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Elvira Andrés. Polychromy

Upon coming out to the corridor again headed for the room occupied by Elvira Andrés, the staff of musicians could be heard rehearsing 'Tiempo', perhaps working on that pulse thing... The BNE's director, here in the role of choreographer, is preparing 'Colores'. The ambience is less impetuous, for a start. Within a small group of dancers arranged in a triangle, Elvira Andrés defines positions, movements. She, who defines herself as "a dancer who can dance flamenco, but assigned to the world of Spanish dance", explains that "Many years ago I began the road to develop my own style with the choreography 'Mujeres' and which I now want to continue in 'Colores'. It's inspired in the quest for plurality". Not in vain does she believe that "things aren't black or white; they have colors. And I find that in the range of colors there can be infinite wealth; depending on whether they're together or separate, they have a different significance, they complement each other, help each other, at a given moment they can even repel each other". The metaphor is that "the colors making up the chromatic scale are an abstraction of life and the human condition, that so necessary plurality".

Elvira Andrés rehearses 'Colores' with the BNE

She tries to apply this principle to the programs she designs for the company. In fact, along with the two aforementioned premieres, they will also perform at the Palacio de Festivales in the Cantabrian capital "the taranto that Antonio Canales put together last summer, a paso a dos (dance for two) that we premiered in Japan; and we revive 'Mareas', a choreography the fruit of a mixture of flamenco and contemporary dance, authored by Teresa Nieto and Florencio Campos, which we already premiered last season at Madrid's Zarzuela Theater". With this repertoire she seeks "to reach the goal that I've set myself: to present the wealth of styles in Spanish dance and in flamenco, the different regards. In this case, we four choreographers are mature youths, from a current generation". And if she points out Antonio Canales' well-defined style; she brands Joaquín Grilo as "very flamenco, a magnificent bailaor who has a very personal style, I'm very happy to have him here because I think he's a person with very special individuality and great force".

No matter how you look at it, the conclusion is that flamenco holds a leading role in the evolution of Spain's National Ballet. Elvira Andrés herself recognizes that, besides in her profession, "flamenco is in my life, since I'm a keen baile, cante and toque fan". If she is asked about the question whether flamenco is the genre that is taking advantage of today's Spanish dance, reflection is triggered. Elvira Andrés recognizes that it is true that flamenco is "what is most present at this time, so the BNE has to show that reality". Another thing is that the company refuses to "neglect the rest of the styles, which are different to flamenco but not opposite or excluding".

Elvira Andrés rehearses 'Colores' with the BNE

The ballet's director is worried about the matter and is firm in her intention to fight for Spanish dance: "Flamenco's boom doesn't make it necessary to abandon other styles; it isn't going to be less successful because we also fight for the plurality of styles. Spanish dance is neither more nor less". And she warns that "we have to be careful with the fondness factor. Since the public adores flamenco, it's given flamenco. But I wonder if it is being given too much flamenco and we might finish off the goose that lays the golden egg. And I ask myself: does everybody know how to do flamenco? Wouldn't it be better for each person to start doing what they really best know how? Or is it because flamenco is what's seen most that it's what people call for the most? It's like a snowball effect. Those are my questions and I'm leaving them up in the air".

And they stay in the air, just like the already evaporated beads of sweat, just like the sound of soles and heels, just like the notes on José Antonio Rodríguez's guitar, just like the beats on Rubem Dantas' box drum, just like the whispers of Joaquín Grilo's feet, just like the ideas of the creators who show their faces at the display of 'made in Spain' dancing which Spain's National Ballet has been for a quarter of a century.

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