Flamenco. New York. Valentines Day.
Flamenco. Nothing expresses emotion - particularly the emotions of love, passion, and desire - as effectively or as beautifully. Such is the conclusion I have made after seeing flamenco live twice in my life.
The second time was this past Valentine's Day, when Marissa and I celebrated by seeing María Pagés and her company at New York City Center, as part of the 2010 Flamenco Festival.
We took the train down from Milford and got into Manhattan with plenty of time to do some shopping and have an early dinner. What goes well with Flamenco on Valentine's day? Korean food, of course. Not the first thing that comes to mind, perhaps, but Korean food is spicy, flavorful, colorful and warming. We weren't the only couple having a romantic meal of Soon Doo Boo Jigae.
From there it was a nice long walk to the show - with a stop for a chocolaty dessert along the way.
As you may be able to see by the video above, Ms. Pagés is known for the expressiveness of her arms and hands, and for good reason. It is as if her arms are a whole other part of the dance troupe, with their own lives, hopes and dreams. After the show, Marissa said she didn't think music was necessary because of María's arms. The clip captures some of it, but doesn't do it justice. They were mesmerizing.
If María Pagés is about emotional expression, Belén López is all about passion and power. Hers was the first live Flamenco I have seen, at Cardamomo in Madrid, in April 2009.
Completely opposite from the venue in New York, Cardamomo is a dark, intimate bar with a small stage. The dancers are so close you can almost touch them. We were seated just to the right of the stage, and Ms. Lopéz spun and stomped and shook feverishly just above our heads. It was amazing.
While not entirely clear or agreed upon, it is believed that Flamenco has its roots in Andalusian gypsy, Sephardic, and Arabic music, singing and dance. You can see all of these easily - the intricate syncopation of clapping hands and tapping heels, the haunting, call-to-prayer vocals, and the colorful costumes create a great mash-up of cultures and history.
If you ever get a chance to see it, you really should. It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day. However, if you ever want to maximize the feeling of Valentine's day, Flamenco is perfect - far better than chocolate, maybe even champagne.
