Esencia Flamenca – The Essence of Life

PREMIERE DANCE THEATRE

November 16–18, 2006 at 8pm, November 19, 2006 at 3pm

CREDITS

Artistic Director

Esmeralda Enrique

Musical Director

Nicolás Hernández

Guest Musician

José Valle Fajardo “Chuscales”

Guest Dancer

Ramón Martínez

Guest Singer

Francisco Javier Orozco “Yiyi”

Dancers

Paloma Cortés, Ángela del Sol, Esmeralda Enrique,

Ilse Gudiño, Renata Palmo, Margarita Rigó

Musicians

Nicolás Hernández, Francisco Javier Orozco “Yiyi”

Vasyl Popadiuk, José Valle Fajardo “Chuscales”

Company Production Staff

Technical Director & Lighting Designer - Sharon DiGenova

Sound Technician - David Van Nie

Costuming - Mary Janeiro, Jane Townsend

Publicity - Jennifer Watkins, Open Arts

Graphic Design - Eric Parker

PROGRAMME NOTES

Esencia Flamenca – The Essence of Life

The essence of Flamenco lies deep in its distinctive sounds and rhythms. It survives in the Andalucian imagination and sustains the heart and core of the art: the collaboration of singer, guitarist and dancer. Esencia Flamenca is a search for the “essence of flamenco” but it also pays homage to a time and movement that is integral to Spanish history. The end of romanticism in the 19th century and the support of a nationalist doctrine gave rise to a rejuvenation of the Andalusian musical idiom. We hear this echoed by our beloved Spanish classical composers such as pianist Isaac Albéniz who found his accents thinking of Andalucía.

Leyenda

Albéniz's Leyenda is one of those pieces of music that has been given a second life. How often would we hear the piece had it not been adopted by guitarists? The arranging process is not only one of placing the notes of one instrument on another; it is also the process of composing with predetermined materials, of recomposing, as though the original had been written guitar in hand. If Albéniz sat down today with a guitar in his hands, and the Alhambra in his mind, what would he play?

Paloma Cortés, Angela Del Sol, Ilse Gudiño, Renata Palmo, Margarita Rigó

Entre Dos Almas (Soleá)

The communication between two souls reveals harmony in their depth of feeling.

Esmeralda Enrique and Ramón Martínez

Recuerdos

Features our extraordinary musical ensemble.

Nicolás Hernández, Francisco Orozco "Yiyi", José Valle Fajardo "Chuscales"

Canto (Alegrías)

Albéniz practically defined Spanish romanticism in his music and his life, as in this song, was full of optimism, grace and individuality.

Paloma Cortés, Ángela Del Sol, Ilse Gudiño

INTERMISSION

Albaicín (Seguiriya)

El Albaicín, named after the famous Gypsy quarter of Granada, is one of the most remarkable of Albéniz’s ‘impressions’. “I made a point to look at it face to face and I took away its spirit”

Paloma Cortés, Ángela Del Sol, Ilse Gudiño, Renata Palmo, Margarita Rigó

A Mi Aire

José Valle Fajardo "Chuscales"

Inquietudes (Tientos)

What I feel reveals itself in the dance.

If flamenco reveals itself to you, will you accept it?

Esmeralda Enrique

Esencia (Jaleos)

The essence of flamenco. The essence of life.

Full Company

Entre Dos Almas and Esencia are choreographed by Ramón Martínez.

All other choreography is by Esmeralda Enrique.