Pilar
López and Mario Maya, maestra and pupil, receive
the 2005 Caja Madrid Festival's ‘Calle de Alcalá’
Award. The second day of the Madrid-based festival
was touching. The jury chose to carry out “an act of justice”
and give a lifetime achievement award in recognition of the
historic work of veteran dancer and choreographer Pilar López,
who when expressing her gratitude, remembered her pupil Antonio
Gades: “Fluttering around here and amidst us is someone
who passed away and who I carry with me in my heart”.
In a display of generosity, she offered the statuette to “all
dancers and dance colleagues”. At the same time, Mario
Maya, another of the “creatures” modeled by
La Argentinita's sister, received the annual award, with words
of criticism for the current scene of flamenco dancing, “which
is suffering a notorious turn towards the aggravation of virtuoso
energy and acrobatics, when flamenco dancing is feeling, is
making the indefinable seem easy”. The double prize was
celebrated with a performance by the El Güito Company of
the show dedicated to Pilar López called ‘Mis recuerdos’,
which already premiered at this very Albéniz Theater
in May 2003. Before all of that happened, classical cante once
again captivated the audience. The night was opened by cantaor
Salmonete de Jerez, an artist with an off-and-on-again career.
With a Terremoto-style echo and some breathtaking moments, he
performed alegrías, fandangos, seguiriyas and bulerías,
seconded on guitar by Alberto Sanmiguel. Next came Rancapino,
showing how it's done ‘per se’. He came out with
a malagueña which he spun ever so softly, nearly whispering
the cante, followed discreetly by Fernando Moreno on guitar.
He then decided to use the rhythmical, with alegrías...
the way alegrías should be done. With that deep voice
of his, he also sang soleares dedicated to Juan Habichuela,
fandangos of the kind that philosophize about life and very
joyful bulerías. A pleasure for people's ears and for
people's hearts, a gift of skill on a night of maestros.
