As soon as Hunan Satellite TV's original dance TV competition program "Dance Storm" was launched, it gained the attention and love of many dance fans. In the program, Liu Jia, an amazing "all-round dancer", has captured the hearts of many dance fans.
In the semi-finals, Liu Jia successfully entered the final four with a flamenco "My Carmen", which not only showed profound dance skills, but also let the audience see the diversity of dance art and appreciate the enthusiasm and charm of flamenco.
What is the distinctive appeal of Flamengo that fascinates Liu Jia?
Flamenco's past and present lives
Flamenco, known as the "Spanish National Dance", is a combination of gypsy culture and Spanish folk culture, together with bullfighting, football and called the three national essences of Spain, is the most distinctive symbol of Spanish culture, and is included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
The word flamingo is derived from the Arabic word "fellah mengu". In the 15th century, gypsies who had fled a foreign land due to religious problems set out from North India and trekked several times to southern Spain. In the process of migration, they use songs, dances, and instrumental music to tell the tragic situation, and the emotions of resentment, resistance, and hope are mixed with songs, venting their painful feelings. This is the original flamenco, reflecting the tragic fate and situation of the gypsies.
Traditional flamenco is usually improvised by dancers accompanied by singing and guitar, and is influenced by the earliest East Indian dances (e.g. squats, sharp bends, quick turns, foot beat drum rhythms, etc.) and Arabic dances (finger beat rhythms, tambourine use, etc.). The provocative shape, strong rhythm, and strong hitting of the ground by the feet are the characteristics of male dancers, while feminine arms, bright red dresses, and graceful postures are the characteristics of female dancers.
Today's flamenco, under the reform and innovation of artists represented by Maria Peggy, has incorporated more modern elements and the artist's own unique understanding of flamenco. Flamenco dance dramas with storytelling and profound meanings have gradually entered the public eye and been widely acclaimed, making flamenco popular and theatrical, becoming one of the most infectious popular dances today.
"In the face of Maria Peggy's dance, the sky and the earth were moved."
—Nobel Laureate in Literature José Saramago
When it comes to flamenco, the Spaniards' first reaction is Maria Peggy. As flamenco's "soul figure" and "queen dancer", the famous Maria Peggy has long become synonymous with flamenco. Her skillful dance skills and elegant dance posture allow audiences around the world to appreciate the unique style of Spanish girls, and the generous, warm and unfettered attitude to life flowing in the dance has inspired countless audiences who love life and are full of yearning.
As an old friend of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Maria Peggy has visited four times to give stunning performances, leaving a deep impression on beijing audiences.
"Seville"
2008
《Self-Portrait》
2014
"I, Carmen"
2016
Dance of the Heart
2017
From January 1 to 3, 2020, Maria Peggy will once again take the stage with her dance troupe in the New Year's Day "Golden File" to ignite the fiery New Year's passion with the classic "Ode to Time", convey the life inspiration of time, and present the audience with the first New Year's Eve gift of 2020.
In Ode to Time, Maria Peggy pours her understanding of time into it, working with eight dancers and seven live musicians to interpret the changing seasons and the passage of time, in a quiet way, putting aside the inherent constraints and revealing the authenticity of the work.
Thanks to the delegation for providing the picture
Copywriting | Yu Qi
Edit | Lu Xiao