Javier Latorre exalts the creativity of flamenco dancing with the 2011 National Dance Prize

S.C./ Flamenco-world.com, October 2011

Although there are many flamenco bailaores who win the National Dance Prize as performers, very few receive this top award in Spain for this artistic specialty as creators. Javier Latorre is the third flamenco dancing figure to have his choreography work thus recognized, after María Pagés did so in 2002 and Israel Galván in 2005. In the words of the dancer and choreographer, “I always considered myself a better creator than performer and I moreover believe that it can vindicate the great creativity existing in today’s flamenco”. In that sense, the jury highlighted “his contribution to the evolution of flamenco’s choreographic conception”.

Javier Latorre. Final Gala of the 2010 Córdoba Flamenco Art Contest (Photo Daniel Muñoz)

Javier Latorre understands that this 2011 National Dance Prize which Spain’s Ministry of Culture has just awarded to him “means, above all else, recognition of 44 years on stage, nearly 25 years trying to teach everything I know and instilling passion in each and every student having attended my classes, and 47 shows staged for over 20 companies and producers”. He also highlights “the pride of realizing that there are so many people proud of me”. And an account of that is given by the endless list of congratulations in his profile on Facebook. That is why he shares it with “all those who have shared their life and work over the years and have let me share it with them”.

The jury, consisting of recognized experts in the matter, has written that Latorre was awarded for “his constant concern for the development of dance in Spain, especially for his contribution to the evolution of flamenco’s choreographic conception, which adds elements from Spanish dance and from contemporary dance in creative exploration recognizable in his creations for his own company as well as for other artists”.