Festival 2007 Javier Baron

Tuesday, June 12th @ 20:00
Rodey Theater, UNM

By Jennifer Noyer for the Albuquerque Journal.
Sunday, June 17, 2007.

Javier Barón brought his flamenco ballet, "Notas al Pie," literally, "footnotes," to Rodey Theatre on Tuesday evening, the most recent newcomer to Festival Flamenco. Guest artist Isabel Bayón joined him and his group of five musicians and cantaors in an innovative theatrical production full of drama and the stunning "footnotes" of masterful, percussive footwork.

Barón framed his concert in a dramatic introduction and finale that created the illusion of flamenco artists arriving on stage from the audience, as though villagers assembling from the countryside. Then, in Barón's final solo, he entered from the same direction before his musical goodbye to the audience.

On first entering, the company lined up downstage, backs to the audience, as the violinist, Alexis Lefevre began a tremulous wail of sound that was pure instrumental cante. Two guitarists, a percussionist, and singer David Palomar slowly walked upstage, inserting their melodies and rhythms, and leaving the lone figure of Barón at center stage, facing the audience.

Slowly he raised his hands and began a soft pattern of hand rhythms introducing the "Seguiriya," the darkest, most hondo of flamenco. A rapid staccato attack of foot patterns, long strides across the stage space, and fast quadruple turns in place revealed Barón's dance as a flamenco tour de force.

The first musical section followed with Javier Patino and Michele Iacarino on guitars, and José Carrasco on cajon and drum.

"Caña," danced by Barón and Bayón, used chairs as props to help describe the progression over time of a relationship. Seated back to back, then separated as the chairs were moved away to right and left, they circled each other in nervous confrontation, sashayed forward together, and finally settled on the chairs at stage right, with Bayón's hand resting gently on her partner's shoulder.

In "Jaleo Extremeño," Bayón's slender shape, suggesting fragility, demonstrated a magical combination of joy and pride, her personal gracia, with a kind of sorcery as her hands wove serpentine, bewitching filigrana that were a little scary. Lyrical, curving body moves were accented with sudden, sharp gestures as she glided in subtle seduction on stage.

Another musical section, with an exciting cajon solo, brought the full range of all the musicians into play as Barón and Bayón danced classic flamenco "Tangos," coming together in smooth pasadas, stalking each other in circles, and featuring two solos. Barón's jumps and sudden back kicks in the air punctuated hand gestures that became a conversation with the audience. Bayón's solo, with hips swiveling and elegant foot patterns, ended when she and Barón brought the musicians forward in a flock, singing and clapping. They moved as a group first to address the stage left audience, and then the stage right spectators.

The audience would not let them go, standing and exclaiming until Barón and Lefevre performed an encore at center stage; a fascinating conversation between violin and foot percussion.

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