Sara Arguijo
In the interesting talk she gave on Sunday within the parallel activities of Flamenco on Fire, Austrian journalist Susanne Zellinger explained that one of the great contributions of contemporary flamenco is the incorporation of humor. Not just because it allows us to laugh, because there’s always a certain intentionality, the aim to question or dispel taboos from the dimension made possible by laughing.
Something else, among many things, is the liberation of the body, which, in the avant-garde works goes from being a mannequin to being the epicenter upon which the discourse is constructed through which the dancer organically channels his or her emotions. Without aesthetic restrictions and breaking with the tyranny of beauty.
Precisely the two resources focused on by the shows of Israel Galván and Rocío Molina for the closing of the Navarre festival, both illustrating in barely a couple of hours what Pina Bausch used to say, that today’s life can’t be danced in the traditional manner and that in this sense it makes no difference how a human being moves, but that which is moving.
Which is why, in this complex rich conceptual universe, we have in Pamplona again felt the euphoria of an audience that was immensely grateful for the brave exercise of emotional nakedness of Molina’s in her brilliant Caída del Cielo, and the tremendous enthusiasm felt this Sunday at the Baluarte Auditorium upon facing the folly, the irony and the intelligence of Fla.co.men, an incubating work in which the superb cast continues to enrich themselves and surprise us even more with each performance.
In other words, without arrogance or condescension, what these two dance virtuosos made clear is that flamenco can be looked upon with many eyes. Those of an empowered woman who finds the strength to face her dreams and challenges, and overcome bitterness. And those of a man who finds the most direct way of taking us to his area and making us change our perspective of the genre and about our own prejudices. And then, let each one interpret whatever they want, if that’s what they need. We leave this place loving this art form we love so well a little more if possible. As well as toasting for this crazy flamenco thing to the techno rhythm of Chimo Bayo that Galván reminded us of. “Hee-ha”. Which is the same thing as “ole”.
Photos & video: @Manjavacas.flamenco
