Cortés Returns to Madrid with Calé

Even though I have yet to meet any flamenco dancers or musicians (that I know of) in Japan, that doesn’t mean that the rest of you shouldn’t get to enjoy a little flamenco in my absence. I would like to remind my beloved madrileños (natives and non-natives) that Joaquín Cortés is performing Calé – a collection of the best pieces from the six shows that Cortés has choreographed and directed throughout his 20 year career – at the Nuevo Apolo Theatre, Plaza Tirso de Molina 1,until the 17th of January (the day I return from Japan).

The show, which is made up of 16 musicians and 8 female dancer, made its world debut in Madrid in March 2008 and later traveled to Barcelona, New York, Greece, Mexico and the United Arab Emirates, among other locations.

In addition to pieces from the shows Cibayi, Live, De Amor y Odio, Mi Soledad, Pasión Gitana and Soul, Calé also includes new pices, a solo entitled Réquiem and flamenco tangos that Cortés dances with his all female corps de ballet.

Flamenco.TV, the flamenco videos Web site associated with FlamencoExport, was lucky enough to film part of Calé’s tangos, which you can watch by clicking here.

However, I believe that this piece is not amongst the show’s more memorable numbers, most notably the solea from De Amor y Odio and the solea por bulerías from Soul.

-Justine Bayod Espoz