'Pure flamenco'

Spoleto 2010 News, stories and reviews

Don't expect anything avant-garde, freakish or re-interpreted in the Spanish flamenco dance performance by Soledad Barrio and Noche Flamenca in the coming three nights at the College of Charleston Cistern Yard.

Instead, audiences will be treated to some of the best traditional, passionate flamenco in the world.

"People don't have too many chances to see a pure flamenco company as we are," said Carlos Perez Vega, the company manager who filled in Wednesday for an interview originally scheduled with Noche Flamenca founder Martin Santangelo. "We take flamenco as raw, pure flamenco."

Vega, a self-described "life-long flamenco aficionado," has worked with Santangelo and his wife and Noche Flamenca's star dancer, Soledad Barrio, since the company was founded in 1993.

The family-like company is united in its approach to flamenco, which is key to saving the art form known for its elements of singing, guitar playing and dancing, the latter of which is characterized by audible footwork.

"The dance is still pretty much alive, but what's happening today is that there are a lot of large companies that turn to more of a balletic form, not ballet as in classical ballet, but as in a ballet form with a large group of dancers with one main male and female dancer. ... That's a less traditional way to present it."

Vega added that some flamenco dancers have started to experiment and fuse other elements of dance into the tradition.

"That's not a bad thing, but to preserve flamenco for the future, there's got to be artists like us, artists who want to do pure flamenco."

While the relatively small company is packed with musical and dance talent, Vega didn't hesitate to say that Madrid-born Barrio, who recently received a Bessie Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement, is "the company."

"No matter what happens the day before (a performance), when she goes on stage, she's powerful, spiritual and emotional. She dances from the inside every day. It's very hard to bring that to the stage every night."

Among the performances slated for the next three nights is a solo by Barrio titled "Solea" (loneliness) or "Siguiriya" (sadness for something lost) that Vega described as being very serious.

It will contrast with the upbeat, happy "Esta Noche no es Mi Dia," a piece choreographed by Santangelo in memory of the late Antonio Vizarraga, a founding member of the company who died from cancer three years ago.

"Antonio was a wonderful singer, a true gypsy. He was a very special person (and) a happy guy," said Vega, adding that Vizarraga was known among company members as the "uncle."

Another cheerful piece, as evident in its title "Alegrias," is performed by Francisco Jose, aka "El Torombo" (a nickname he got as a child for constantly moving), who is in his first year with Noche Flamenca. Vega said the Alegrias is characterized by the speed at which El Torombo dances.

One notable dance to be performed but which is not featured in the Spoleto Festival USA program is "Farruco" by Juan Fernandez.

"Farruco is very risky," said Vega, "because the music and the dance are very tight, very precise, and you can fail and not look good."

Vega is confident enough with his family to make this bold prediction.

"In the audience, I guarantee you that 30 percent of the people watching will cry. That's how powerful it is. And then at the end, they will feel tremendous relief."