The Melbourne Fringe blurb for Evocación poses us some questions: “What does Flamenco evoke for you? An evocation of longing, joy, sorrow and a call to feel… more?” This enjoyable and accessible show presents a great opportunity for fans to experience the art form’s charms, and for the uninitiated to create their own answers.
I fondly remember Voces from a distant Melbourne Arts Festival. The work used male and female dancers, with live musical accompaniment, to show a range of facets of Flamenco. Although we have fewer performers here, this home-grown production also captures the emotions and vibrancy that can make the discipline so compelling.
The show is choreographed by Chachy Peñalver and Roshanne Wijeyeratne, who also dance solo and in combination. Zoe Vélez is lead vocalist and directed the work.
Byron Mark provides percussion and Kieren Ray accompaniment on acoustic guitar. In the absence of male dancers, these gents provide the requisite moments of machismo. Also, Mark’s box drum supported the escalation of percussive action, and finely controlled guitar volume contributed to the mood of the dance pieces.
If you were expecting to see rapid steps or yearning expressed through dance or accompanying vocals, you certainly got those here. But there were also moments where a broad smile showed the ecstasy a dancer experienced, or a character evinced fierce resolve, as if posing a challenge to onlookers.
The focus on female dancing also gave us different views of femininity, enhanced by the costuming. A joyful dancer was dressed in bright florals. A fiery sprit regarded us in a combination of black and red, as we would find on a dangerous creature from the Australian landscape.
At the show’s conclusion, Vélez advised us that the work had just been recognised as a Dance Judges’ pick at this Fringe. The accolade is well deserved.
Unfortunately for festival punters, the work had a short season. As the show has won Fringe awards in Adelaide and Darwin, maybe the company will consider providing other chances to experience the depth of feeling held by Evocación.
Evocación
Gasworks Theatre – Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham Street, Albert Park
Performance: Wednesday 9 October 2024
Information: www.melbournefringe.com.au
Image: Zoe Vélez – photo by Amy Brown
Review: Jason Whyte