Picasso Eterno Ballet Flamenco (EN)

Picasso… Faith, freedom, instinct, childhood, muses, symbols, allegories, icons, fortune…

Picasso felt, saw and painted. He was an artist who indulged in his work in tremendous solitude for the sake of achieving something. Without this solitude, true art would not actually be realized. Picasso’s hard work meets the audience in “PICASSO ETERNO”, whose artistic director is Carlos Rodriquez, the founder of Rojas y Rodriguez, one of the most successful Flamenco groups in Spain. The show is in search for where Picasso’s inspiration came from.

“As a dancer and choreographer, sometimes I just can’t find the right words to express how I feel. I can only express it by dancing,” says Carlos Rodriquez, and tries to reflect with choreography and dance what the dancers express with Picasso’s paintings, daring to break the rules of traditional dance performances. From his perspective, like Picasso, every act of creation begins with an act of destruction. “After 30 years in a prolific career as a dancer and as a choreographer, the urge to explore the work of Pablo Ruiz Picasso, a symbolic and worldclass cultural artist, is the cornerstone of this show. Admiring his paintings and reading his poems has led me to recognize the scent of silence with the refined language of Spanish dance and Flamenco.”

The first part of “PICASSO ETERNO”, a two-act performance consisting of two different choreographic parts, is a work that renews and explores original, aesthetic forms. This first act, which has narrative features, is conveyed to the audience through visuals. Addressing the artist’s most private and personal obsessions, this first act includes an original

symphonic musical composition by Lucas Vidal.

The second part is a suite that will have you experience different Flamenco styles. Powerful dances, Flamenco-Andalusian aesthetics, original musical compositions showcase the versatility of the dancers and musicians. This choreography reflects the movement and emotion of the artists to reveal their purity and truth, and acts as a counterbalance

to the concept of the first act. Providing an insight into Picasso’s art, “Picasso ETERNO” will be welcoming art lovers on October 15 at Atatürk Cultural Center in Istanbul.

October 15th, 2022, 8 pm – İSTANBUL AKM

ABOUT CARLOS RODRIGUEZ

Spanish classical, flamenco dancer and choreographer Carlos Rodriguez founded Nuevo Ballet Español (NBE) in 1995 with Ángel Rojas, combining dance with contemporary disciplines to create

an unconventional Flamenco. Carlos Rodríguez started his dance career with Rafael Aguilar’s Ballet Teatro Español troupe after he became a finalist in the Spanish National Ballet audition at the age of thirteen. He then danced with the Luisillo Spanish Theater Ballet, Madrid Spanish Ballet and Zambra Ballet. He was a soloist with José Antonio and the Ballets Españoles, having won

the best dancer award at the National Choreography Competition in 1994 with Ángel Rojas. His first choreography was with Rojas at La Zapatera Prodigiosa, created for the Teatro de la Danza in Madrid, which was later followed by Infierno S.L (1995), Cinnamon and Fire (1996), Sangre flamenca (1997), Flamenco Directo (1998), Furia (2000), and Alma (2006). Sangre (2008) and Cambio de Tercero (2009) are among his other shows.

Released in 2003, Romeo and Juliet is Carlos Rodríguez’s only solo work within the NBE. Carlos Rodríguez was awarded the Villa de Madrid Pilar López Award for the best dance artist in 2005. In 2008, the

artist changed the name of the community to “Rojas y Rodríguez Compañía” and premiered the Baile Demascaras show commissioned by the Madrid Ensemble to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the War of Independence, with original music by José Nieto and Daniel Jurado. Rodriguez, who worked as a choreographer and guest actor in the Spanish National Ballet for 3 years, performed most of his work with his own group. These include Cambio de Tercio, Direct Flamenco, Sangre Flamenca, El Amor Brujo, Titanium, Romeo y Julieta, Canela y Fuego, Gallo de Pelea, Furia, Filigrana and He. The artist also worked as a choreographer and art director in different dance groups. Carlos Rodriguez is the artistic director of one of the most awarded promotional clips of 2017 for the “Flamenco Madrid” festival organized by Madrid Destino. Rodriguez, who was the artistic director of the “Spain’s Got Talent” program for Telecinco, also served as the choreography coach of the same program. The artist, who created the new Spanish Ballet «Esencia» performance, also premiered the show “Mar de Fuego” and the show “Bendita” in Chicago for the company Ensamble Español.

Rodriguez was the artistic director of the final event in the 2019 UEFA Champions League.

Rodriguez, who premiered his new show Amores Flamencos in 2021, also prepared a fusion show called “Ritual” for the Taranta night festival of Italy and Spain.

He is currently takes part in the new talent show called The Dancer.

PICASSO ETERNO
Intellectual and artistic director: Carlos Rodríguez
Stage manager: Alberto Velasco
Choreography consultants: Carmelo Segura, Iker Carrera
Choreography: Carlos Rodríguez
Dancers: Carlos Rodríguez, La Lupi, David Coria, Hsueh Yu Hsien,
Joaquín de Luz, Laura Fúnez, Miguel Ángel Berna, Mayte Bajo, José
Maldonado, Sara Calero
Music, 1st Act: Lucas Vidal, José Almarcha y Manuel Urbina
Music, 2nd Act: Roberto Jabonero Extremadura
Orchestra: Roberto Jabonero (violin), Julio Alcocer (percussion), José
del Calli (vocal), Gabriel de la Tomasa (vocal), Pedro Medina (guitar),
José Almarcha (guitar)
Stage design: Juan Sebastián
Costume design: Rosa García Andújar
Light design: Luis Perdiguero
Sound and visual design: Víctor Tomé
Graphic design: María La Cartelera