Thirteenth Festival Flamenco Caja Madrid. 2005. Salmonete, Rancapino, El Guito

Presentation of the “Calle de Alcalá”
prize

Part 1:
“El sentir más jondo”
SALMONETE DE JEREZ – ALBERTO SAN MIGUEL
RANCAPINO – FERNANDO MORENO

Part 2:
Presentation of the “Calle de Alcalá” prize for
2005 to dancer and choreographer MARIO MAYA and presentation of
the festival’s Honorary Prize to Maestro and living legend
of dance PILAR LÓPEZ
Master of ceremonies: José María Velázquez-Gaztelu

“Mis recuerdos”
A PILAR LÓPEZ, institution of Spanish Dance
“EL GÜITO” Flamenco company

Text: Sonia Martínez Pariente

For this thirteenth edition of the Caja de Madrid festival,
two people were honored with the “Calle de Álcala”
prize: Pilar López, the teacher of Spanish dance maestros
such as Antonio Gades, El Güito and Mario Maya, among her most
noteworthy students.

Doña Pilar received the honorary prize directly from Mario
and Güito, her “boys” as she called them. “I
want these two with me to participate in this prize…and another
who’s hovering close by among us, someone who is gone and
is very close to my heart, Antonio Gades” said Pilar López
in her emotional acceptance speech. Then Mario Maya received his
award and offered some reflections about what it takes to be a flamenco
dancer.

Then the program got under way with singer Salmonete de Jerez.
The cantaor exhibited a powerful voice and a desire to give his
all. This is a traditional singer whose strong suits are fandangos,
soleá and bulerías.

Rancapino made the most of his well-weathered voice. Now and again
Fernando Moreno at the guitar would momentarily stop playing in
order to give full reign to the singer’s inspiration. It must
be noted that one misses a bit more variety in Rancapino’s
repertoire.

Dancer
el Güito closed out the evening with fragments from his show
dedicated to Pilar López. Once again he danced his classic
pieces such as farruca and soleá where he demonstrated that
he is a reference for flamenco dancing impregnated with the wisdom
that only years of experience can bring. The corps de ballet was
up to the task as well – martinete and alegrías for
the men, while the women danced taranto and tangos. The bulerías
fiesta ending marked the end of the show and received the audience’s
heartfelt ovation.

Photos: Rafael Manjavacas

Rancapino