Flamenco Dance Sevilla- Closing Ceremony of Spanish Cultural Year April 11, 2008
Beijing, Beijing
Time: 2008/4/11-2008/4/12
Venue: The National Centre for the Performing Arts-Opera House
Price: 180/280/380/480/580/680
MSN: ponypiaoen@hotmail.com
Tel: 86-10-64177845
Booking now:
http://www.piao.com.cn/en%5Fpiao/ticket_1639.html
For other tickets:
http://www.piao.com.cn/en%5Fpiao/allticket.asp
Led by María Pagés
About María Pagés and her Sevilla
"María Pagés: the dancer with endless arms"
María Pagés, 44, is one of Spain's leading flamenco dancers, famous for her long, expressive arms and her warm, charismatic stage presence.
Shebegan her career dancing with Antonio Gades and founded her own companyin 1990, but has continued to collaborate with other artists fromvarious genres - notably as the 'Spanish Dancer' in Riverdance.
Pagés'choreography is deeply rooted in the flamenco tradition but takes onsubtle influences from other forms, from contemporary dance to musicaltheatre.
Theycall her "the dancer with endless arms" but it is not simply the grandcurves of her long arms that are unique, it's the whole movement of herupper body - the tilting spine drawing broad circles, each vertebrapeeling away from its neighbour; the shoulders lifting, rolling orthrown back defiantly and the energy radiating from her solar plexus.With the expansive sweep of her body she welcomes the audience in.
Itis a performance of contrasts. Sometimes Pagés' arms swim heavily as ifpushing back the tide, but then suddenly her body will flash sharplybetween poses, as if someone has edited out the frames in between.
Inone scene she is lightheartedly sparring with her band, whereasanother, a stark quintet accompanied by four male dancers, feels like adance of grief as Pagés' heels pummel the floor, imploringly pouringout beats in an exorcism of emotion.
Butwhat really gives the show momentum is the strong ensemblechoreography. Pagés harnesses the power of 16 dancers, and togetherthey are machine-smooth, weaving across the stage in tightly designedbut seemingly organic formations. She composes their movement with realrhythmic clarity, building up to a pounding polyphony of footfalls. Andevery time the urgent rhythms push against the beat, your heart leapsto join them.
Pagéspaces the show with changing textures, mixing different styles of music(live and recorded, from Shostakovich to Pablo de Sarasate) withmoments of theatrical flourish including an interlude for a set ofdancing feet illuminated only by UV light.
Puristsmay balk, but Pages' mix of artistry with a dash of entertainment iscompelling, immensely enjoyable and brilliantly danced.
Remarks: Tickets for Flamenco Dance - Closing Ceremony of Spanish Cultural Year are available now!
Official Website: http://www.piao.com.cn/en%5Fpiao/ticket_1639.html
Added by One Night in Beijing on March 10, 2008
Comments
flamencofans
The greatest performance I have ever seen for years.
Maria's solo was fantastic.
The dancers were real artists. They emitted such passion and beauty that touched deeply into my hearts.
The singers and the band brought the sound from heaven. I was in tears that I could not help it.
The only low point was the episode of the glittering shoes in the complete dark. Without the beauty from the upper body, flamenco falls at the same level of Scotish dance showing the techniques of the foottaps only.
But anyway it was a great show!