florescencia – blooming season: 25 years ago, Brigitta Luisa Merki founded the dance company Flamencos en route. Her teacher, the legendary dancer and choreographer Susana and her husband Antonio Robledo enrolled as the first artistic directors. Brigitta Luisa Merki dedicates this jubilee production florescencia - florescence to these two outstanding artists.

The title of the newest creation represents on the one hand the blooming work of the innovative dance company. On the other hand it stands for the productive collaboration with the great artists Susana and Antonio. On its foundation of traditional forms and sounds the contemporary development of the Flamenco blossoms like a flower in a growing garden .

A creation in full bloom, florescencia opens the gates into poetic and freshly built gardens of dance and music.

Premiere, 24.09.2009, Winterthur, Theater Winterthur

Video

tanznetz.de

Fascinating Contrasts

Spanish dance with modern elements: Flamencos en route at the Theaterhaus Stuttgart
Birds are howling through the shady garden, where proud women in long gowns seem to come dancing directly out of Moorish history. The company Flamencos en route is celebrating their 25th anniversary. With the anniversary production "florescenia" they first guested at the tanzhaus nrw and now at the Theaterhaus in Stuttgart.
The title of this production, in English "blooming season", is an homage to the big past of the Spanish dance. Within a short time span it has lost two of its big stars and venerated teachers. First José de Udaeta and soon after his former dance partner, Susana, co-founder of Flamencos en route. Like Brigitta Luisa Merki, today's artistic director, Susana is originally from Switzerland, whose people nourish a great affection towards Flamenco. The anniversary production "florescencia" is dedicated to Susana and her husband, the composer Antonio Robledo.
Stylized plant sculptures and a brilliant light direction, immersing the imaginary garden into a mysterious or sallow atmosphere, are next to the flowing gowns the only ingredients to this untypical Flamenco evening without red frill dresses. The different scenes also show the virtuosity of the classic Flamenco, with rapid escalation and ragingly quick steps and turns. But Brigitta Luisa Merki, who, next to Eloy Aguilar, is responsible for most of the choreographies, prefers to talk in her associative images about the dry earth, about mothers with children in their arms, about the female cooperation and the male competition, about the Arabic influence to the Spanish heritage and about the eternal topic of the Flamenco: death. She develops the tradition further, adds theatrical and modern elements to the rather formal dances and relates to adjoining genres.
Core piece of the evening is a long expressive "Dúo de amor" for José Moro and the incredible Karima Nayt, an Algerian artist with a warm voice and a modern floating dance style. She marks a fascinating contrast to the stern poses of the traditional Flamenco, exactly as her naked feet in contrast to the hard heels of her partner. The Flamenco lures with its proud and sensual means, the modern dance answers with its angular, reluctant, later flowing manner: a love dance of a singular and wonderful character develops.
With her stylized and elegant solo as a centaura - half woman, half horse - Raquel Lamadrid brings a completely different color into the show. In addition to the singers Karima Nayt and Rocío Soto (the latter with the horse voice typical to the Flamenco) two guitarists and a percussionist are responsible for the richly colored music, accompanying the six fabulous dancers with their very different personalities. At the premiere in the Theaterhaus a 30-minute film documentary, featuring Susana and Antonio Robledo, was shown exclusively. The film was shot in 1982 during their teaching at the school of the National Ballet of Canada (where Rex Harrington was a ballet student and made his first attempts at Flamenco). Susana and her husband describe Flamenco as a dance without national boundaries, whose most important element is rhythm: "Everything in the body can be wrong - but without a sense of rhythm, one cannot become a flamenco dancer", says Susana in the film.
Also published in the Esslinger Zeitung and the Reutlinger Generalanzeiger

Angela Reinhardt, tanznetz.de, 09.04.2010

Stuttgarter Nachrichten

Speaks with his feet

"Blooming season": Flamencos en route are guests at the Theaterhaus, Stuttgart
Choreographer Brigitta Luisa Merki has been gifted with the wonderful ability to turn audiences into Flamenco fans for an evening. She demonstrates this ability once again with her newest creation, "florescencia - blooming season". For 25 years the Swiss company has been seeking the collaboration with other art forms. These encounters free the Flamenco of its folkloristic cliché. A dancer confronts her partner fleet-footed and modern. Her partner represents the everlasting macho who lets his feet and not his heart speak. Lifts and soft transitions allow a convergence refused to the flamenco alone.
Merki devised a garden for her homage to the co-founders of her company, the Flamenco-legend Susana and her husband, the musician Antonio Robledo. Moveable sculptures abstractly representing humans and trees appear as if illustrating one of Susana's quotes: "Try to be friends with the earth and with the sky". Susana passed on this advice to her students while teaching at the school of the National Ballet of Canada. The Oscar winning documentary "Flamenco at 5:15" preceded the performance "florescencia" and set the framework for this dance evening. On stage Flamenco is often experienced as a fight between effortlessness and heaviness, as an emotional avalanche released by a cheerful guitar solo or a cooing Arabic lullaby. The Algerian singer and dancer, Karima Nayt brings the garden to its most beautiful bloom. A further singer, three dance couples, two guitarists and a percussionist turn "florescencia" into a must for Flamenco fans and those who would like to become one for an evening.

Andrea Kachelriess, Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 09.04.2010

Basler Zeitung

The dance company Flamencos en route at the Roxy

As Susana says in the movie FLAMENCO AT 5:15, Flamenco does not consider stage or audience but is danced "whenever it has to be". This moment detonates in an explosive duet for rivalling men. Four women in swishing gowns conveyed a soft but intensive mood. The audience was bound into a magic circle. Musicians on guitar and percussion and two excellent singers contribute further to the intensive coherence.

Benjamin Herzog, Basler Zeitung, 26.03.2010

Aargauer Zeitung

Waves of enthusiasm for fantastic dance

Flamencos en route - groundbreaking for the evolution of Flamenco dance
Dance in its highest perfection, fascinating Flamenco erotic. Flamencos en route celebrated their anniversary gala with very touching moments, thunderous endless applause and standing ovations. "It absolutely was a cultural highlight", say organizers and audience alike.
For Susana and Antonio Robledo, both attending the celebration, this was a very special evening. The two artists have deeply influenced the work of Flamencos en route since the very beginning. Robledos music is heard in a scene of florescencia. Brigotta Luisa Merki's company was specially honored by the presence of the president of the Professional Dancers' Association of Spain, Mercedes Zuñiga from Madrid. The flamenco singer Enrique Morente saw to a dignified and impressive conclusion.

Aargauer Zeitung, 26.10.2009

Grusswort zum Jubiläum

Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen

Some of us in the audience today, have specifically travelled from Spain in order to attend this very special Gala of Flamencos en route, and we are delighted of joining in with the rest of you, to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Company. This is a great occasion because within the world of dance and, in general, of all Arts, 25 years seems to be 'a lifetime'.
This 'life' which so many of us have enjoyed throughout the last 25 years, was born by the hands and hearts of the creators of the Company who we have the honour and the privilege of having among us today: Susana and Antonio Robledo.
This 25th Anniversary production was born from the directress', Brigitta Luisa Merki, special desire to dedicate it as a homage for Susana and Antonio Robledo. Without them, none of us would be here today. They commenced this project and have walked along with it, inspiring it and caring for it constantly. They chose a great name for their project: Flamencos en route. Always in movement. Always on the road.
I was born within the dance world of Spain, my country. I have a deep knowledge about dance and I also love dance deeply and I have represented it being the President of the Professional Dancers' Association since 2005.
Professionally, I feel proud to be able to share this celebration, because Flamencos en route represents part of the history and evolution of the culture of my country. It is not only that they have got inspired from our culture, they made it grow and expand and enriched it with their creation process through their music and choreography.
But I also feel very proud on the personal side, because within the history of the company, there are other personal stories, and so I can tell you that Susana studied dance for a long time in Madrid with my grandmother, called 'La Quica', and that Brigitta Luisa studied also in Madrid with my parents 'Mercedes and Albano', and in this way, the roots of our own personal histories will remain always embraced with each other.
In addition, I must mention that Flamencos en route – for 25 years – has been demonstrating that Art, no matter from where, belongs to everybody; that Art is a space without frontiers where all colours match; and that what is really important is constant work, truth and technical qualification. On the basis of these premisses, Flamencos en route have been touching the hearts of audiences throughout all these years, creating among them a stream of communication and transformation; and this, as we all know, is Art.
For all these reasons mentioned above, and in the name of all audiences and of all those who have belonged to the company in the past, those who are part of the company now or may be in the future, I want to say THANK YOU with my heart in my hands, exactly in the same way as Flamencos en route will present, one more time, tonight, the result of their generous dedication to the art of dance.

Mercedes Zuñiga León, Madrid, Presidente Asociació, Grusswort zum Jubiläum, 25.10.2009

Regional, Brugg

Very impressive how the two female voices enter into a fascinating dialogue. And the dance of course!... A centaura shows a fantasy world, that the audience can not elude. A dense, formidably challenging production exciting all the senses.

Ernst Rothenbach, Regional, Brugg, 22.10.2009

Sonntag

Fantasy Gardens

The dance company Flamencos en route celebrates its 25th anniversary with 'FlorEscencia'.
Once again, Brigitta Luisa Merki and her dance company enthrall the audience with a new sequence of dance tableaus, in which traditional and contemporary dance elements intertwine like flowers from a fantastic world. On October 25, the company celebrates its 25th anniversary in Baden, Switzerland.
'Temptation' is the word that best describes Flamencos en route’s work as well as their latest production 'FlorEscencia'. For, the audience is tempted to watch in amazement and to surrender to the music, the singing, and the visual power of the dance.
At the premiere in Winterthur, during the first scene, 'El jardín oscuro', the audience felt shivers run down the spine when Nieves Díaz’ lamenting and imploring voice rose above the stage. Gifted with a natural voice, the flamenco singer is able to switch in masterly fashion from low, insistent tones to loud, painful expressions of sound. In this scene, she is a soloist; in other scenes, she frequently accompanies others, such as six male and female dancers, three musicians, and the other singer, Karima Nayt. A large part of the effect has to be attributed to the lighting: With colorful lighting effects, Veit Kälin produces ever-changing, intense moods.
In seven scenes, choreographer Brigitta Luisa Merki leads the audience through different fantasy gardens. Seasons and moods, flowers blooming and wilting – as suggested in the title FlorEscencia – give the evening its loose framework. Merki describes her work as a process of continuously developing themes and elements from Spanish traditions. Above all, she searches for new elements and forms to try out. For example, when Karima Nayt performs her barefoot dance in 'Dúo de amor', her performance is far removed from traditional flamenco. Another surprise element is the way in which the four female dancers in 'Nanas y gritos' use the rustling noise produced by the fabric of their costumes as a sound tool: they drag their skirts across the stage roughly and rhythmically, fold them with a rustle, or beat them, thereby producing drawn-out, cascading sounds. Strong visual effects complement the auditory ones. For, sometimes the female dancers appear from behind Gillian White’s plant-like sculptures like gentle elves and other times like avengers or vulnerable beings seeking protection, pupating and then freeing themselves again from their cocoons. Just as she has been doing for years, Carmen Perez Mateos designed the costumes for the current production as well. Gently flowing gowns, generous gestures, large-scale images, and tension-filled exchanges between a group of three women and one of two men characterize 'La primera.' This scene was choreographed by dancer Eloy Aguilar – and a successful debut it turned out to be. But what would flamenco be without the strong, masculine element, without the appearance of the proud macho? Eloy Aguilar and José Manuel Polonio portray him in masterly fashion in 'Por Soleá,' to the point where the spectator wonders whether the floor will hold up under their feet. In 'Centaura y Flamenca,' Raquel Lamadrid presents an excellent interpretation of her character.
An important part of the dance company’s tradition is Antonio Robledo’s music. The premiere of his piano piece 'Danza Iberia' serves as prelude to the evening. After that, Robledo’s recorded music accompanies the first dance act. Together, the composer and his wife Susana, choreographer and artistic director, shaped the beginning stages of Flamencos en route. It is to them that Brigitta Luisa Merki has dedicated her anniversary production.

Sabine Altorfer, Sonntag, 11.10.2009

Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Bouquet of flowers

25 years Flamencos en route: In her anniversary production 'florescencia' Brigitta Luisa Merki shows quite explicitly how she amended the flamenco dance - versatile and innovative. Across all resistance the Swiss choreografer succeeded in emancipating the folkloristic fiesta-flamenco out of the Spanish backyards into a stagecraft. Being faithful to its roots but never letting it fall prey to kitsch or rigid tradition.

Sabine Schulthess, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 26.09.2009

Der Landbote

Enthralling Images from the World of Dance

Premiering at the Theater Winterthur: Flamencos en route’s anniversary program 'florescencia – blooming season'. In this new production, the dance company Flamencos en route dances in an imaginary garden, creating magical reminiscences of the past and visions of the future while celebrating its 25th anniversary.
'florescencia' pays homage to Susana and Antonio Robledo. At the premiere, Brigitta Luisa Merki, who founded Flamencos en route and has been its director since 1994, felt especially honored by the presence of both, the legendary dancer and choreographer as well as the pianist and composer. For the first ten years after its foundation, the two were artistic co-directors of the dance company, thus laying the foundation that allowed new forms of dramatic dance to emerge and thrive. These new forms of dance are rooted in folklore and have been continuously developed in various directions.
The innovative use of traditional elements from flamenco and Spanish dance is evident in both dance and music. At the very beginning of the anniversary program, the public already had the opportunity to witness the transition from traditional folkloric elements to a highly stylized, artistic form of expression. Vilja Poskute and Tomas Daukantes garnered enthusiastic applause with the premiere of the suite 'Danza Iberia' for four-handed piano, a piece composed and finished just three months ago by Antonio Robledo. The two pianists appeared to be virtually possessed by the rhythms of the suite, thus presenting a musical interpretation of the piece reminiscent of a dance, which served as a perfect transition to the dance that followed.
Every scene of 'florescencia' shows the close relationship between music and dance, both of which serve as mutual sources of inspiration for each other. In 'El jardín oscuro,' it is the Spanish song performed by Nieves Díaz which initiates Brigitta Luisa Merki’s composition of movements. In 'La primera,' choreographer Eloy Aguilar reacts directly to Antonio Robledo’s music, while, in 'Por Soleá,' the dance performed by the men first evokes a reaction from guitarists Juan Gomez and Pablo Garcia as well as percussionist Karo Sampela, thus starting an extremely intense dialogue between dance, music, and song. 'Nanas y gritos' and 'Dúo de amor' are particularly impressive thanks to the Arabic singing by Karima Nayt, which creates the mood and determines how the dance develops. Not limited to song, the extraordinarily talented artist intersperses the flamenco with elements of modern dance, thus adding fascinating accents here and there.
The sequence of scenes in 'florescencia' takes place in a nocturnal garden. The towering, abstract iron sculptures by Gillian White are adjustable and mobile and serve to create varying landscapes. A lightly-wooded area is quickly transformed into a densely-wooded locale, a tree-lined avenue into a clearing at the edge of a forest. This way, a series of artificially-created, yet seemingly natural environments is presented on stage, serving as background locations for mysterious encounters and self-awareness experiences. Formations such as small groups, couples, or an individual in breathtakingly beautiful costumes designed by Carmen Perez Mateos emerge from the dark and step into Veit Kälin’s creation of bright light, which shows their bodies and movements in great detail. Most of the formations and much of the content as well as many movement combinations and space constellations allude to previous productions. However, the audience never gets the impression of watching a collage of familiar segments. Rather, the spectator is reminded of similar, more or less altered images, which now, enhanced by memory, unfold a special kind of magic.
The dancers, both male and female, are particularly successful at enthralling the audience. For, Carmen Iglesias, Raquel Lamadrid, Marta Roverato, Karima Nayt, Eloy Aguilar, José Merino, and José Manuel Polonio aptly use their extraordinary dance skills to represent feelings and emotions and to tell us about relationships and experiences. They leave us full of admiration for the perfect way in which they make the latter come alive and move us with their expressions, which invite us to partake in the emotions.

Ursula Pellaton, Der Landbote, 26.09.2009