AVENUE THEATER. BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
EVA YERBABUENA: 5 MUJERES 5

Commotion in the Buenos Aires soul

Betina Bracciale. Buenos Aires, November 2003

'5 Mujeres 5'. Baile and choreography: Eva Yerbabuena. Music and guitar: Paco Jarana. Guitar: Salvador Gutiérrez. Percussion: Antonio Coronel. Flute and saxophone: Ignacio Vidaechea. Cante: Enrique Soto, Segundo Falcón, Pepe de Pura. Light soprano: Marta de Castro. Dance corps: Lucía Guarnido, Sonia Fernández, Marta Arias, Sara Vázquez, Luis Miguel González, Isaac Tovar, Juan Carlos Cardoso and Rubén Olmo. Avenue Theater. Buenos Aires (Argentina), from November 19th to 23rd, 2003.

Eva Yebabuena in Argentina

Avid connoisseurs of cultural proposals, for the inhabitants of Buenos Aires going to the theater is a nearly sacred ceremony. The omnipresence of Spanish immigrants - and their great many descendants - who have defined a particularly demanding palate for flamenco feeling, must be added to this. '5 Mujeres 5', the second show by the company of Eva la Yerbabuena, was presented, thanks to the initiative of producer José Lata Liste, at Avenue Theater, a traditional refuge for lovers of jondo art and zarzuela. Here in Río de la Plata a remarkable reputation preceded the Granada-born artist and her presence only confirmed the good anticipation. Previously she had only been to Argentina to give a five-day seminar, without having set foot upon local stages. This week the public's devotion to the bailaora was therefore immediate and unquestioning.

If hers is a pliant presence capable of blending in as just another member of the dance corps or filling the entire stage, it was in those instances of performing solo when the applause erupted. It's not hard to be moved by the skill of a performer who chooses the climates, adjusts the energy, respects the communicative value of rests and gauges fragility with temper, in agreement with perfect harmony with cante, guitars and percussion. The precise striking of her feet uses diverse tones of heel stamping. At certain instants, this sound is taken to the minimum expression but conserves movements and firm, forceful regards, without wavering. These in turn mark grief or joy in her body because hers is a precision never exempt of feeling.

The star adds gestures to her baile without shrillness or overacting. The choreography she authors is accompanied with stage resources that are functional and stripped which have the mark of director Hamsel Cereza, a member of Fura dels Baus. The show is planned as indispensable teamwork and the labor of every one of the artists shapes the perfect connection in the staging.

	Eva Yebabuena in Argentina

Eva Yerbabuena and company take a twin bill to the Argentinean capital. The first part was cornered by this show prior to 'La voz del silencio', which premiered at Seville's 2000 Bienal de Flamenco, and which is still receiving standing ovations at stages throughout the world. It has a narrative structure which consists of a journey through five emotional states of a female character: love, madness, ambition, solitude and maturity.

Following a fifteen-minute break, the second part begins which has been given the name 'Flamenco de la cava'. It consists of three fragments which assemble thirty minutes loaded with drama. The Argentinean crowd was captivated by the bulerías of the bailaores, the scene shared by dancers and percussion, and above all, by the performance's finishing touch. There Yerbabuena, with a soleá, shook up the crowd. The audience stood up and called for an encore. It was then that the performer, inside a circle of clapping and cante, filled the center of the stage. Once again, the contortions of her fingertips, torso, shoulders and hips seemed to let them be embraced by that music... that flamenco which knows no bounds to reach the soul.

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