original PDF in German
"Flamenco is so much more"
... From the very beginning, Flamencos en route's Artistic Director intended to break the mold. She did not want to limit her exploration of this Spanish dance form to dance and music exclusively. Instead, she wanted to include other artistic genres by working with freelance artists from various fields. As a result, choreographic and musical experiments entering into a dialogue with other art forms have been and still are what you would expect from Flamencos en route.
... "My quest to discover new meanings in the rich traditions of the flamenco dance and to extract relevant insights from the vocabulary of this Spanish dance for today's audience puts me in a position similar to that of an exile". The company's anniversary production is appropriately titled "... y que más!". This is a sign of great self-confidence since "y que más" means "what else!".
... The top-class ensemble is more motivated than ever, Merki enthuses. "I still have lots of new ideas, and my desire to create art is endless". As Hilde Domin, the poet whose poems still accompany the choreographer, once said: "We planted our foot in the air / and it carried us."

Petra Mostbacher-Dix, Sonderbeilage Stuttgarter Zeitung/Stuttgarter Nachrichten, 07.11.2014

Neue Luzerner Zeitung

original PDF in German
Seduction by every means possible. Creativity at its best. The Flamencos en route dancers enthrall the audience with their technique and costumes.
... Don Juan surrenders to the individual dance styles of his muses, and the sparks start to fly briefly and intensely on stage.
... At that moment, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza appear in the semi-darkness. The transition from mischievous eroticism to touching humor is perfect.

Edith Arnold, Neue Luzerner Zeitung, 30.10.2014

Der Landbote

original PDF in German
Dance Pearls Newly Enchased
The title alludes to "la peregrina", a striking, unique pearl that made its way from Central America to the Spanish Court, to various members of royal families, and even to Liz Taylor. Roving around and drawing attention fit the description of what Flamencos en route does. The ensemble's latest production resembles a precious necklace. This necklace is composed of unique old jewels and recently created treasures, juxtaposed for contrast and altered in a way that showcases the essence of each precious element.
Breathtaking gems, reminiscent of Susana's, bring to life the danced stories of Don Juan and Don Quixote. The master choreographer's superior ability to translate human behavior patterns, encounters, and feelings from the linguistic level to the motional level becomes obvious to everyone. Brigitta Luisa Merki consistently uses means that the art of dance itself offers.
Each character distinguishes him- or herself through the use of certain movements, varying expressive qualities, and rhythmic phrasings. When the seducer encounters the various women, or when the dancing dreamer confronts the singing realist, Merki achieves a rare degree of concentration on stage. Merki's ensemble more than fulfills the choreographer's intentions.
The sounds of Spanish lullabies set circular, internalized kinetic sequences in motion, thus evoking vivid images of mother and child.
The melancholy, slow and Madonna-like gem is followed by an infernal angular one. Almost impossible to surpass in speed and energy, a percussionist and a dancer instigate each other to perform ever more complex rhythms.

Ursula Pellaton, Der Landbote, 21.10.2014

Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Kultur

original PDF in German

... "Perlas peregrinas" represents a prime example of Flamencos en route's unique qualities. No doubt inspired by its Artistic Director, Brigitta Luisa Merki, the company has dedicated itself to combining the flamenco with other musical styles, without ever being trapped in the established traditions. This evening is no different, the audience never gets the feeling that the performance needs to be dusted off. Quite the contrary, both the dancing and the music repeatedly venture into the contemporary realm.
Every dancer, singer and musician is featured prominently, not least because the performance takes its time to develop - time to showcase its art.

Isabelle Jakob, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, Kultur, 20.10.2014

Aargauer Zeitung, Kultur

original PDF in German
Careful, this Evening is Highly Explosive
This production brims with fine details. No displays of opulence or grand ensemble scenes vie for the audience's attention; instead, intimate encounters between the dancers, singers, and musicians take center stage. What the title suggests becomes reality on stage: one choreographic pearl joins another.
Seduction by every means possible. Creativity at its best. The Flamencos en route dancers enthrall the audience with their technique and costumes.
Don Juan surrenders to the individual dance styles of his muses, and the sparks start to fly briefly and intensely on stage. At that moment, Don Quixote and Sancho Panza appear in the semi-darkness. The transition from mischievous eroticism to touching humor is perfect.

Elisabeth Feller, Aargauer Zeitung, Kultur, 20.10.2014

Aargauer Zeitung

only available in German

Ursula Burgherr, Aargauer Zeitung, 15.10.2014