Interview with Rocio Molina. Flamenco dancer

Rocío Molina is on the way up in flamenco dance.  In the fifth edition of the Deflamenco prizes, she was voted best dancer of 2007.  She is noted for her personal style, as displayed in numerous presentations with other artists, and despite her youth, she has presented several shows of her own.  She is currently participating in “Mujeres” along with Merche Esmeralda and Belén Maya, and recently debuted her latest work, “Almario”.  Every time she gets up on stage, this girl from Málaga shows exceptional talent and sensitivity. Her dancing is a banquet of movement, a breath of fresh air to open new paths for women’s flamenco dance.  

Rocio Molina in Ronda (Málaga en Flamenco)

Rocío, you were awarded the Deflamenco.com prize for best dancer.  Does that make you feel audiences value what you do?
I honestly didn’t expect it at all, but yes, I feel they appreciate the work I’m doing, little by little, and the commitment I have to dance, so it’s rewarding to feel this support to confirm that….well…at least I’m not on the wrong track.

2007 was a very fruitful year for you, because you participated in a number of shows, you debuted a work of your own and received recognition for what you do.
Yes, it was a very fruitful year, very good, but also one of the hardest I’ve had so far, but the nice thing is to feel rewarded, and people see what you do and support it, the fact is, I’m really very pleased.

“I feel people appreciate the commitment I have to dance”

You’re currently participating in the show “Mujeres” with Belén Maya and Merche Esmeralda.  Why do you think this show is having so much success?
The camaraderie between the three of us, from different generations, which is always hard to achieve, is so important.  I’m the baby, and the other two, both on and off-stage, it’s wonderful, not only seeing them dance, but the friendship and mutual respect, despite the age difference.

Putting three women together in flamenco isn’t easy…
Just imagine…three different ages, three backgrounds, three thinking women…  It could have been rough going, but quite the contrary, for me it’s been one of the most wonderful experiences I’ve had in the way of artistic collaboration.

 
You’ve just been to the Flamenco Festival USA.  How were you received throughout the US?
It ‘s been a surprise, we’ve been well-received everywhere.  In Jerez they just gave us the prize for best show of the recent festival, the critiques were wonderful and we’ve been taken aback by the public’s reaction, and especially by the reviews.

You’ve presented several shows of your own.  What was the concept behind each one of them, such as “Entre Paredes” or “Eterno Retorno”?
Above all else, an expression of freedom, when people go to the theater, they should be ready for anything, because each moment I have something different to say.  I don’t want to fall into the trap of trying to please the critics or anyone else, I do what I do because it’s what I really want, and I’m true to myself, that’s how I see it: freedom and expression, educating audiences to understand that when they go to see me, there might be something they don’t like…I like to surprise, not as a contrivance, but unconsciously.  I always have something to say, and I get it across.

What is noteworthy in your recent creation “Almario”, what stands out?
Aside from being a very difficult show, now is when we’re breaking it in, and it’s what we’re taking on tour.  It’s a show I like because the premise is simple, it’s like a recital.  It also has an undercurrent of freedom, and I like the simplicity of the staging, and the freedom of movement.

Would you like to have your own company one day?
If you mean “company” in the current sense, right now I don’t see it, I’ve debuted five shows, and am preparing the sixth, and you could call what I have a “company”, but I’ve been five years with the same people.  Right now, there are financial and political considerations that keep me from maintaining a larger company.  It’s not for me now, I need to do different things, work with a variety of people.  With time, when I become more established, I’d like to have a group of dancers with me, it would be great.  Right now, I’m fine as I am.

Although you’re managing to bring your work to the stage, what do you think about the situation for young people in flamenco who have projects to offer?
I honestly don’t know. There are a lot of good people, with good ideas, many projects.  The difficult thing is to stand out from the crowd, with so much technique and preparation.  I suppose you have to offer something different that makes people take notice.

“My dancing is free… I’m true to myself”

As far as getting support, do you feel you have it?
In the region of Madrid it’s more difficult, more limited, in Andalucía there’s more support.  This is always a difficult topic, because that’s sort of the dark side of the artist. Support is available, although it’s very hard, the budget and all.  I’m not too involved in that, but there are people who do it for you, but it’s not easy. You can’t just be an artist, you have to be a fighter.

Is there any precedent in your family for what you do?
No, no one in my family, my mother danced classic ballet in the opera Griselda, but nothing else.  Like I always say, someone has to be the first.

And what artists have you drawn from?
I’ve always been very changeable.  I’ve liked everything at one time or another, and I’ve learned from everything, I’ve liked a lot of people.  Right now, the person who gives me energy, and I haven’t seen much of him although I would have loved to see him live, is Antonio Ruiz Soler, the great Antonio, it gives me energy to think of him, I read about him and look at his pictures.  Dance gives me energy, and that’s what I feed on and I’m always discovering things.

Your style is very flamenco, but it’s also a mixture of other movements and styles.  How would you define it?
I don’t know, it’s free-style. I consider it flamenco, because that what I’ve worked on in Málaga, at peñas, cante festivals.. I move in such a way, its possible some people might find it strange.  I really like to experiment, learn from other types of dance, pick up other techniques.  I love anything that is art and knowledge.  I love to study, and then everything finds its outlet in flamenco, it has to come out somewhere.