Juana Amaya and Farruquito make their stage début together at Flamenco Festival USA 2003

The bailaores join forces in 'Por derecho', a show which is "a journey
to the roots of flamenco"

Flamenco-world.com

Flamenco Festival USA 2003 will feature a landmark performance: the stage début of Juana Amaya and Farruquito as an artistic duo. The bailaora from Morón de la Frontera and the bailaor from Seville, grandson of Farruco, première their show 'Por derecho' at the U.S. event, a flamenco dance performance with no additives, a "journey to the roots of flamenco".

According to the Real Academia's dictionary of Spanish, por derecho means "to continue in a straight and direct manner." According to Farruquito, por derecho means "to go back to your roots and dance in a pure style, following the path down which authentic baile leads you, with no script to follow, with no need to act or put on any kind of persona, with no frills and no adornments. To dance with authenticity, transparently and baring your soul… to take a journey to the roots of flamenco, on the path where both Juana Amaya and I have learned". And that path leads the way to 'Por derecho', cornerstone of Flamenco Festival USA 2003.

Juana Amaya (Photos: Javier Hurtado)

Even though they've never been on stage together, Juana Amaya and Farruquito are no strangers. The bailaor, who currently runs the school founded by his grandfather, recalls that "I never danced with her, but I've slept in her arms, nuzzled up to her breast. I swear on my life. And not just in her arms, but in those of many female artists I come across on stage these days." The bailaora affirms that she's "known Farruquito since he was a little boy, his father was my cantaor, his mother and I were in the same troupe and she was a great friend of mine, as were all of her family".

And it's the fact they go so far back that makes them believe that the chemistry between them on stage can't fail. Farruquito sees his partner as "a bailaora who's a great fan of masculine dance, a dancer with strength… but even if she were the most feminine bailaora in the world, I've always communicated better with women than with men." And she, too, is sure of the mutual understanding they have, because "Farruquito dances in the style that suits me, he's an up-and-coming figure in pure flamenco baile, following in the footsteps of Farruco's school, the purest there is. I stand for that purist school… and as a gypsy I stand, too, for my race".

'Por derecho', which will feature Manolete as special guest on the opening night in New York City, will be a flamenco dance show with no additives. The production is divided into two sections in which Juana Amaya and Farruquito will be joined by Farru -Farruquito's younger brother- dancing seguiriyas and bulerías, and where each of the trio will also perform solo, dancing to styles such as alegrías, guajiras and soleares. In short, comments Juana Amaya, "something very flamenco".

Farruquito por alegrías

Back once more

The inclusion of 'Por derecho' on the bill of the festival means the reuniting of its leading artists with the American public. Juana Amaya feels that what she finds in the U.S. is "like a family of flamenco followers where everyone knows each other, and where what they want, being so far away, is purity." The bailaora comments that "flamenco goes down really well there so long as it's pure flamenco." Farruquito shares this view wholeheartedly, based on his experience of performances for American audiences, which go right back to when he was five years old, performing for the first time in New York with the show 'Flamenco puro'. His artistic endeavors in the States have led him to be named best artist to set foot in the Big Apple in 2001 by the 'New York Times': "I don't know why I was so highly acclaimed, but I can say that people are more and more aware that the act is truly genuine. When I step out on stage I don't know what I'm going to do, I don't prepare anything the day before, the cantaor and the guitarist are waiting with bated breath to sing the next line for me, watching to see which way things are going to go next. Only under those conditions can that moment arise which people feel is something truly magical".

'POR DERECHO' DATES: JUANA AMAYA & FARRUQUITO

revista@flamenco-world.com