By Giselle Rodríguez
Sebastián Sánchez, a renowned Argentinean flamenco dancer, pays homage to Mexican flamenco stars of the 20th. century Manolo Vargas, Roberto Ximénez, Lucero Tena and Pilar Rioja with the show "Impronta Flamenco".
Produced by Akais Chindos and Raúl Salgado, the show takes the audience through different periods of the history of flamenco and Spanish dance, that came to Mexico between 1939 and 1942 along with the first wave of Spanish immigrants fleeing the Civil War.
In an interview with EL UNIVERSAL, Sharon Olvera, one of the members of the ballet and Cultural Delegate for North America of the Seville-based Cristina Heeren Foundation of Flamenco Art, explained that the show includes pieces such as "Danza Española Número 11", composed by Spanish pianist Enrique Joaquín Granados, a fragment of Manuel de Falla's opera "The Brief Life", "Triana" by Spanish composer Isaac Albéniz, as well as "Fandangos", "Taranto", "Tangos de Granada" and "Caña".
The highlight of the show? The reenactment of 1952 “Zapateado” by Roberto Ximénez.
The show also includes video footage of Vargas, Ximénez, Tena and Rioja dancing, that serves as preamble to the different numbers, as well as the special participation of María Elena Anaya, who “sings” beautifully with the castanets, and dancers Liliana Olivar, Nuria Rubio, Grecia Reynoso and Manuela Gómez. Live music is played by guitarrists Anwar Miranda and Ricardo Humberto Sánchez and singer "Cachito" Díaz.
"Impronta Flamenco", a must-see for flamenco lovers, was first presented on July 4, 2015 at Mexico City's Lunario. The next show is scheduled for December 13 at 12:00 hrs. at Carlos Slim's Soumaya Museum. It will also be presented in Mérida on December 18 and 19 at Teatro Fantasio.
Here is a video summary of the show: