SEVILLE'S 2006 BIENAL DE FLAMENCO. CARMEN GRILO • MANUEL LIÑÁN

And now, youths

Silvia Calado. Seville, September 20th, 2006
Translation: Joseph Kopec

Carmen Grilo: cante. José Quevedo ‘Bolita’: guitar. Paquito González: percussion. Carlos Grilo, Quini: clapping / Manuel Liñán: baile. Arcadio Marín, Fernando de la Rúa: guitar. Leo Treviño, Picúo: cante. Ana Romero, La Tacha: clapping. Seville's 14th Bienal de Flamenco 2006. Teatro Alameda. Seville, September 20th, 2006. 9 p.m.

	Manuel Liñán (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

Youths head up the lineup. The temporary closure of the Teatro Maestranza due to renovation work has freed the Teatro Alameda of its usual role as a late-night venue. It now becomes the star, and by extension, the latest generation of flamencos become the stars. The curtain was raised a few days ago by cantaora Argentina and bailaor Daniel Navarro, though they were unlucky enough to coincide in the program time with Vicente Amigo's gala at the Teatro Lope de Vega. The second lineup, consisting of Carmen Grilo and bailaor Manuel Liñán, had no competition. The festival's hub was in the flamenco quarter last night.

The Jerez-born cantaora offered an apparently simple performance, but full of depth. Carmen Grilo firmly intends to find her own way. And she goes after it in every one of her passes. She kicked things off by remembering La Niña de los Peines with a farruca, alone with José Quevedo on guitar. And she hot-branded with her peculiar echo. Joining the encounter were percussions and clapping to go into rhythmic spheres. Por alegrías, the cantaora transformed the tirititrán and combined registers, from the sugary whisper to the brightest outburst. And the thing is that she's a risk-taking artist with strong attitude, daring to the point of nearly going too far. But nearly. Alone once again with the guitar, she stopped off at the seguiriyas of her native land, which she transmitted high doses of drama to, knocking around her voice, zigzagging with the melodies. Then the tientos-tangos and the final bulerías offered her ample space for her creations, sprucing up the most faded coplas as if they were brand new. She was courageous and devoted, and the audience knew how to recognize it.

Carmen Grilo (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)

For his solo presentation at Seville's Bienal, Manuel Liñán did a selection of three pieces from his own works. From his latest show, ‘1980’, he pulled out the alegrías and the heel tapping. He presented himself with airs of Cádiz. He came in like a bull shooting out of the bullpen in a flurry. And from then on he played everything playable while using old-time keys. He did unhurried baile, combining it with electric instants. And he was always impeccable in positioning, feet technique, use of the body and use of the stage. The heel tapping, though it lost effectiveness due to the flaws in the sound quality which tarnished the night, was a surprising piece. Accompanied by a percussion score performed on clapping by Ana Romero and La Tacha, he danced from the waist down in a short black and red costume. A little while for the imagination and divertissement, with what was there, with the most basic part of this music. Intermission for the guitar duo of Arcadio Marín and Fernando de la Rúa. And the end was reserved for the piece with which he won the Spanish Dance and Flamenco Choreography Contest, the demonstration that the spoken word is danceable. “When I was little, they used to put stones in my pockets so that I couldn't walk...”. Each inflection of his voice, each expression, each pause, gives him an excuse to move his body, as if muddier now, less perfect. And he went from words to the soleá, which he danced weightily and reliably. A sign that he's something more than just a performer is the care he takes in the presentation, in the entrances and exits, in the endings. The voice in off returns. The rectangle of light on the floor narrows. Fade out.

And tomorrow...   Adrián Galia, María Esteve and Stella Arauzo (Photo: Daniel Muñoz)     Antonio Gades Company, ‘Bodas de sangre’ and ‘Suite flamenca’. Teatro Lope de Vega, 9 p.m. With the aim of keeping the choreographic legacy alive of the great dancer Antonio Gades, the foundation bearing his named re-founded the famous baile company over a year ago. After its presentations in cities such as Madrid and Córdoba, it arrives in Seville with a repertoire consisting of the known work ‘Bodas de sangre’ (‘Blood Weddings’) and the show without a storyline ‘Suite flamenca’. After this presentation ceremony on Wednesday the 20th, it returns to the Lope de Vega on Saturday the 23rd with the show ‘Carmen’. Following the encounter with the press on the 20th, attended by, among others, bailaor Adrián Galia and actress María Esteve, Gades' daughter and president of the foundation, an exhibit was inaugurated at the Casino with photos, texts and press clippings about the artist's life and work, which may be visited until the festival closes. - DVD: Carlos Saura. Bodas de sangre - DVD: Carlos Saura. Carmen

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