Israel Galvan - Sydney Opera House

“I don’t force myself to searchat all. When I feel good dancing,that’s when I am hoveringover risk. If I venture intosomething new or innovative, italways starts from the roots. Aflamenco artist today no longerhas the opportunity to be shapedin the fiestas, the tablaos, theprivate gatherings. I went tocollege, I have the Internet, Iam an avid cinema-goer… we nolonger have the same influences.”ISRAEL GALVÁN

ABOUT ISRAEL GALVÁNIsrael Galván, a master of contemporaryflamenco, comes to Australia for thefirst time to perform at Spring Dance2011. Born to a family immersed inflamenco, his father José Galván directedhis own dance academy in Seville for morethan 35 years and both his mother Eugeniade los Reyes and sister Pastora Galvánare fellow performers.Using his deeprootedknowledge of the technique andtraditions of flamenco, he has developeda new pared-back aesthetic for the genre,inspiring critics to draw comparisonsto dancers such as Fred Astaire andWilliam Forsythe. He started his careerin dance in 1994 joining the company ofMario Maya - Compañía Andaluza de Danza- before moving on to devise his own workfrom 1998. Galván’s work as both dancerand choreographer has won him a numberof awards including Spain’s prestigiousNational Dance Prize.www.israelgalvan.com

CHOREOGRAPHY AND DANCERIsrael GalvánSINGERDavid LagosGUITARISTAlfred LagosARTISTIC DIRECTIONPedro G. Romero - Máquina P.HPRODUCTION & MANAGEMENTA Negro ProduccionesLIGHTINGRuben CamachoSOUNDFélix VázquezINTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTIONCatherine SerdimetA NOTE FROMPEDRO G. ROMEROLA EDAD DE ORO - THE GOLDEN AGEIn flamenco as in all the arts, historians,specialists and critics have progressivelydefined the reference periods. The periodthat they called ‘La Edad de Oro’, ‘TheGolden Age’ of flamenco, is a periodrunning from the end of the 19th Centuryto today. This ‘Golden Age’ focused on theact of singing and dance, the guitar nottaking its rightful rise until much later.No singer or dancer today - except inexceptional cases - will be able to equalthe quality, purity and creativity of thosefrom this era.Since the ‘Golden Age’, there has been adecline in the formal model of flamenco artthat was established in this period. Theform became impoverished and simplifiedwith a fusion of content. From within thisenvironment, accompanied by the Lagosbrothers, musicians from Jerez (the birthtown of flamenco), Galván pushes away ‘Age’– only profiting from the ‘Gold’. One ‘Gold’in the present day, there just under oureyes, in front of our senses.The dance of Israel Galván is not as one ofthe new times. Rather, he updates aspectsof dance which originate from the end oftime. This is a dance which itself wants tobe classical and which only now, with IsraelGalván, reveals itself in all its true andbaroque splendours.This is a marriage between the guitar,canto and flamenco dance. It is a guitar,the throat of David Lagos and the feet ofIsrael Galván. But one mustn’t lose sightof the shadows; ‘The Golden Age’ has alwaysbeen a time of mirages and illusions.

SPRING DANCE FESTIVAL CONTINUESROS WARBYP I N A :A CELEBRATIONTHE AGE‘PROFOUNDLY MOVING’A WEEKEND OF FILMS & TALKS2 - 3 SEPT / ONLY $15*A visually exquisite solo dance pieceintegrating film and cello score.MONUMENTAL3 - 4 SEPT / FROM $35*YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:PINA : A CELEBRATIONA WEEKEND OF TALKS& FILMS / ONLY $15*SESSION #1 / FRI, 2 SEPTKey players who helped shape the destinyof contemporary performance in Europeand Australia are bought together toshare their experiences working withand continuing to be inspired by thelate Pina Bausch. Followed by ascreening of Anne Linsel’s 2006documentary, Pina Bausch.SESSION #2 / SAT, 3 SEPTDynamic and different choreographicvoices will discuss how Bausch’sinfluence resonates in their worktoday. Followed by a screening of Lifein Movement - a documentary of thelate Tanja Liedtke, a sell-out at theSydney Film Festival.SESSION #3/ SAT, 3 SEPTIn this exclusive event, Lutz Förster,a dancer with Tanztheater Wuppertal,remembers his friend and collaboratorPina Bausch. Followed by a screening ofthe full length feature film, DancingDreams, documenting the rehearsal periodof the young cast chosen to recreate oneof Bausch’s works. A hit at the recentMontpellier Dance Festival.BOOK AT THEBOX OFFICE ORSYDNEYOPERAHOUSE.COM*TRANSACTION FEE OF $5 - $8.50 APPLIES TO ALLBOOKINGS, EXCLUDING INSIDERS

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