Alba & Maria Serrano
present:
Intuition Flamenca

Maria Serrano´s eruptive force meets the classical elegance of her sister Alba: a sensual and intuitive approach to contemporary flamenco

18 years ago Maria Serrano had been discovered by the Austrian director André Heller for his show "Magneten", that brought together gipsy´s from all over the world. Within very short time the young flamenco dancer became one of the stars of the Heller-ensemble. Since then, the "volcanic event" (André Heller) fascinated audiences on stages all around the globe with her art of flamenco-dancing. During this time her sister Alba Serrano was born and discovered from early on, “the boards, that mean the world”. The parents had to work, so Maria Serrano took her little sister already as baby with her on tour. Every once in a while it used to happened that Alba had her siesta in the guitar case during the rehearsals. Hardly three years old little Alba insisted to dance with her sister in the encores at the end of the shows on stage.

Alba Serrano is now 18 years old and after 12 years of intensive studies, she completed the Conservatory of Professional Dance in Seville. And it pushes her onto the stage. Together with her sister Maria she created the show "Intuition" - a sensual and intuitive approach to contemporary flamenco. Starting from two completely different ways to study the universe of flamenco, the two dancers meet each other, orbiting one another. The dance styles merge, the sisters get one, and then suddenly with the eruptive force of their temperaments both are being t hrown again into their individual tracks. The intensity in Intuición nourishes itself from the completely different backgrounds and approaches of the flamenco dancers, but also from the intuitive harmony between the sisters. In the field of tension between the eruptive force of Maria Serrano and the classical elegance of her sister Alba "Intuition" celebrates contemporary flamenco in all its facets and on the highest level.

With the age of six Maria Serrano´s parents decided to send her to a dance school, initially against her will, in order to learn how to dance Sevillanas.In Seville almost an obligation where everybody is dancing Sevillanas.When the course came to his end, little Maria had caught fire. She insisted to continue with flamenco. As within the parental home always lacked money, Maria began very early to earn money with small gigs in order to be able to finance her flamenco classes. Always accompanied by her grandfather, the patriarch of the family, she danced already with 12 years in the best-known tablaos of Seville, because of being still a child equipped with a special permission. Among others she worked several years with the famous Familia Montoya. Maria Serrano lived and learned flamenco from the first steps on being on stage. (detailed biography and press see below)

Alba Serrano's career could hardly be more different. Her sister Maria was always an incentive and example for her. Alba wanted to be a dancer, from the beginning, without compromise. But when her dream finaly became true and she was incorporated with six years into the Conservatory of Dance in Seville, she hardly became to see her big sister anymore. Maria
Serrano was still constantly on tour. Alba's reality on the other hand was, in the morning the normal school, then she had to rush home for lunch and immediately after it with the car of her father to the conservatory. Depending on the traffic at least a half hour drive, but very often more. Then four to six hours dancing lessons, every day. Clasical Spanish dance, ballet, dance and music theory and so on. Flamenco only every once in a while. Finalized the lesions in the conservatory her father picked her up again. At home there was always some homework waiting and then she went directly to bed. There was no time to play. Her parents every once in
a while tried to convince her to leave the conservatory, because it seemed to much. But there was no way, Alba wanted to dance and nothing else. So she continued like this for 12 years.
Alba and Maria Serrano are accompanied by four musicians from the Compañia Maria Serrano. – Luis Amador (guitar), David Bermudez (piano/perc.), Tom Auffahrt (bass), Quisco de Alcala (cante).

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 the 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.

Reviews on 'Intuicion´:

"It's an evening with striking lots of subtile nuances, which open us the eyes within the intense dialogue of the Serrano sisters' eyes for the fine details of this dance. Even when they dance unison with each other Maria and Alba find spaces for their very personal expressions. You can see the fact that the big sister is an experienced stage animal in each of her gestures: she has the size to reduce her movements to the absolutely essential. While the younger, celebrates with a lot of elegance and style this typical flamenco hand turns, the ´Floreos´. Marias´s movements seem to come from deep inside, while Alba appears more distant apparently cooler,
the one always lightly bent forwards, deeply rooted and connected to the elements, the other one dances smooth and elegant - and yet the two operate in the most beautiful synchronicity. " (Stuttgarter Nachrichten/Germany)

"The face of this women reflects pride, every muscle of her body radiates power and energy. And so even the simple rising from a chair becomes art.At least if the Spanish flamenco dancer Maria Serrano celebrates it. ... The speed is as impressive as the precision, when Maria and Alba Serrano alternate in furious dance duels and find together in precise duets, driven by the sound of the four musicians. "(Stuttgarter Zeitung/Germany)

"Where Maria Serrano exudes her passion pure and direct, Alba Serrano lets it bubble long time under the surface, before you finally can have a look behind the proud facade. Especially the duos of the sisters, where they play with parallels and reflections, with all this precise rhythmic compatibility and all this intuition life from this fascinating contrast, which exposes the whole range and diversity of this traditional Spanish dance style, "(Reutlinger General Anzeiger/Germany)

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 Serrano celebrates 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