Moscow, Apr 15 (EFE).- Spanish dance has captivated St. Petersburg thanks to the Antonio Najarro Company, which presented this week its show ‘Querencias’, a comprehensive showcase of Spanish dance, to a sold-out audience at the historic Alexandrinsky Theatre in the former Tsarist capital.
«For me, as the creator and director of the company, it is an honor to bring this show to Russia, because there is tremendous knowledge and a long history of dance here,» Antonio Najarro, a renowned Spanish dancer and choreographer, expressed to EFE, celebrating that all tickets «were sold out well in advance.»
Bridges between Spanish and Russian dance
«With my company, I have always sought to bring technical and artistic excellence to Spanish dance… and that’s why it was very important for me to bring this show to Russia, where there is great technical and artistic knowledge» of dance, he noted.
Additionally, he maintained that, «the Russian character, the Russian cultural and artistic vision, are very similar to the Spanish one.»
However, the acclaimed dancer, who also directed the National Ballet of Spain for several years, emphasized that he demands his dancers, once they have mastered the refined technical work, to «forget about it and only focus on the expression of emotions,» which resonates deeply with the Russian audience thanks to the emotional «affinity» between Spaniards and Russians.
Tradition and modernity
The show features a dialogue between four distinct styles of Spanish dance: Escuela Bolera (bolero school), Danza Estilizada (stylized dance), Flamenco, and traditional Spanish folk dance.
«All Spanish folk dances and all these styles are reflected in this show, which is also accompanied by an original musical creation, a piece for a symphony orchestra by Moisés Sánchez inspired by the music that gives life to Spanish dance,» he smiles.
The show unites tradition and modernity, he asserts, noting that «‘Querencia’ is about returning to our place of origin.»
«When horses trot freely through the fields, they always eventually return to their place of origin, and we call that ‘querencia’ (a Spanish word meaning a feeling of affection or fondness for a place, but here used in the context of an animal’s innate pull to its home ground),» he said.
Adding that he «really wanted to return to our roots and show the essence of Spanish dance, but always with a great sense of modernity.»
Lucía Cardeñoso, a dancer in the company, told EFE that the work seeks «to show all the facets of Spanish dance, the richness of this culture, and to offer the public a show where they can enjoy the dance, the movement.»
«It doesn’t have a plot or narrative as such, but simply allows the audience to become steeped in Spanish dance. From a perspective of elegance, not as something made for tourists but for people who understand art,» she maintained.
Movement, costume, and lighting
Besides the dance, the main protagonists of ‘Querencias’ are the masterful costume design and the evocative work with lights, which makes any kind of set design unnecessary.
The dancers, dressed in typical Spanish dance elements such as mantones de Manila (Manila shawls), the Spanish cape, the sombrero cordobés (Córdoba hat), and holding fans and castanets, emerge or disappear almost as if by magic thanks to the play of light, which either opens a path for the performers or conceals them in darkness.
«We use a fine particle smoke that is perfect and very characteristic for the lights, the light play, to often create corridors, artificial walls, and lighting effects, patterns, that look like true corporeal set designs,» Najarro explained.
According to Cardeñoso, «the light is what builds all the atmospheres and acts as a kind of set design that frames the numbers, so that the dance is the sole protagonist, with no adornments other than the movement.»
Russia, a Difficult Destination in War time
The choreographer acknowledged that the fact that Russia is at war with neighboring Ukraine is «horrible,» as «there must be peace throughout the world,» but he maintains that «culture, emotions, and sensitivity must be kept out of it.»
«Culture is a driver of social evolution, regardless of the situation being experienced. I am a creator, an artist, a representative of Spanish culture. I believe that culture cannot be blocked off from anyone, regardless of the political situation a country is in,» he asserted.
Therefore, he noted, «artists must continue to offer emotion and continue to feed the hearts of societies all over the world, regardless of the political decisions that are made.»
«I love challenges, so I am very happy,» he concluded, calling the Alexandrinsky, with its nearly two-century history, a theater «perfect for showcasing the company.” EFE
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