VENTANA DE DANZA MADRILEÑA
17-20 SEPTEMBER

This “Window on Madrid Dance” was organised by the Madrid Regional Government to showcase 20 works – both full works and excerpts – by Madrid’s dance companies over four days.  The second edition of this biennial event, the performances and studio showings took place in the new Canal Theatres and the Canal Dance Centre (with nine studios!).  About 70 programmers and professionals were in attendance, 18 of them from outside Spain – from as near as Portugal and as far away as Egypt.

The work covered a very broad range from traditional Spanish and “new flamenco” to experimental, from children’s work and family events to ballet.  But no matter what the genre, an intensive energy permeated every performance.  The commitment of the dancers and musicians was wholehearted and their technical skills were, across the board, more than equal to the choreography’s requirements.

The event was an excellent introduction to the work being created in the Region of Madrid, which is less well known internationally than the work from Catalunya – primarily from the city of Barcelona – which seems to tour more widely.  Madrid’s contemporary artists include Pedro Berdayes and Chevi Muraday, who have been working for many years, and Daniel Abreu and Janet Novàs, relative newcomers.  All these artists incorporate strong visual imagery in their work.  Prominent flamenco artists included Aída Gómez and Antonio Najarro, both of whom have a stage presence that singes everyone in the house.  Both Najarro and Cruceta Flamenco, a newer company, add jazz musicians to their ensembles.  Ballet de la Comunidad de Madrid – Compañia Victor Ullate comprises a host of well-trained young dancers who revel in the partnering and split second timing of contemporary ballet.

Ana Cabo, Mar López and Fanny Skouvari, the organisers, were indefatigably cheerful and kept us on schedule from morning through night.  Fortunately, they included long lunches and late dinners to keep our energy up!  Saturday night of this weekend was Noche Blanca, or White Night, and there was, I’m told, dancing in the streets till the wee hours!