Diane de Beer
With a flick of the wrist, a click of the castanets, and an olé, mom Helena and daughter Maria Lorca Montoya are back with an intimate flamenco production, Alma Flamenca, that will be staged at the Atterbury Theatre (Pretoria) on Saturday and Sunday.
Introducing some firepower to the performance Maria, Rosa Jiminez (The Rosa Jiminez Spanish Dance Theatre in Sasolburg) and Mireille Lenferna (El Rincon Flamenco Dance Company in Joburg) will perform together for the first time in over 10 years. All are teachers and dancers in their own companies and have travelled a long road together in the Spanish dancing world, first having met under the tutorship of Sylvana Gironi. Jiminez has been a long- standing guest artist with The Montoya Spanish Dance Theatre, but this will be the first time that Lenferna will perform in Pretoria with the Montoyas.
Alma Flamenca will also showcase the upcoming senior and professional dancers who are part of the Pretoria company, performing new choreo-graphed works from the Montoya team as well as from the two guest artists spotlighting the passion, rhythm and intensity that flamenco embodies. The choreography from four different sources will also add dimension and texture to the show.
Spanish dance is hot-blooded and works with your emotions as you watch the dancers as well as listen and get drawn into the music.
Maria says this is also a celebration for her father, José Montoya, who was awarded an order of Civil Merit with the rank of Commander by Spain. – Diane de Beer
l Performances at Atterbury Theatre, Pretoria. Saturday at 5pm and 8pm, Sunday at 3pm. R160 to R190 at Computicket, discounts for pensioners and block bookings. Info: Maria Lorca Montoya at [email protected], www.mlmontoya.com, Facebook: Montoya Spanish Dance Academy & Theatre.