Dance: Mercedes Ruiz and Ana Agraz. Corps de ballet: Beatriz Santiago, Aurora Caraballo and Vanesa Reyes. Voice: David Lagos. Guitar: Santiago Lara and Paco León. Keyboard: José Amosa. Percussion: Perico Navarro and Rafa Fontaiña. Off-stage voice: Manolo Sanlúcar. Teatro Central. September 17th, 2018. Full house
Sara Arguijo
On the thirtieth anniversary of Tauromagia, one of the most important works of flamenco guitar, and in the presence of its author, Manolo Sanlúcar, who was in the audience, dancer Mercedes Ruiz presented the first associated choreographic project at the Bienal de Sevilla.
Thus delving into the universal emotional catalogue of Jerez, along with Ana Agraz in the part of the antagonist, and three female dancers, they put visual images to compositions that after thirty years continue to resonate with absolute freshness for flamenco-lovers.
In this sense, Ruiz placed her bets on Spanish and flamenco dance to create period pieces that sought, above all, a certain precious quality making use of classic accessories – shawl, castanets, fans, bata de cola – to establish an allegory between the world of bullfighting and life itself. In this sense, choreographically, there were some especially interesting pieces such as the granaína “Oración”, the slowly savored siguiriya and the duets interpreted with Agraz such as “Tercio de Vara (minera bulería) and “De Muleta” in which both women, through dance, show the extremes that live within each of us, and the need to reconcile them.
In the shadows, the genius of the exquisite sensitive guitar of Santiago Lara who was the actual motor that smoothed the way of this work. Lara, bravely and intelligently was able to again bring forth from his strings those chords that form part of the history of the music. The bulerías “Maestranza” and the alegrías “Puerta del Príncipe” that people were still humming on the way out and in which, if we must criticize something, choral work was missing. In any case, perfect execution and an admirable job for a complex work in which the clean warm voice of David Lagos, who scored a 10, continually put just the right degree of intent and drama.
Photos: Oscar Romero / La Bienal
