Flamenco Soloists Prove Dramatically Different

Joaquín Grilo demonstrated creative footwork at the Seventh Annual Flamenco Festival. (George Washington University)

Six flamenco soloists with six distinct personalities spiced up the Gala 2007: Bienal de Sevilla on Tuesday at Lisner Auditorium with a program that was, at various points, ferocious, delicate and charismatic. The artists served up seguiriyas, cantinas, soleas and alegrias, and the audience ate it up.

The artists on the program, part of the Seventh Annual Flamenco Festival, were all uniformly excellent.

At 39, the wild and charismatic Joaquín Grilo was the veteran of the group. His style is large and florid. When he flips directions his long hair flies, his jacket billows open and his large frame hurtles through the air like a projectile released by a catapult. His solea was majestic, sensual, spilling over with feeling, and filled with inventive zapateado , or footwork.

(leer +) [vía washingtonpost]

tags: flamenco, baile, Joaquín Grilo, flamenca

Flamenco Revolutions: Joaquin Grilo

Express contributor Katherine Silkaitis caught up with renowned flamenco dancer Joaquin Grilo on the eve of his appearance at D.C.'s annual flamenco festival.

GW Lisner AuditoriumNOW IN ITS SEVENTH YEAR, the eight-day "Flamenco Festival, Washington, D.C." commenced last Friday and concludes Feb. 17. Tuesday's performance, "Gala 2007: Bienal de Sevilla," brings together six of Spain's prominent and rising flamenco dancers. In addition to veterans Joaquin Grilo and Isabel Bayon, the additional four performers are making their U.S. debut: La Moneta, Manuel Linan, Olga Pericet and Marco Flores.

(leer +) [vía readexpress]

tags: flamenco, baile, Joaquín Grilo, flamenca