Erskineville resident, Fleur Denny, loves flamenco.
Given the packed crowd and enthusiastic olés at the Sydney Flamenco Studio production of Azul on May 14, it seems plenty of other Sydneysiders love it too.
A student at the Chippendale-based studio, Ms Denny both danced in and made the costumes for Azul (her program by-line is Floracita by Fleurtacious). She worked in her Redfern studio in Cope Street along with choreographer and writer Chachy Peñalver to ensure the ensemble’s costumes augmented the “world of ideas” theme woven through the performance.
“I have quickly discovered that there are no owners in the blue sky of thought,” is one quote that lingered for me long after the show had ended.
The program describes Azul as “a collection of stories and reflections on the importance of the world of ideas and the unique capacity of humans to build and destroy realities based on their biggest and most dangerous gift; their imagination”.
Ms Peñalve’s original text incorporates excerpts from El Quijote (Miguel de Cervantes), Azul (Ruben Darío), and Azure (Mallarme).
Performed at the NiDA playhouse in Kensington, the dancers, musicians and vocalists in Azul conveyed a dizzying whirl of emotion from tight constraint, to gentleness, anger, power, passion and wildness. Several moments – with their pulse and vibrancy – made my arm hairs stand on end.
It was a magical night! I learned to olé if I felt moved. I also clapped and stamped hard at the end to show my appreciation of the ensemble’s skill and expressing a newfound thankfulness for the flamboyance of flamenco.
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The Sydney Flamenco Studio
122 Abercrombie St, Chippendale, 2008, NSW
https://www.thesydneyflamencostudio.com.au/
