These days when words heritage and tradition are often repeated when talking about the monarchical change in Great Britain, it is a good time to reflect on their role in Spanish dance, a world where the weight of the past is, on occasions, so much that respect can turn into immobility.
Ruben Olmodirector of the National Ballet of Spain, demonstrates knowledge with ‘generations‘ -the program presented at the Teatros del Canal- that virtue and balance are in the middle. It is made up of two very different pieces from the company’s repertoire -‘Ritmos’, from 1984, and ‘Grito’, from 1997- together with three solos created for this show, and presented separately each of the three days that the program has been on poster
‘Generaciones’ serves, in a first reading, to once again reaffirm the exceptional nature of Spanish dance, with its four cardinal points: classical-Spanish dance, bowling school, folklore and flamenco: the first three are styles that, unfortunately, are in danger of extinction, partly due to the voracity of the fourth, but also due to the decline of companies that maintain this style in their repertoire.
The National Ballet of Spain it is thus presented as the spiritual reserve of a unique dance in the world -and therefore, a treasure-; although it cannot, and does not, fall into contemplation, rather it is, and this program proves it once again, the driving force behind new creations and the evolution of Spanish dance.
As for the choreographies: ‘Rhythms‘ is one of the jewels in the crown of the National Ballet. It was born on the already legendary night of July 13, 1984, on the same night that ‘Danza y tronío’ and ‘Medea’ were lit. ‘Rhythms’ undoubtedly opened new paths for our dance thanks to the music of Joseph Grandson and the rigorous and daring work of the choreographer Alberto Lorca, who ‘balanchinized’ -pardon the word- Spanish dance in this piece. The BNE has presented it with affectionate respect (although the recording clearly could be improved), and it is a delight to see two splendid veterans as Aloña Alonso and Francisco Velasco dance the delicious central step to two.
The solo presented the first night is ‘pastoral‘, of Anthony Ruzabout music by Manuel Blasco Nebra (1750-1784), performed live at the piano by Joseph Louis Franco. It is a work with blurred borders, where contemporary dance merges with Spanish dance in an exercise in virtuosity wonderfully danced by Inmaculada Salomón, an example of both quality and the eclectic preparation of the new generations.
A Anthony Channels Twenty-five years ago he was commissioned to create a piece that brought together different flamenco pieces for the company. The result is ‘Scream‘; the choreographies are impeccable and clean, in addition to a tailor-made suit. but they belong to other times -Canales himself would approach the work today, surely, in a different way-, and they are seen with pleasure because they are well interpreted and presented, but almost with an archaeological perspective; flamenco today circulates through very different territories, and the National Ballet itself has works that prove it.