Day 2 of the Jerez Festival: La Truco & María José Franco

The second night of the XIV Jerez Festival began at the Sala Compañía with the kick off to the Con Nombre Propio cycle, which debuted this year with the excellent dancer and flamenco teacher from Madrid, La Truco. The daughter of the singer José Truco, presented “Pa mis adentros” a suite of dances that she created at the Madrid tablao Casa Patas and that demonstrates, in her own words, “what it feels like to dance flamenco from the inside.”

Despite being a mature woman, La Truco moves with the quickness, energy and charm of a young dancer. With all of these attributes, it is completely incomprehensible why she would invite the dancer Joaquín Ruiz to share the stage with her on this occasion. Despite having a long career in flamenco dance, Ruiz is a dancer that severely lacks both style and fluidity and who adds absolutely nothing to the show.

The great discovery of the evening was La Truco’s female Singer from Jerez, Sara Salado, who almost outshone the star of the show with her bulerías solo. A clear and strong voice with an astounding capacity for modulation made evident that Sara is a promising up and comer with a real shot at a solo career.

Although she performed at last year’s festival, the XIV edition of the Jerez Festival provided the dancer from Jerez María José Franco with the opportunity to present her newest work “Al compas del viento” at the Teatro Villamarta, the fest main stage. Although she is a technically solid dancer, Franco lacks that special something that makes a dancer great.

I didn’t quite like “Bailando para mí” when I saw it last year, and I wasn’t captivated by “Al compass.” The primary failures: repetitive choreography and a poorly used body of dancers.

-Justine Bayod Espoz