Company exudes flamenco passion

By TRESCA WEINSTEIN, TRESCA WEINSTEIN

ALBANY -- With "Palillos y Pies," which opened Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana's program Saturday evening at The Egg, choreographer Pilar Andujar does something revolutionary with flamenco: She preserves all its power, poise and passion while injecting it with some of the structure and aesthetics of both modern dance and ballet.

Plus, she throws in castanets.

Dramatically lit and costumed in stark black, white and blue, "Palillos" (the professional term for castanets) uses space and composition in contemporary ways, creating patterns and arrangements across the stage. The women's arms make gorgeous exaggerated curves as they play their hand-held instruments, adding punctuation to their multiple turns and quick steps. Even a sensual embrace is performed with crisp edges and a kind of stylized elegance.

(leer +) [vía timesunion]

tags: flamenco, baile, cante, flamenca