Compañía Maria Serrano presents:

FlamenTango

Flamenco meets Tango: passion, power and sensuousness. An exiting trip through the labyrinth of emotions.

“FlamenTango” is the name of the very successful danceproject from the outstanding andalusian flamenco dancer Maria Serrano and her company. TheShow has been shown in Spain, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Taiwan, Canada, Denmarc, Rumania, Hungary and Italy. Highlights were events like the Budapest Spring Festival, the World Tango Summit in Sevilla, the „Invito alla Danza“-Festival in Rome or the AVO Session Jazzfestival in Basel, Switzerland, where the show was recorded by Swiss Television. The two dancing- and music styles, famous for their sensuality, power and passion meet and merge during the night to something new and exciting. The Compañia Maria Serrano presents Flamenco and Tango from many different angles: modern and traditional, pure and fusioned. Maria Serrano and her partner Jonathan Sanchez meet the Argentinian tango-couple Milton Homann and Romina Godoy. The dancers encounter, the partners get changed and the dancing-story between Flamenco and Tango, sensuality and power, melancholy  and happiness gets started. „FlamenTango” presents Solea por buleria, Tientos, Taranto, Alegria, Farruca, Tango and Argentinean Tango in never seen and listened versions. The four dancers are accompanied by seven flamenco and tango musicians: Luis Amador(git), David Bermudez (piano, perc), Quisco de Alcala (voc.,perc), (cante),  Oleg Nehls (bandoneon), Tom Auffahrt (bass,perc).

The story:Disillusioned by the situation in their country two Argentinean dancers decide to immigrate to Spain in order to search a new future. To live from the art of dancing has become impossible in Argentine. In Andalusia, the country their families once came from, they start searching their roots and get in touch with flamenco. A fascinating trip through the labyrinth of emotions gets started.

Maria Serrano: Maria del Mar Serrano Rebollo, „Maria Serrano“, was born in Seville (Spain). From her earliest childhood on she was taught flamenco by Seville's best and most famous flamenco teachers. José Galván, Los Gitanillos de Bronce, Juan Manuel, Farruco, to name just a few, very soon recognised her sensitivity and power. Very soon she travelled half the world with famous ensembles such as Meme Menjibar, Javier Barón, Carmen y Carmelilla Montoya, Antonio "El Pipa". In 1993 André Heller chose her for his production "Magneten" and in that show she enchanted the audience in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for six months. The Austrian "NEWS" even named her the "Voodoo Queen" of flamenco. In the years 1995 until 1998 Maria Serrano was touring with different companies all over Europe. For the Bienal de Arte Flamenco 2000 in Sevilla she founded for the first time her own company: the Compañia Maria Serrano and presented in a premiere “RITMO Flamenco-Cubano”. Choreographer was an good old friend: Manolo Marin, one of the most renowned in his field. In 2001 the company produced “Entre Flamencos” and in 2002 Maria Serrano presented for the first time her own interpretation of the Carmen myth. In 2004 followed “FlamenTango” which had been presented for the first time on the prestigious Budapest Spring Festival. In  2007 presented for the first tima a solo performance called “Flamenco por derecho” and the show “Balkan Flamenco” together with Hungarian musicians and dancers from the Hungarian National Ballet. Since the foundation the Compañia Maria Serrano has toured in countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Canada, Rumania, Norway, Northern Irland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Ukrania, Turkey, Finland, Denmark, Netherland, Taiwan, Macedonia, Poland, Mexico and Italy.

Press reviews on Maria Serrano: "Maria Serrano is an all-present dancer who knows the secrets of flamenco." – El Pais. *** She overwhelmed the audience at the completely sold-out Beethoven hall with the power and vitality of her dancing." – Stuttgarter Nachrichten. *** "The queen of flamenco." – Die Welt. "A volcanic phenomenon." – Berliner Morgenpost. *** "The demon of the dance." – Stuttgarter Nachrichten. "Maria Serrano – the voodoo queen of flamenco." – News, Vienna. "Maria Serrano herself is an exceptional figure." – Wiesbadener Tagblatt.***"A furioso of movements" – Dresdener Neueste Nachrichten. "Maria Serranocelebrates flamenco at its best," - Petra. "Maria Serrano made ice melt." – Neue Ruhrzeitung "Maria Serrano dances with an elementary passion and power, her exploding crescendi are captivating and overwhelming." - Ludwigsburger  Kreiszeitung***"Maria Serrano dances with utmost abandon and expression." – Berliner Kurier***"The Serrano really has got oomph". – Der Kurier, Vienna

Press Reviews on FlamenTango: "Her art suspended by something magical, Maria Serrano is an explosive phenomenon for Andre Heller.  The production presented us with a mixture of volcanic flamenco combined with a fiery tango danced by Romina Godoy and Milton Homann. Their passion becomes interwoven into a magical fusion. The sensuous tango joins with acrobatic flamenco into an act of dramatic desperation. Serrano demonstrates total determination with her personal style of flamenco. Each movement of her hands illustrates the expression of pure art, each turn shows the sensuous movement of her hips pulling the earth right out from under our feet, each of her small, rapid steps executed in perfect time transports the audience into the realm of another world". (Aachener Zeitung/Germany)

“The two dances might appear to have similarities, but are actually completely different. Over the course of the performance, the temperamental, rapid dance steps of flamenco join with the fluid, forceful elegance of the tango and metamorphose into something excitingly new. Maria Serrano is an undisputed expert at her art. Each step is perfect; each movement of her arms is a pure expressive force. Together with the best dancers of her company, they develop a group vision that is bold, technically challenging and has superb sensuality. Long applause and “Bravos” for an evening of a first class dance performance". (HNA Kassel/Germany)

“ An Argentinean tango couple searches for their Spanish roots. Tango and Flamenco find one another in the marvelous hands of Argentineans, Romina Godoy and Milton Homann, and brilliant flamenco dancer Jonathan Sanchez and Maria Serrano. Accompanied by five musicians, two singers, an Argentinean bandoneon and a Spanish guitar, the two styles of music blended harmoniously, yet retained their own, unique sense of character. The audience witnessed the contrast of traditional vs. contemporary dance. The company began with the classical flamenco style of the bata de cola and the fedora hat of tango; then the women emerge in modern, fitted dresses and the men sport contemporary t-shirts. The performers erupted into a ‘Jam Session’ of admiration and exciting competition with the tango and flamenco dancers presenting their sensuous craft. The last part of the performance featured the Spanish and Argentinean dancer blending their styles into extraordinary, new choreography". (Cannstatter Zeitung/Germany)

“The audience witnesses the dynamic encounter of the two styles. Maria Serrano used flamenco to bewitch tango dancer Milton Homann, then Romina Godoy followed suit with the two flamenco dancers. Each of the dancers demonstrated their mastery of dance culminating in the passionate blending of the dances accompanied by six distinguish musicians. The dynamic change of the Tango and Flamenco, subtlety and without any separation, they transform one another which completes the name of the performance.” (Stuttgarter Zeitung / Germany)

“There is tremendous contrast during the evening as the dancers move within different constellations working by themselves, then with others. First the crowd witnesses the confrontation between the classical and proud Tango vs. the dramatic energy of Flamenco. Although there is no direct contact between the two styles, both share fiery passion. The audience can't get enough of Maria Serrano's forceful energy. Her innovative, demanding choreography is always captivating. There is no foot step too fast, nothing too difficult for her to attempt. The audience can't help themselves but to errupt into thunderous applause in response to her dynamic style. Finally there is the sensuous blending of the Tango and Flamenco where the dancers give us the pleasures of the show that one can only describe as  a dramatic journey between melancholy and ecstasy". (Badische Neueste Nachrichten/Germany)

"The mixture of the two dances creates a fusion… every step is carefully executed, each movement an absolute force, each dance sequence created tremendous fascination for the audience... the overall experience included seven talented musicians that are on stage night after night. The flamenco & tango couples meet; they blend their styles together and create a totally new dance arrangement combining the lustful tango with the temperament of flamenco creating something utterly new". (Reutlinger Nachrichten/Germany)

"The raw, emotional force of Maria Serrano and company causes the audience to erupt into thundering applause. The explosive mixture of flamenco and tango aptly named “flamentango” is Maria’s newest artistic undertaking. Flamenco & tango find one another and become a fusion….. flamenco represented by Maria Serrano and Jonathan Sanchez. Like proud bullfighters, they create a spell with their powerful legs and rapid “staccato” footwork. Full of vibrant energy and beauty, Maria Serrano offered the audience absolute passion during her volcanic solo. She was accompanied by the explosive duende of David Bermudez on the piano, two guitars, one cajon, a bass and two singers who transformed traditional flamenco with their fusion of jazz, salsa and pop.During the next segment, the bandoneon introduced the feverish power of tango. Romina Godoy and Milton Homann celebrate the sensousness of the tango with high heels and her split skirt. Their aggressive, passionate and erotic dancing demonstrating acrobatic elegance. They are the world’s most seductive duo. As an Argentinean poet once wrote: “The tango is a sadness that let’s men dance”. (Südwestpresse/Germany)

Compañia Maria Serrano - FlamenTango
Artistical Direction: Maria Serrano
Idea and storyboard: Siegfried Kögel
Choreography: Maria Serrano, Antonio Partida Fernandez,  Romina Godoy, Milton Homann
Music: Juan Carlo Berlanga, José Maria Gago Camareno, Luis Caruana
Dance: Maria Serrano, Jonathan Sanchez, Milton Homann, Romina Godoy
Musicians: Luis Amador (git), David Bermudez (piano,perc), Quisco de Alcala (voc.), Macarena Rodriguez  (cante),  Oleg Nehls(bandoneon), Tom Auffahrt (bass,perc)
Production: Compañia Maria Serrano