Bolero Flamenco at the Civic Theatre

By BERNADETTE RAE

The Ballet Teatro Espanol de Rafael Aguilar presents traditional Spanish dance choreographed and preened into a stage spectacular of compelling rhythms, riotous colours and wild expression that gives the awful angst and despair of much classical flamenco minimal airtime, and concentrates on the hot blooded and haughty, the sensual and downright sexy.

Esteemed choreographer Rafael Aguilar, who founded the company in 1960, was the first to take classical flamenco and fuse it with dramatic elements to create a stunning form of dance theatre. So this Bolero is unashamedly showy, but still authentic, with more than a measure of virtuosity.

There are three works in the programme and one interesting musical interlude.

Aires de Ida y Vuelta reflects the fusion of Spanish music with that of the indigenous people of Central and South America in an ensemble work that makes the most of the talents of the whole company - some 24 dancers filling the stage with extravagant flounced gowns, intensely arched torsos, male hips that roll and flick most arrestingly, as feet in high-heeled boots speak the beat.

Bolero, set to Ravel's most famous piece, sees the women in crimson satin dresses forming an admiring but far from static audience to the marathon solo dance of Fernando Solano in a dazzle of rippling rib cage, slow lunge, fantastic footwork and with the most expressive of arms.

The interval falls at this point, leaving the question of what could possibly follow?

The rousing Suite Flamenca picks up that challenge perfectly, and even quickens the pace.

It is an "anthology" of diverse Spanish dance styles and traditional song and music, with individual performers coming forward to perform to the rousing percussive encouragement of the ensemble: Lydia Cabello introduces the full force of Spanish woman power, Trinidad Artiguez manages a huge fishtail of yellow flounces in a sorrowful Patenera, Rosa Jimenez is as fiery as her scarlet petticoats.

But it is the extraordinary performance of Francisco Guerrero that leads this flamenco exposition to its full crescendo, in an extraordinary "Farruca".

He is lithe, lyrical, a compelling clown then cock of the walk, and the footwork and rhythm is beyond description, beyond belief.

And then it is over - except it is not. As the audience files out, the party resumes for the company behind the stage curtains, with more music, more clapping, more exuberant oles!