Press Release: Staple of London’s dance calendar, the annual Flamenco Festival returns to Sadler’s Wells this February

[Jan McNulty]

UK PREMIERES & WORLD PREMIERE

Flamenco Festival London 
Sadler’s Wells, EC1R 4TN 
Wednesday 15 - Sunday 26 February 2017
Performances at 7.30pm; Saturday matinee performances at 3.30pm
Tickets: £12 - £42
Ticket Office: 020 7863 8000 or www.sadlerswells.com

Israel Galván: FLA.CO.MEN (UK PREMIERE)
Cía. Eva Yerbabuena: Apariencias (UK PREMIERE)  
Cía. Mercedes Ruiz: Déjame que te baile (UK PREMIERE)                                                                                  
Gala Flamenca 2017 (WORLD PREMIERE)       
Cía. Manuel Liñán Reversible (UK PREMIERE)   

LILIAN BAYLIS STUDIO
Santiago Lara: (UK PREMIERE)   
Rocío Márquez and Miguel Ángel Cortés (UK PREMIERE)

The annual Flamenco Festival returns to Sadler’s Wells for the 14th year from Wednesday 15 – Sunday 26 February 2017, representing the varied styles of the celebrated art form with performances from some of the world’s finest flamenco dancers and musicians.

Opening this year’s festival on the main stage on Wednesday 15 & Thursday 16 February is a UK Premiere from the inventive Israel Galván with FLA.CO.MEN. For this work he follows a similar vein to some of his previous works, including La Curva and La Edad de Oro which sees Galván break the rules, deconstruct and push the boundaries of the dance form, charging it with a new energy. Galván was last seen at Sadler’s Wells with Associate Artist, Akram Khan in their Sadler’s Well production of TOROBAKA in July 2015.

Theatrical performer and Flamenco Festival favourite Eva Yerbabuena returns to Sadler’s Wells with her company with the UK Premiere of Apariencias from Friday 17 - Sunday 19 February on the main stage. Renowned internationally as being one of Spain’s leading dancers, she is accompanied by four dancers and her critically acclaimed ensemble of musicians, including African guest singer Alana Sinkëy.

One of the most renowned Flamenco dancers of Jerez, Mercedes Ruiz brings Déjame que te baile which translates to Let me dance for you performs on the main stage on Tuesday 21 February. The show is a declaration of love to the audience. This UK Premiere is an autobiographical work glancing back on Ruiz career, which was marked by flamenco from an early age.

Returning to the main stage, a highlight of each year’s Flamenco Festival, Gala Flamenca created specially for the London festival runs from Thursday 23 - Saturday 25 February.  Directed by Manuel Liñan, Gala Flamenca 2017 features some of the most exciting figures on the flamenco scene including the legendary Gypsy dancer Juana Amaya, Olga Pericet, described by The Guardian as an “astonishing dancer”, Jesus Carmona, Patricia Guerrero, and Rocío Marquez, considered as one of the shining voices of flamenco today.

The final performance on the main stage is choreographer, director, multi award-winning dancer and director of Gala Flamenca 2017, Manuel Liñan with his company Cía. Manuel Liñán presenting their UK Premiere of Reversible on Sunday 26 February. Liñán returns to Sadler’s Wells with an emotional voyage back to the memories and instincts of childhood. Framed by children’s games, from jump rope to dressing up, Liñán sets out to discover the core of who we are.

Sadler’s Wells also runs a small flamenco programme in the Lilian Baylis Studio. This year’s programme focuses on intimate music concerts. Opening the programme on Wednesday 22 February is flamenco guitarist Santiago Lara performing Tribute to Pat Metheny, a concert co-presented by Instituto Cervantes as part of a concert series the Institute organise called Guitarrisimo. The show is a flamenco tribute to American jazz guitarist and composer, Pat Metheny.

The festival’s finale and completing the Lilian Baylis programme and is flamenco singer Rocío Márquez and flamenco guitarist Miguel Ángel Cortés who will be performing an intimate concert on Sunday 26 February. Rocío’s captivating style combines retro cool, modern elegance and an impressive passionate vocal delivery.


Notes to Editors:

ABOUT SADLER’S WELLS 
Sadler's Wells is a world-leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the best international and UK dance to London and worldwide audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding, the theatre’s acclaimed year-round programme spans dance of every kind, from contemporary to flamenco, Bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap.

Since 2005, it has helped to bring over 100 new dance works to the stage and its award-winning commissions and collaborative productions regularly tour internationally. Sadler’s Wells supports 16 Associate Artists, three Resident Companies, an Associate Company and three International Associate Companies. It also nurtures the next generation of talent through research and development, running the National Youth Dance Company and a range of programmes including Wild Card, New Wave Associates, Open Art Surgery and Summer University.

Located in Islington, north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since, with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells. Sadler’s Wells is an Arts Council National Portfolio Organisation and currently receives approximately 9% of its revenue from Arts Council England.

ABOUT FLAMENCO FESTIVAL
Flamenco Festival is a not for profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of Spanish culture around the world directed and founded by Miguel Marin. Flamenco Festival’s annual international events showcase the leading flamenco names of today, from world renowned artists and icons of traditional flamenco to the most innovative, emerging young stars of flamenco, dance music and song. 

Flamenco Festival USA was founded in 2001, and since then has become a showcase for Spanish artists in New York, Washington DC, Miami, Boston and other American cities. In 2003, the first Flamenco Festival was presented in London at Sadler’s Wells, and since then it has become an annual date with Flamenco in London.

Flamenco Festival London is sponsored by Instituto Nacional de las Artes Escénicas y de la Música, INAEM. Flamenco Festival London is supported by AC/E (Acción Cultural Española), Instituto Cervantes Londres, AIE and Embajada Española en Reino Unido.