Contributory

Dance from three continents

Stage Stockholm : Nybrokajen 11 - Gamla Musikaliska Akademin 8-9-10 november 2006Other citys: Vara konserhus 5/11, Gävle Teater 7/11 , Örebro konserthus 11/11

World of the Gypsies intertwines Northindian Kathak, oriental as well as flamenco dance and music and is based on the concept of the choreographer Gabriela Gutarra, then in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Theatre in Stockholm. The underlying factors for the realization of this ambitious project were the generous timing and financiation, with the support of the Swedish authorities, and also particularly experienced and receptive artists.

Prashant Shah

After an exhaustive survey, the following artists with their respective ensembles were invited:
- The Indian dancer Sharmila Sharma from New Dehli who has won numerous prizes for her Kathak performances and who appears in concert halls like the Paris Opera and the Royal Albert Hall.
- Renowned flamenco artists like Rafael de Utrera (the new singer of the Paco-de-Lucia-Septett), Jairo Barull and El Fiti have already collaborated in the project, and artists of the same quality will be again part of World of the Gypsies.
- The Turkish-Arab belly dancer Firuza, established in Berlin, who has performed for more than 12 years on international stages with the most diverse musicians, as in Athens in 2002 within a intercultural project spearheaded by Peter Gabriel.

In the first part of the program, the three ensembles present individually their art, each group for about 20 minutes. Here, the common origins as well as the differences in rhythm, harmony and movements of feet and arms will become evident.

Alvaro Paños

A curtain with the beautiful image of the famous Great Mosque of Córdoba, as can be seen on the included pictures, serves to create the proper atmosphere and to symbolize the arabian influence.

In the second part the often attempted and here successfully realized fusion truly takes place: Indians and Andalusians dance to arabian rhythms and drums, but their traditional movements melt into a new form, influenced by the new accompaniment. Likewise, the oriental belly dancer is inspired by her Indian and Andalusian fellow artists. Then, she continues with the flamenco dancer; and with musicians from both groups fusing their harmonies, they present different figures of mythology, like the Indian Godess Kali with four arms, as the music intensifies with a so far unheard blending of flamenco and oriental music, in which also the Spanish guitarist and singer join.

Ana Saaida

Both the intensive preparation of the framework as well as the gift of improvisation to masterly fill out this multicultural project explain the stunning success among diverse audiences and journalists - as the swedish dance critic Liz Hellsträm wrote: „World of the Gypsies crosses all barriers... The word multicultural acquires a new living significance, and it feels like a vitalizing injection.