TMCnet News
Into the Passion of Flamenco(Korea Times Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge)By Park Chung-a Japan's representative flamenco dancer Yoko Komatsubara and her dance troupe will make their first visit to Korea later this month to enthrall domestic fans with the essence of Spanish passion. They will perform at the Inchon Culture and Art Hall on Feb. 19, and the National Theater of Korea on Feb. 21. Yoko Komatsubara is a leading dancer and choreographer of flamenco in Japan. World-famous flamenco dancer Antonio Marquez will also join the performance. The first part consists of ``Carmen's Love,'' based on Prosper Merimee's novella ``Carmen,'' a story about jealousy and unfaithfulness. Starting with a solo dance of Carmen looking back on her past love, dramatic elements will climax to show the passionate life of the heroine. The second part, titled ``Mystery and Passion of Flamenco,'' will bring a variety of techniques of classical flamenco to the stage. ``Even if you are not familiar with flamenco, the pretty costumes and splendid gestures will enchant you. I love its dramatic character, the pain, the exhilarating joy, the passion, the suffering. For me, flamenco is life itself and I hope the Korean audience will feel the same,'' Komatsubara said. Flamenco is an art originating from southern Spain. It exists in three forms: cante, the song; baile, the dance; and guitarra, guitar playing. Gypsies are often named as its creator, while the popular songs and dances of Andalusia are said to have considerably influenced early flamenco. Yoko Komatsubara initially majored in Japanese traditional dance and classical ballet. However, on seeing a performance in 1959 in Japan by world-famous flamenco dancer Pilar Lopez, she was so captivated she set off alone to study flamenco in Spain. Hence, she became one of the first to impart flamenco in her home country. ``I feel there isn't such a big difference between Japanese dance and flamenco; they are both grounded and earthy, they both use a handkerchief to dance, the way they use lively colors onstage is similar and they are both dramatic. And the life of a flamenco family is similar to the life of an artistic family in Japan. It reminded me of my roots,'' Komatsubara said. In 1975 she won a special prize in Antonio Mairena, the most prestigious flamenco competition, and in 1998 she received the Gerald Brenan Prize for her deep understanding of and contribution to Spanish culture. Her dancing earned such a high reputation that she was invited to perform at the Spanish royal palace. Since founding the Yoko Komatsubara Dance Company in Japan in 1969, she has included, apart from traditional flamenco, choreographies set to music by Spanish composers. The company has been enthusiastically received not just in Japan, but also on the international stage. Commenting on the Korean Wave (hallyu), which has been growing in Japan, she expressed her hope for wider exchange of culture in various fields between the two countries. ``Currently, the cultural exchange seems to be mostly focused on entertainers and soap operas. I hope there will be more exchange of stage performances like dance so that people from both sides can know each other better,'' she said. |