on a dance panel. I was talking about bringing a (flamenco) festival to San Francisco and he said, ‘Well, why not Irvine?’ ” “It was about 10 years ago. We were sitting in a rather sterile conference room in a Sacramento office building,” Rankin said. “We got to talking and it came out that she had this ambition to create an international flamenco festival. “I knew from working with (flamenco artist) Maria Benitez in 1990 that there was market for flamenco here. We’d proven that year after year. And we were looking for a particular kind of idea that would work in the summer.” Sixty percent of the festival’s audience comes from Orange County, 30 percent from Los Angeles and the remaining 10 percent from other states and countries, Rankin said.
New World Flamenco Festival, with Somos Flamencos Where: Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine When: Through Aug.17; 8pm Wednesdays-Saturdays, 6pm Sundays. Compania Somos Flamencos show through Aug. 13; Compania Antonia El Pipa, Aug. 15-17 How much: $33-$43 Tickets: 949-854-4646
FOOTWORK: Andres Pena performs.
The festival has become legendary among the world’s flamenco artists for the enthusiasm and receptiveness of its audiences, Yaelisa said. “The artists from Spain really love coming here. The reputation of this festival in Europe is beyond reproach. The Spanish flamenco world says, ‘You have to go to Irvine because there’s so much excitement there and everybody treats you so well.’ ” To a casual observer, flamenco and Irvine don’t seem like a match made in heaven. Why did it catch on there? Partly because of good timing, Yaelisa thinks. “I think it took hold there because it came at a time when there was nothing like it. I agree
that when you see Irvine, you don’t think, ‘Oh, this would be a super place for a flamenco festival!’ It was definitely a risky, visionary idea on Doug’s part. “But he went at it full force from a marketing perspective, and it has sold out consistently year to year. And it’s located near enough to the big cities that people will drive down from Los Angeles or up from San Diego to see it.” YEARNING FOR AUTHENTICITY The Barclay has benefitted, too, from a worldwide resurgence of interest in flamenco, a 19th-century folk-art form that had become somewhat of a relic in the
Online: thebarclay.org
years after World War II. “Flamenco really reached a high point of popularity with the American public starting in the early 1990s,” Yaelisa said. “I think it has to do with the fact that (flamenco) artists realized they had to raise their production values if they were going to bring it to concert stages around the world. “There was an era of very commercialized production in rock-style arenas that generated a lot more interest in flamenco.” Now, Yaelisa suspects, people are more interested in authenticity than pizazz. They want flamenco that’s more closely allied with its intimate, improvisatory roots. “Our show is really
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hearkening back to an era when flamenco was a little more raw. There’s going to be a lot of improvisation. We left certain things very open in rehearsal. When we get onstage, we’ll just let things happen according to the emotion of the moment. Audiences can feel that.” Yaelisa wants this production to be infused with the spirit of duende – a spontaneous feeling of rightness that happens when dancers, singers, musicians and audience join forces to create an electrifying performance synergy. “It’s an interactive art form. Duende happens when artists are completely captured by their inspiration. They’re involved in a very deep, mysterious connection to their art. It doesn’t happen all the time; not every night. But when it does, you never forget it.” CONTACT THE WRITER: 7 1 4-796-7979 or phodgins@ocregister.com
2001 New World Flamenco Festival Compañía Domingo Ortega: “Y ahora me voy con mi mare” [...And now I go with my mother]
Aug 10-11, 2001
Domingo Ortega Adrian Sanchez Jose Barrios Julian Martin Begonia Castro Cecilia Lizcamo Sonia Fernandez Jorge Rodriguez Basilio Garcia Monica Fuentefria Javier Requena
dancer dancer dancer dancer dancer dancer dancer guitar guitar violin cante/cajon
Caminos Flamencos: “Colores” Aug 14-15, 2001
Yaelisa dancer Jason McGuire “El Rubio” guitar Juan Ogalla guest dancer Monica Bermudez dancer Alicia Adame dancer Defne Enc dancer Liza Thomson dancer Manuel de la Malena singer Antonio de Jerez singer Kash Killion cello Sudhi Rajagopal cajon
Compañía Belen Maya: “Adir” [Heritage] Aug 17-18, 2001
Belen Maya Rafela Carrasco Yoland Heredia Manuel Reyes Jesus Torres Fernando de Larua Encarna Anillo Rafel de Utrera
dancer dancer dancer dancer guitar guitar singer singer
2002 New World Flamenco Festival Compañía Juana Amaya Aug 9-11, 2002
Juana Amaya dancer Jairo Barrul dancer Bartolo dancer Ana Lizarraga singer David Lagos singer Paco Fernandez guitar El Fiti guitar Chiki percussion
Caminos Flamencos:
“Desde Cádiz Pá Acá” [From Cádiz to Here]
Aug 13-14, 2002
Yaelisa dancer Juan Ogalla dancer Silverio Heredia singer Miguel Gonzalez singer Jason McGuire “El Rubio” guitar Alicia Adame dancer Juliana Drechsel dancer Defne Enc dancer Liza Thomson dancer
Compañía Andrés Marín: “Más Allá Del Tiempo” [Beyond Time]
Aug 16-18, 2002
Andrés Marín dancer Adella Campalla dancer Mercedes Ruiz dancer Pepe de Puro singer Londro singer Encarna Anillo singer Juanmi Guzmán bass Jerome Ireland viola Antonio Coronel percussion Rafael Alvarez accordion
2003 New World Flamenco Festival Distancias Aug 5, 2003
Jason McGuire “El Rubio” guitar Antonio de la Malena singer Manuel de la Malena singer Jose Manuel Blanco “El Grillo” percussion, Kai Eckhardt, bass bass Sudhi Rajagopal, cajon, tablas Yaelisa palmas Antonio el Pipa guest dancer
Jerez Puro
Aug 9-11, 2003
Festival commission, world premiere
Ana Maria Blanco Maria del Moreno Andres Peña Moron Antonio de la Malena Juan Moneo “El Torta” Manuel de la Malena Luis Moneo Lara Macarena Moneo Suarez Mateo Soleá Curro de Jerez Domingo Rubichi Malena Hijo
dancer dancer dancer singer singer singer singer singer singer guitar guitar guitar
Compañía Israel Galvan:
“Maquina Vieja” [Old Machine] Aug 13-14, 2003 U.S. premiere
Israel Galvan Pastora Galvan La Fani Alfredo Lagos Miguel Iglesias Jose Anillo David Lagos
dancer dancer dancer guitar guitar singer singer
Compañía Antonio Canales: “Bailor” [Dancer] Aug 16-18, 2003 West Coast premiere
Antonio Canales Juan de Jua Adella Campallo El Viejin Dani de Moron Joselito de Lebrija David de Moron Joselito Carrasco
Andres Pena & Pilar Ogalla “A Fuego Lento” 2007
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets
dancer dancer dancer guitar guitar singer singer percussion
2005 Familia y Tradicion [Family & Tradition] Los Farrucos Aug 5-7, 2005
West Coast premiere
Rosario Montoya ‘La Farruca’ dancer Antonio Fernandez Montoya ‘Farruco’ dancer Juan Antonio Banandez ‘Barullo’ dancer Roman Vincenti guitar El Perla guitar Jose Anillo singer Jorge Rubio ‘El Canastero’ singer Jose Valencia singer
“Y una Batita de Cola” Aug 9-10, 2005
Festival commission, world premiere
Yolanda Heredia Isabel Bayon Concha Jareno Jose Anillo Encarna Anillo Jesus Torres Juan Requena
dancer dancer dancer singer singer guitar guitar
Compañía Antonio El Pipa: “Vivencias” Aug 12-14, 2005 West Coast premiere
Antonio El Pipa Maria Jose Franco Alejandra Gutierrez Floria Perez Marta Fernandez de Cordoba Juana la del Pipa Manuel Tane Felipa del Moreno Pascual de Lorca Juan Moneo Joaquin Flores
2006 Fronteras [Frontiers] Compañía Juana Amaya:
“Moron, a tiempo y a compas” [Moron, a time and a rhythm] Aug 4-6, 2006 Festival commission, world premiere
Juana Amaya Juan del Gastor Jairo Barrull El Bola Juan Jose Amador El Galli Nazaret Reyes Sergio Martinez Rafael Rodrigez “Sin Fronteras” [Without
Aug 8-9, 2006
dancer guitar dancer guitar singer singer dancer percussion guitar
Borders]
Festival commission, world premiere
Savion Glover dancer Yaelisa dancer Jason McGuire “El Rubio” guitar Andres Pena dancer Manuel de la Malena singer Luis Moneo singer Domingo Rubichi guitar Juan Manuel Moneo guitar
dancer dancer dancer dancer dancer singer singer singer guitar guitar palmas
Isabel Bayon “Y Una Batita de Cola” 2005
Compañía Rafaela Carrasco: “Una Mirada al Flamenco” [A Look at Flamenco] Aug 11-13, 2006 U.S. premiere
Rafaela Carrasco Concha Jareno Daniel Dona Rocio Montoya Ricardo Lopez Arcadio Marin Jesus Torres Jose Luis Lopez Nacho Arimany Pablo Suarez Antonio Campos Miguel “Picuo”
dancer dancer dancer dancer dancer guitar guitar cello tablas piano singer singer
2007 La Flor de la Vida [Prime of Life] Compañía Maria José Franco: “De Grana y Oro” [Scarlet and Gold] Aug 10-12, 2007 U.S. premiere
Maria Jose Franco dancer Juan M. Moneo guitar Paco Iglesias guitar Luis Moneo singer Carmen Grilo singer Asuncion Armario dancer Patricia Aparicio dancer Oliva Cordero dancer Sophia Victoria Quarenghi violin Raul Dominguez percussion
Compañía Andrés Peña y Pilar Ogalla: “A Fuego Lento” [A Slow Fire] Aug 14-15, 2007 U.S. premiere
Andres Pena Pilar Ogalla Javier Patino Miguel Rosendo Luis Moeno David Palomar Ricard Rivera Eugenio Iglesias Alfonso Carpio
dancer dancer musical director singer singer singer guitar guitar palmas
Compañía Juan Ogalla:
“Las Cosas de Cai” [Things from Cadiz] Aug 17-19, 2007 U.S. premiere
Juan Ogalla Manuela Rios Milagros Mengibar Immaculada Rivero Moi de Moron Emilio Florido Rafeael Rodriguez Eugenio Iglesias Miguel “Picuo”
dancer dancer guest dancer singer singer singer guitar guitar singer
Savion Glover “Sin Fronteras” 2006
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2008 Somos Flamencos [We are Flamenco]
2011 Semana Flamenka
Aug 8-13, 2008
Sept 19-25, 2011
Festival commission, world premiere
Encarna Anillo singer Maria José Franco dancer Miguel Gonzalez “El Picuo” Singer Eugenio Iglesias guitar David Lagos singer Manuel Malena singer Juan Ogalla dancer David Paniagua dancer Andrés Pena dancer Miguel Pérez guitar Ricardo Rivera guitar Yaelisa dancer
Compañía Antonio El Pipa: “De Tablao” Aug 15-17, 2008
Antonio El Pipa Claudia Cruz Macarena Ramirez Beatriz Morales Begoña Arce Juana la del Pipa Morenito de Illora José de Joaquina Joaquin Flores Pascual de Lorca Javi Ibañez
[Flamenco Week]
Festival commission
Maria Bermudez Leilah Broukim Chuscales Jose Cortes Pedro Cortes Manuel de la Cruz Antonio de Jerez Ricard Marlow Jason McGuire Kina Mendez Jesus Montoya Nelida Tirado Oscar Valero Yaelisa
dancer dancer guitar singer guitar dancer singer guitar guitar singer singer dancer dancer dancer
principal dancer dancer, soloist corps de ballet corps de ballet corps de ballet singer singer singer singer guitar guitar
Encarna Anillo, Andres Pena, Manuel Malena, David Lagos “Somos Flamencos” 2008
Juan Ogalla and Yaelisa Encarna Anillo, Maria Jose Franco [seated] “Somos Flamencos” 2008
Yaelisa & Juan Ogalla “Somos Flamencos” 2008
Semana Flamenka • September 19-25, 2011 • >>Click Here to Buy Tickets