THE 14th MONT DE MARSAN FLAMENCO FESTIVAL

It was worth the 14-year wait

Candela Olivo. Mont de Marsan (France), July 1, 2002

Cast. Antonio Canales: director, choreographer and solo dancer. Juan de Juan: dancer. Mónica Fernández: dancer. Guadiana: cante. Viejín and David Jiménez: guitars. Sabú: cajón. Espace François Mitterrand. Mont de Marsan (France), July 1, 2002. 9pm.

Antonio Canales (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Antonio Canales (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

It was one of the outstanding omissions of the Mont de Marsan festival. In the fourteen years since it was inaugurated, the flamenco festival held in the small town in the Las Landa region had never played host to Antonio Canales. The local press showed him dressed as a bullfighter and likened him to Joaquín Cortés. There was certainly plenty of expectation... even though there were some empty spaces in the all-purpose pavilion where the main shows of the festival were to be held. Antonio Canales had chosen 'Bailaor', the show he premiered at the 2000 Seville Biennial Festival, for his debut at the French festival... a show without a plot and one which was stripped of the delightful little street dances from the male support dancers that he used two years ago. With this simplified structure the work was split into two sections differentiated by the cantiñas that were included in the second part. Antonio Canales and his protégé Juan de Juan, divided the dancing between them... but the mentor was left to perform the bulk of the work.

A luminous white backdrop, a full moon high in the sky and some cold lighting. A solitary introduction from the cajón of Sabú, the son of Ramón el Portugués, awaited the star before he stepped onto the stage. Accompanied on his entry by the percussion duo, Antonio Canales sat on one side with Juan de Juan on the other. And for the bulerías, the man from Triana set himself in the middle of the stage, hand on his chest and feet ready to drum. Breakneck changes of rhythm, razor sharp stops... and his irresistible charisma - with his gesture, expression and absolute command of the stage and audience. Guadiana's soleás come as a welcome break during which the dancer composes himself. The giant screens on either side of the stage display the angled pose of his hands, his drumming heels and the stamping finale together with his little shout.

Juan de Juan bolts on stage like a mad bull, seemingly wishing that there were 120 seconds into every minute so that he can cram in all the tapping and rhythm changes that he wants. Incessantly drumming his feet throughout each dance, in the bulerías too, and even during the "silences" in the soleá. The maestro returns, while he is alone at the back dancing tangos, night falls and recalling the cante of Camarón, Juan de Juan takes over once again for the bulerías, for another of his explosive dances. The only subtlety is from the music provided by the Triana group with measured soft choruses, subtle percussion and the refreshing guitars of Viejín and David Jiménez. The audience responds by stamping their feet like Niño de Morón.

In the second part a dawn-like yellow light descends on the stage as Canales, De Juan and Mónica Fernández - a trio with contrasting maturity and reputation - arrive for the alegrías. This is replaced by a red backdrop as Antonio Canales gets ready to enjoy himself and please the audience that is by now is eating out of his hand. The poses, the grasping of the jacket, the hair dripping with sweat, the feet drumming away, the jaleos, the gestures, the look ... all bear the unmistakable hallmark of Antonio Canales. Everyone standing up for his encore of bulerías, Mont de Marsan now feels rewarded for its long wait.

revista@flamenco-world.com