{"id":248,"date":"2016-03-23T20:01:17","date_gmt":"2016-03-23T20:01:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/?p=248"},"modified":"2022-05-22T10:43:51","modified_gmt":"2022-05-22T10:43:51","slug":"feeling-the-fire-of-flamencos-in-cape-town","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/feeling-the-fire-of-flamencos-in-cape-town\/","title":{"rendered":"Feeling the Fire of Flamencos in Cape Town"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rob Baum<\/strong>[1]<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

\"1028302205\"<\/p>\n

Pe\u00f1a Flamenca<\/em>. Choreographed by Eliezer Truco and Carolyn Holden. Presented by La Rosa at The Masque Theatre, Muizenberg (environs of Cape Town, South Africa), 23 August to 1 September 2012.<\/p>\n

Shadowy shapes, frozen in dance in a darkened nightclub. The tableau resolves into men and women, who silently move to the edges of the stage and take up seats in straight-backed wooden chairs. They sit onstage in the conventions of a Spanish cuardo<\/em>, the mis-en-scene<\/em> of a tablao<\/em> or flamenco nightclub, where chairs flank the three \u201cwalls\u201d of the stage and the fourth wall remains open to view. Musicians line the back wall; dancers sit stage left and right, attentively facing centre stage. Like the audience, they are waiting for something to happen. They do not have to wait long: the music is so compelling that a lone woman arises and begins to dance, a sinuous movement. When her dance is concluded, another dancer arises. Women and men perform solos, a man and woman dance together; three women challenge each other on the floor. All are supported by jalos<\/em>, shouts of encouragement from the dancers watching, as well as an occasional Ol<\/em>\u00e9!<\/em> from an aficianado <\/em>in the audience.<\/p>\n

\"Soloist
Soloist Luvuyo Simandla in \u201cSoloea por Buleria\u201d \u00a9 Pat Bromilow-Downing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pe\u00f1a Flamenca<\/em> is the latest production of La Rosa, South Africa’s premier professional Spanish dance and theatre company. The production was mounted at the historic Masque Theatre, an intimate amphitheatre in Muizenberg. La Rosa, formerly La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre Company, formed in 1999 under the artistic directorship of Carolyn Holden. The Cape Town-based dance company performs in Cape Town and surrounds and across South Africa, and many of the dancers have traveled for instruction to Spain, as well as studied under the professional flamencos<\/em> Holden has brought to Cape Town for teaching and choreography.<\/p>\n

This choreography was conceived by the famous Spanish flamenca Eliezer Truco (La Truco<\/em>) and South African flamenca Carolyn Holden. The production included two new pieces which are considered features of the show. A Fandangos de Huelva<\/em> opened the show, and the choreography for this and the solos in the Buler\u00eda<\/em> finale were facilitated by Holden. La Truco traveled from Spain to Cape Town, where she set the choreography on the La Rosa troupe.
\n\"1038742134\"<\/p>\n

\"Bianca
Bianca Fernandes, Lathiwe Kula, Pabalo Nhlapo and Demi Johnson in \u201cFandangos\u201d \u00a9 Pat Bromilow-Downing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cast was rotated from show to show and included the local dancers Ch\u00e9 Adams, Maria Cortes, Deidr\u00e9 Jantjies, Thandolwethu Sam, Luvuyo Simandla, Ndumiso Tafeni, and Lisa Ventura, all of whom were given opportunities to create short solos for themselves. This challenged the dancers to make their own relationships with the music and the musicians.<\/p>\n

Live music was created for and improvised in performance by Bienyameen Camroodien on flamenco guitar, Robert Davids on caj\u00f3n and percussion<\/em>, Robert Jeffrey on guitar and cello, and Heather Roth on flute and saxophone. Lore\u00e1n Swartz provided the vocals, sometimes accompanied by members of La Rosa’s current vocational training program. The choice of the musicians is an interesting one: Roth\u2019s flute provides a beautiful and at times haunting addition to the music, while Swartz is a largely self-taught cantaore<\/em>\u2014 to my knowledge the only<\/em> flamenco singer in South Africa.<\/p>\n

\"Lisa
Lisa WIlliams and Ndumiso Tafeni in \u201cTarantos\u201d\u2014a very hot duet.
\u00a9 Pat Bromilow-Downing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This show generates from the conceit of the Spanish pe\u00f1a<\/em>, a private gathering for flamencos and flamencologists; thus the atmosphere, staging and above all excitement of a pe\u00f1a <\/em>produce effects of intimacy, spontaneity and virtuosity. If a pe\u00f1a flamenca<\/em> is a regular, informal social activity for locals within a Spanish dance community, where participants can practice and spontaneously perform, then it is also a sought-after experience for flamenco aficianados <\/em>traveling to Spain. The pe\u00f1a<\/em> provides a sterling opportunity to witness flamenco puro<\/em>\u2014the real deal or authentic voice of flamenco\u2014without the stereotypical trappings of red and black polka-dotted dresses, hats with tiny pompoms, or steps and accessories derived from other dance forms (such as folklorico<\/em>) or developed expressly for the tourist trade. Dancing and singing in a tablao<\/em> (a performance space with a conventional stage) may be excellent but is likely slanted towards the guiri <\/em>(tourist), while a performance in a pe\u00f1a <\/em>calls out the true flamenco dancers and singers to perform for their colleagues.<\/p>\n

Mediation of this performance thus generates an additional layer through which to watch and enjoy the narrative: in the pe\u00f1a<\/em> context dancers move for each other, ostensibly in an unrehearsed, fully improvised and quite spontaneous display of virtuosity. In such a setting they are propelled onto the floor not by a lineup but by duende\u2014<\/em>the internal spirit of the dance made manifest in the moment of its realization. Of course the audience at Pe\u00f1a Flamenca <\/em>is aware that the dancers are following a carefully choreographed, highly technical program, in which music, steps and story have been thoroughly considered. In an actual pe\u00f1a<\/em>, generally held by invitation, it is possible that no dancer would feel the duende <\/em>and thus the \u2018audience\u2019 would see no dancing at all. La Rosa\u2019s loyal following might accept such a convention, but the funding bodies supporting the performance would not.<\/p>\n

\"Ch\u00e9
Ch\u00e9 Adams in flowing tail skirt in \u201cAlegria\u201d \u00a9 Pat Bromilow-Downing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Consistent with recognition of audience expectations, there were a few regional and \u2018Spanish dance\u2019 accents, primarily in the finale<\/em>. Castanets, not a staple of flamenco<\/em>, were brought out; a dance with a traditional tail skirt, like a peacock\u2019s heavy drape, swept the floor; a fan dance was performed with two large fans.<\/p>\n

Flamenco is generally believed to have come from the working classes in Andalusia, and to have been musically influenced by Gypsy life and musical culture. It is often confused with regional Spanish dance. In folklorico<\/em>, for instance, castanets <\/em>are used as a rhythmic instrument played by the dancers (akin to finger cymbals in kathakali<\/em>); flamenco relies on palmas<\/em> (rhythmic hand-clapping) to beat the compas<\/em> of each dance. During the Caf\u00e9 Cantantes<\/em> era, a mid-19th<\/sup> century phenomenon in which caf\u00e9s and caf\u00e9 entertainment flourished, flamenco was performed by lower or working class artists for upper class Spaniards. Subsequently it was elevated to the status of a performing art.<\/p>\n

Only after this period did flamenco formalize into a dance system, or codified form, taught in schools alongside accepted Spanish dance forms. Transmission appears to have been inter-familial; hence the rise of Gypsy family dynasties and the confusion of flamenco with \u2018Gypsy dance.\u2019 This is also responsible for some of the mystique and remoteness surrounding flamenco. The pe\u00f1a <\/em>is considered the site for inspiration, where technical mastery, personal artistry and the improvisational moment of duende<\/em> meet. Without duende <\/em>flamenco does exist, but lacks the \u2018fire\u2019 associated with flamenco performance, mythically linked to Gitano <\/em>(Gypsy) roots.<\/p>\n

I have seen the growth of this company in performance, especially after the residential tuition of Spanish flamencos <\/em>and company members\u2019 study visits to Spain. La Rosa runs a fully-fledged training program, as well as a dance company almost continuously rehearsing and\/or performing. The female dancers have tended to dominate in technical proficiency, or so it seemed during the performances I attended the past three years. This is changing, as each of the three men of the company makes evident technical gains. The men (Sam, Simandla, and Tafeni) were always enjoyable to watch but now have come into their own.<\/p>\n

In this form a certain amount of confidence is necessary, whether real or projected. I would venture that the confidence is quite real, as the men are all becoming proudly flamenco. In partnership with other dancers, whether dancing as a male trio (as in previous productions) or with a woman in duet (as in this one), their confidence adds sizzle to the stage.<\/p>\n

\"The
The entire cast of Pe\u00f1a in \u201cBuleira\u201d \u00a9 Pat Bromilow-Downing<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perhaps the company\u2019s tour to Grahamstown, for the National Arts Festival (in June 2012) matured their work. On the night I attended I had to wait most of the night to see the dancing of my particular favourite, who had been jumping out of his skin with anticipation. He at last arose from his chair and began a solo that began slowly and then caught fire. The duende<\/em> was palpable.<\/p>\n

La Rosa is an integrated company, with people descended from Cape Malay \u2018Coloured,\u2019 Black Africans, Indians and white Europeans (including Semitic Sephardim classified as White). Although Apartheid was delegalised and Nelson (Madiba) Mandela was released from Robben Island in the early 1990s, racial categories remain part of the cultural language and political landscape. All three of the male dancers are of Xhosa heritage, which imparts an isi-Xhosa flavour to the jalos<\/em> and possibly to their dancing. La Rosa\u2019s language of tuition is English, and Spanish is taught as part of a three-year training program; the course is now in process of being nationally accredited.<\/p>\n

The night\u2019s pe\u00f1a <\/em>was a means of further educating the audience about the de-mythologizing of flamenco. By departing from its Spanish dance associations, and delving into fusion and hybrid forms, La Rosa has joined ranks with flamenco nuevo<\/em> artists in Spain\u2014artists who choose to create new possibilities and challenges for flamencos and their audiences. Pe\u00f1a Flamenca<\/em> raised the company\u2019s bar not only in terms of artistic achievement but also in its ability to theorize performance and generate a more informed audience.<\/p>\n

The production was made possible by the National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund. LA Rosa is also supported by the National Arts Council, Nussbaum Foundation, Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports, City of Cape Town, Debbie Goodman Foundation (Jack Hammer), Lorenzo and Stella Chiappini Charitable Trust, Business and Arts South Africa and The Foschini Group.<\/p>\n

\n

\"1028302205\"
\n<\/a>[1] Rob Baum<\/strong> is Professor and Director of Creative Arts at University of Zululand. Her research interests range from African dance ethnology and spirituality to dramatic and performance theory. She is a dance\/movement therapist, poet and performer.<\/p>\n

Copyright \u00a9<\/strong> 2013 Rob Baum
\nCritical Stages\/Sc\u00e8nes critiques<\/em> e-ISSN: 2409-7411<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This work is licensed under the
\nCreative Commons Attribution International License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rob Baum[1] Pe\u00f1a Flamenca. Choreographed by Eliezer Truco and Carolyn Holden. Presented by La Rosa at The Masque Theatre, Muizenberg (environs of Cape Town, South Africa), 23 August to 1 September 2012. Shadowy shapes, frozen in dance in a darkened<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":255,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-performance-reviews","","tg-column-two"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2016\/03\/1028302205.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7ojFg-40","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=248"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":715,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/248\/revisions\/715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=248"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=248"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.critical-stages.org\/8\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=248"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}