Lo Reel / Le Reel / The Real at Festival Theatre

Israel Galván was born into flamenco and has gone on to extendthe fl amenco form with his innovative choreography and breathtaking dancing technique. One critic wrote, ‘Israel Galván doesn’t dance flamenco, he reinvents it’.
In his latest and perhaps most poignant creation, he draws together an extraordinary group of singers, instrumentalists and dancers to tell of the plight of the Roma and the Sinti peoples in fascist Spain during the 1930s and 40s. They convey the pain and the suffering – but also the pride, free spirit and love of life – of a people that remains persecuted to this day.
In his quest to examine his beloved traditional form in radically untraditional ways, Galván has provoked controversy and debate. However, all agree that his passion, virtuosity and integrity have made him one of the most fascinating artists in contemporary Spanish dance.