Renowned worldwide for her unique approach to Flamenco – María Pagés was one of the first to view it as a constantly evolving art form – the famous dancer from Seville, Spain, will present Autorretrato, a flamboyant self-portrait created in New York at the instigation of Mikhaïl Baryshnikov. She will be accompanied onstage by six musicians (two guitarists, a cellist, a percussionist, and two singers) and eight dancers. The piece is punctuated by the voice of the late lamented Portuguese poet José Saramago (winner of the Nobel Prize for literature), adding a vibrant lyrical tone. And since we're working with alliteration, we can say that Pagés has undeniable panache, performing perfectly polished and personalized Flamenco.
In fact, María Pagés is the embodiment of the electricity of Flamenco -- earthy and feisty, yet coolly elegant. Regarding Autorretrato, she has said, “The idea of developing my self-portrait onstage encouraged me to create this performance. I felt the need to learn to know myself, the need to stop and get closer to the mirror to be able to see clearly, to observe myself and to analyse myself thoroughly and translate all of this into a movement, an atmosphere, a stage setting. What I tried to do was to follow the process that painters follow when they draw or paint their self-portrait. The truth of the matter is that dance is the only medium that I have found to get to know myself, let us say that dance has been a part of me forever, that we have not abandoned each other, that we are one; in short, dancing is what best shows what I am."
Autorretrato is indeed a breathtaking self-portrait -- touching, poetic, humorous, full of joy, pain, and pleasure. It's a superb example of how this ancient art form still has new life and power. Here Flamenco is pared down to its raw essentials -- the guitar, the voice, the hand clap, the foot stomp. And María Pagés is flawless, doing incredible work with her upper body, employing sinuous and serpentine movement in extraordinary ways, emphasizing the drama of an arched back, thrust chest, and flailing arms. Her company of dancers and musicians are seamlessly in tune with one another from the smallest movement of their chins to their thrilling pounding of the floor. Dressed in stylish grey suits, the four men ravish the stage, while their female counterparts sashay in and out adding colour and emotional gravitas with the simplest batting of eyelids.
Audiences have responded with ultra-enthusiastic standing ovations, and Autorretrato has had critics reaching for their dictionary of superlatives. Richard Storm wrote in the Sarasota Herald Tribune (October 2009) "... expert artistry and skill at a level seldom achieved, much less witnessed in performance. Pagés was always in full control of her impressive gifts, including an impeccable flamenco technique and the ability to communicate both ferocious erotic appeal and sly wit." Terry O’Donovan wrote in the stage.co.uk (February 2010) "As her costumes grow ever more extravagant, so does her performance. Every time you think she has shown off her incredible talent and skill to its height, she bashes us back into line with her next powerhouse of a solo ...she breathes and feels every moment with sensitive passion." More recently, in September 2012, La Vanguardia wrote "María Pagés fills her dance with gestural fantasies; the mastery of her arm movements, in constant undulation, is of an unusual beauty, and the precision of her heel-work attains perfection. But María is more than just a ‘bailaora’ (Flamenco dancer): she is a person who is capable of capturing the essence that serves as inspiration for poets and pours it into her dance; she is an exceptional choreographer." and El País wrote "Visual rapture. With great mastery, this artist weaves a fertile dance of elegant staging and intense music with suggestive and expressive dramatic art."
Compañía María Pagés brings a little bit of sunny Spain to miserable March in Ottawa -- don't miss it!
