Flamenco with kilts and genius moments – Compañía Manuel Liñán: Muerta de Amor evaluation

It used to be Manuel Liñán’s remaining display ¡Viva! that made everybody take a seat up and take understand. In it, his all-male corporate had been dressed within the complete frills of conventional ladies’s flamenco attire, pulling on the seams of the dance shape’s moderately built gender roles. New paintings Muerta de Amor could have much less overt an idea, however it’s nonetheless wealthy in originality, with a couple of genius moments (and he hasn’t totally jettisoned attire). This time it’s out with the polka dots and in with graceful black fashiony takes on flamenco gown – sheer most sensible, kilt-style skirt, lengthy leather-based jacket. In energy poses at the back of a row of mic stands the lads appear to be a still-handsome boyband on their multimillion-dollar reunion excursion.

The display’s identify would possibly communicate of the dying of affection, however need – bodily and emotional – are very a lot pulsatingly alive right here, along vulnerability, angst, hobby and humour. With Liñán, his six dancers and the band, is the mighty singer Mara Rey, who can blow your socks off with husky quantity and dramatic chutzpah. But on this display, everybody sings, like a sequence of monologues (I say it yearly, however with lyrics so central, some surtitles for non-Spanish audio system can be useful).

The making a song’s excellent, however the dancing is superb. From the incredible chemistry between Liñán and Miguel Heredia, mirroring every different’s strikes with relish, to the balletic flourish of José Ángel Capel. Liñán sits again on a chair to be regaled by way of Juan Tomás de l. a. Molia’s torrent of footwork, stuffed with peacocking prowess, jabbing at syncopations with sharp heels, racing neck-and-neck with the song, the rhythm using thru him similar to the copious testosterone. The temper is flirtatious, and exhilarating. Best of all is a duet with Alberto Sellés, much less blistering, extra soft, extra ambiguous. Liñán is most efficient when forging explicit gestures, figuring out when to not transfer, to carry again somewhat than splurge the whole thing out.

I’ve by no means identified a flamenco dancer who believed within the maxim “leave them wanting more”, and by way of the lengthy ultimate phase, there’s extra on this display than essential. It dangers undermining itself in an eruption of delight, ego and neediness, however that’s mainly the display’s complete theme. A textual content flashes up at the backdrop, tough translation: “Anyone, as long as they love me.”