Edwin Aparicio: Selected Works. July 15, 2007--first batch of photos.
Martinete (from Camino/al flamenco). July 15, 2007 4:17pm
This past Sunday at the Gala Hispanic Theatre/Tivoli, I had the pleasure of attending a performance by dancer Edwin Aparicio and his hand-picked troupe of dancers, singers and musicians. I had the foresight of officially obtaining permission from Edwin to photograph the show a few days in advance. He was kind enough to reserve for me two seats in the second row which helped enormously in providing a great vantage point for taking pics. Thanks Edwin!
Excerpt from Edwin's program notes:
In Camino/al flamenco I was exploring my childhood memories, the war and the immigration. In many ways, flamenco was what saved me by giving me a channel of expression. Camino means path and it also means "I walk." Both interpretations suited the production as well as my development as an individual because flamenco is my path and it is the reason that I walk or exist.
"Martinete," with its unsettling rhythmic pattern, brought memories of the war in El Salvador. The choreography has undergone an important transition from the time it was first presented two years ago. It's gone from portraying a person as a victim to having him transformed into a winner despite all the hurdles.
I took close to 700 pics of this two-hour show (including a 10-minute intermission). Last night (Thursday), as I carefully scrutinized the pics one-by-one to select the best ones for publication and edited them in Photoshop, the hours seemed to fly by. The last pic I selected for this first batch is number 185, out of 700, which means I still have about 500 more pics to go! Ugh.
For the first two pieces in the program (Martinete and Nana), I was busy fiddling with the settings on my camera to best accomodate the initially dim stage lighting. The unfortunate result was that first pics I took were unusable, although I did manage to get one (see above pic) that could be passed off as being artistically blurred. Hehe. It was just an accident, I swear. 
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Still, the photo captures the energy of the moment and the lighting reminded me of fire--perhaps it was meant to evoke the ambience of a blacksmith's forge. The word martinete comes from the word for hammer, martillo, because its characteristic rhythmic pattern supposedly was created by the blacksmiths as they struck the anvil. Don't know if this is really true, but it makes for a good story.
Checkout the rest of the pics...
Taranto (from Camino/al flamenco). Carmel Shelly, Rebecca Thomas, Edwin Aparicio, La Genoveva and Tamara Sol Flys. July 15, 2007 4:31pm
Excerpt from Edwin's program notes:
"Taranto" from Camino/al flamenco is inspired by the women in my life. I grew up surrounded by women--both of my grandmothers, my mother, and the countless aunts. Later, I met La Tati, who became my greatest mentor in flamenco. The style of Taranto lends itself well to the subject of women, as it is often powerful, yet not forceful, and the lyrics frequently deal with family matters and inward suffering.
July 15, 2007 4:32pm
July 15, 2007 4:33pm
July 15, 2007 4:33pm
July 15, 2007 4:35pm
July 15, 2007 4:35pm
This very dramatic photo is just begging to be made into a promo poster! July 15, 2007 4:36pm
Farruca (from Bailes Inéditos). Rebecca. July 15, 2007 4:41pm
Excerpt from Edwin's program notes:
Bailes Íneditos (Unedited Dances) was my first flamenco production, which I co-directed with my great friend and colleague Anna Menéndez. I was really inspired by the original work of the legendary flamenco singers, the Utrera sisters (Fernanda and Bernarda), one of whose projects was entitled Cantes Íneditos (Unedited Songs). Both Anna and I were dancing all over town and had performed in other places in the US and in Spain, and we were ready to create something of our own. We were learning from each other and working hard to bring out our own essence as dancers and friends in Bailes Íneditos. One of the numbers that resonated with the audience was "Farruca," which Anna and I danced together. I remember one of the critics commenting that although we were both dressed in pants, it appeared as if I, the man, was the lead. In tonight's performance, two women offer a different dynamic.
Carmel and Rebecca. July 15, 2007 4:42pm
July 15, 2007 4:42pm
July 15, 2007 4:44pm
Carmel. July 15, 2007 4:45pm
July 15, 2007 4:45pm
Rebecca. July 15, 2007 4:45pm
July 15, 2007 4:46pm
July 15, 2007 4:46pm
Allright, I have 500 pics to go, so I'll just call it a night and publish another batch tomorrow. In the meantime, you can find more information about Edwin Aparicio and his upcoming performances at his website. Ciao for now!
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