By Victoria Looseleaf
Our readers know that we absolutely love flamenco. What’s not to love, with its Gypsy roots, sultry moves, soulful singing and fabulous music, especially the guitar stuff. (OK, the clothes can be pretty cool, too, as seen in the above photo of the late José Greco.) We have certainly covered many a flamenco performance, from the sensational and the so-so, to the occasionally awful. Indeed, after covering a recent Israel Galván performance in Montpellier, France, we also had the pleasure and honor of interviewing the so-called “Nijinsky of flamenco” at a late-night party, with the aid of not one, but two translators. (Click here for our Dance Magazine review of the Montpellier festival; click here for more on Galván for the LA Times.)
Then there was our first visit to Cuba in 2006, when Farruquito and family were performing. They were also staying at our hotel, El Presidente, where Farruquito would tickle the ivories during late night jam sessions. How great is that! Too bad, though, that the Mediterranean sensation discovered that upon his return to Spain he’d have to begin serving a jail sentence for having committed a hit-and-run killing several years earlier. Ouch! Happily, though, Los Farruco, the group, made a 2009 appearance at Royce Hall, sans the heartthrob, however, who was credited with conceiving and directing the show but was not seen in any of his terpsichorean glory. (Click here to read our review of that evening.)
Our point is this: We’re no flamenco newbies! That said, we’ve also been writing about the New World Flamenco Festival in Irvine for years, including having penned a preview article on the festival in 2003. (Click here for that piece, in which our reporter only had an email correspondence with Galván; click here for our 2008 LAT review; click here for our 2007 coverage.)
It goes without saying, then, that we were looking forward to the 9th edition of the festival, dubbed Semana Flamenka. (We always leave early for Irvine so as to avoid two-hour traffic jams, generally catching a film beforehand. On this occasion we opted to see The Help, a flick we believe is highly overrated and perfunctorily directed by Tate Taylor, who also wrote the screenplay from the Kathryn Stockett bestseller), though it does feature several fine performances, notably those by Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer. Hello, Oscar noms!)
But we digress. The festival, co-founded and directed by Yaelisa (she’s based in San Francisco but has flamenco running through her veins, see photo below), is an asset to our town, and we’re ecstatic to see the festival continue, especially in these economically challenged times. That it’s not always consistently fantastic – but what is, really – we understand. As you’ll read, the testosterone factor needed to be amped up – and where were the bare chests! In any case, click here for our LA Times review of the latest New World Flamenco Festival offering. Enjoy and keep dancing – like Oscar Valero – on the right! Olé
