Review: DE PASO at GALA Hispanic Theatre

"Heaven and earth" had to be moved in order to bring in an acclaimed dance company from Madrid to cap Fuego Flamenco XVII, the 17th annual Flamenco Festival at the GALA Hispanic Theatre, the theater's executive director Rebecca Medrano announced at its opening.

Ambassadors and other officials had to be enlisted to work on the international visit during the pandemic, she said. Part of the process is that importing the dance and music troupe had to be declared in the interest of the United States.

There is certainly a case to be made for that in the performance of the exuberant "De Paso" that opened Friday at GALA.

Presented in collaboration with Madrid's Fundación Conservatorio Flamenco Casa Patas, the six-part performance showcased the dazzling work of Sara Pérez, choreographer, director and chief dancer with Rubén Puertas performing a distinctly contemporary interpretation of the classic dance, in front a pair of world class Flamenco guitarists, Alejandro González and Jaime González, who also provided original music and musical direction.

A pair of strong, evocative singers, Cristina Solder and Ana Polanco, set the often emotional tone and provided the only hand-derived percussion through their rhythmic clapping.

But the percussion was thunderous of course from the heels of Pérez and Pueras, in duos and in solos throughout the well-modulated piece. "De Paso" is described as "the road we take on our journey through life, the points of encounter where different temperaments, feelings and rhythms intertwine."

And while the narrative is not as clear cut as that of the autobiographical "Salvador," revived last weekend by Edwin Aparicio's dance company to open the Flamenco Festival, its passions and triumphs are universal enough to take on any kind of story of overcoming life's adversity.

Previously awarded second prize at the XXVI Certain de Coreografia de Danza Española y Baile Flamenco de Madrid, "De Paso" begins unexpectedly, not with the jackhammer stomps one may associate with Flamenco, but literally with whispers and the ominious ticking of a clock. The quiet scrape of the heels along the floor in semicircles, and the sometimes inaudible steps in the contemporary choreography leads to the dynamic, more explosive patterns with which we are accustomed.

The opening duet is striking in their doubling of movements, and ultimately how Pérez sheds her long black jacket to reveal a sleeker flowered bodice beneath. At its end, she picks up a large floral fabric and whips it around in patterns rather like a the capa de brega used by matadors in that other cherished Spanish tradition, the bullfight. Certainly Pérez squares her shoulders as majestically as a matador would. It's no wonder her flourishes elicited some calls of "Olé!" from the thrilled audience.

While a lot of the lighting (by Hailey Laroe) come from the side, her solo ends with the skyward flourishes with the cape lit from the top and finally from behind, where her shadow is cast dramatically on the fabric.

A showcase of the two guitarists provides for a bit of intersession as dancers can change their costumes. And there, too, the musicians are nuanced and understated as they are playing faster in a flurry of evocative notes.

A second duet of more traditional fandango (in red polka dotted dress) brings the thunder, making way for the unleashing of Puertas in his aggressive and inventive solo.

The concluding duet seems muted in its understatement, but the audience's ovations brought the company out together so that both accomplished singers could solo as well as provide their own dance moves before the others got involved in their spontaneous moves.

Running time: About 75 minutes, no intermission.

Photo credit: Ruben Puertas and Sara Pérez in "De Paso." Photo by Alberto Romo.

"De Paso" by the Sara Pérez Dance Company will be performed at the GALA Hispanic Theatre, 3333 14th St NW, Saturday Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. and Sunday Nov. 14 at 2 p.m. Masks and proof of vaccination or recent negative COVID test required. Tickets available from 202-234-7174 or online.

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