Passion, poise and precision summed up the performance as flamenco star María Pagés and her group took to the stage at the Cairo Opera House on Wednesday evening. The show starts with a beating heart, the most primitive of sounds, representing the first musical mood, when all the dancers grace the stage. Then, once the suspense has been allowed to build a little more, the entrancing bailaora herself appears. Watching her dancing is mesmerizing. She literally lit up the stage with her intricate footwork, swirling arms and the pure joy she exudes performing flamenco in front of an audience. Pagés takes flamenco to a new level, mixing the traditional form of art with her own contemporary take on it whilst still retaining the true meaning of the dance. The dancers convey the conflicting emotions of joy and grief, happiness and anger through a series of expertly choreographed pieces. To add to the intimate feel, the accompanying guitarists sit towards the back of the stage alongside the two singers. Solo pieces by the bailaora are complemented by male/female group dances. Shawls, castanets, fans and walking sticks are used for particular songs in a slight twist on the props used in regular flamenco dancing. There are also partner pieces where there is a romantic interplay between the male and female dancers. María hails from Seville, Andalusia, in southern Spain, the region from which flamenco dancing originates. She says in the program that her company, "Flamenco Republic, aims to transport you to an imaginary country that is governed by the rules of flamenco. Not only does she manage to do that but the viewers actually feel as if they are physically displaced to mainland Spain for the duration of the 80-minute show. Sensuous and deep, the dance is an intense experience; one that you cannot help but be moved by. The dancers' sheer power and enthusiasm for their art leaves you with an insatiable desire for more. Graceful and elegant in their multicolored dresses, the dancers stand ready to respond to the rhythms of the music. The music sets the mood while the dancers convey their feelings through their movement - by clapping their hands or stomping their feet. Flamenco, which stems from Gypsy, Jewish and Moorish traditions, is an expressive, exciting art form which has to be seen live to appreciate fully. Catch Flamenco Republic's final performance at the Sayid Darwish Theater, Alexandria on Sept. 9.
