MERCEDES RUIZ, FLAMENCO BAILAORA. INTERVIEW
“I want to leave myself in order to find
who I want to be”
Silvia Calado. Jerez, March 2011
Mercedes Ruiz had felt the need for some time: to renew herself. “I wanted to leave myself in order to find who I want to be”, the bailaora admits. And in stage director Francisco López, she found that outside look which helped her to “explore new roads of growth”. The first one she travels is ‘Perspectivas’, a show premiered at Festival de Jerez 2011 which doesn’t reveal so many innovations in her baile technique as in the expression of her baile. The key lies in a change of approach which affects the choreography, music, wardrobe… and which leads to an unprecedented sensation of vitality.
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Mercedes Ruiz (Photo Daniel Muñoz) |
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What is ‘Perspectivas’?
‘Perspectivas’ is a show in which many ways of expression are seen: more brilliant moments, moments with more sadness… They’re many perspectives of flamenco dancing. And you see its evolution, the memory of old-time maestros and the roads I feel in baile.
The innovation lies in the approach, doesn’t it?
Yes, the approach changes. Francisco López has managed to get out of me something which used to really embarrass me to bring out. I used to have a lot of barriers and it’s not that I have suddenly erased them all, but he’s helping me to overcome them. The show has nothing to do with the previous ones; it was necessary to resort to something new. Normally, in a flamenco dancing show you dance por seguiriyas, por soleá or alegrías and that’s it. And doing another show just like that didn’t make sense. After the fourth show, I needed something that made me get something new out of myself.
Francisco López says that there are those who are at risk of becoming old at the age of thirty. Do you agree with him?
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“After the fourth show, I needed something that made me get something new out of myself”
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If you dance por soleá, add another falseta and another, OK. But I’ve realized that the different expressions are what makes the bailes one way or another. If you’ve been dancing the same soleá for ten years, you get tired of it. The first days with the director, I told him that I couldn’t do it. But little by little, I managed to. He’s had a lot of patience with me.
Mercedes Ruiz, (Photo Daniel Muñoz) |
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Choreographically, have you restructured the bailes?
Exactly. Really, the alegría isn’t done with the traditional structure, the entrance, the exit… No, the flamenco styles appear according to the expressive needs and what the show calls for musically. So we don’t do a traditional soleá, but rather a little bit appears from here, a little from there, and everything makes sense in the end. It’s been hard choreographically because I’d never worked like that, with someone who sees you from the outside. I think I look lovely in the mirror and I say “this is great”. But somebody who sees you from the outside tells you no, not that either, that over there, if the tone is sad you can’t do such-and-such… It’s been really hard.
Of those maestros that you recall, is there any special presence?
Carmen Amaya. We do a piece by her, from ‘El embrujo del fandango’.
What does she have for a bailaora of today?
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“Carmen Amaya is the bailaora you see, even if it’s in the oldest video, she motivates you”
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What does she have? She’s the bailaora you see, even if it’s in the oldest video with bad sound quality, she motivates you and gives you energy. Even if you only see her eyes. She’s present in every bailaor; she’s a pillar of flamenco.
“She’s the bailaora you see, even if it’s in the oldest video, she motivates you”
What was the work with the music like?
Also different. It isn’t the same to start from a choreography as from a musical script. You have to express what the music does. The music has a lot to do with the baile and with the show as a whole; everything’s really connected.Santiago Lara – guitarist and music director – isn’t like me. He’s a very open person, he finds it really easy. If you tell him you don’t like that falseta, the next day he brings you another one just as good. He doesn’t repeat himself.
Mercedes Ruiz, 'Perspectivas'. Festival de Jerez 2011
(Photo Daniel Muñoz) |
You have three cantaores in this show. What does each one contribute?
The three voices are very different and I think they’re different colors for the spectator. Lavi is like really deep and makes you bring out the baile like from way inside of you.David Lagos… is a privilege to rely on and we know each other well. His voice is perfect for his cantes and, moreover, he has an important role in the show.Melchora Ortegais great. She’s so flamenca singing! When I called her I didn’t think she was going to want to do it because she’s never sung for dancing, but on the contrary… she’s gotten more involved than anybody. Her cante has a good mutual understanding with me as if I were the one singing.
The wardrobe put together by costume designer Jesús Ruiz, an opera professional, must also be special…
Yes, really special. There’s a bata de cola, trousers and suit, but everything’s different due to the form. It’s designed with what he wants to say at each moment.
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“I was one of the ones who used to say that you can’t laugh in flamenco!”
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Paco López states that the show reflects your “current vitality”…
Everything used to affect me a lot, but not any more. First there’s something more important, my daughter, so you give priority to other things. I’m really motivated and excited because of her.
Are we going to see a new Mercedes Ruiz?
Those who have seen my previous shows are. If you know me a little bit, you must know that I’m really shy, that I really keep to myself. And there are even moments of laughter here. And that, despite the fact that I was one of the ones who used to say that you can’t laugh in flamenco!
Mercedes Ruiz, 'Perspectivas'. Festival de Jerez 2011
(Photo Daniel Muñoz) |
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More information, audio, orders