CONCIERTO FLAMENCO

(FLAMENCO CONCERT)

PATH OF MARÍA CARRASCO

María Carrasco was born in Antón Martín, the Flamenco district of Madrid, and her passion for dance began at age four. Gifted with a precocious talent and a genuine vocation, she finished her studies in Spanish Dance with a strong artistic personality.

After years of intense preparation with great masters of flamenco, she went abroad to reinforce her studies in other dance styles such as classic and contemporary. She also did a Masters in Set Design, Lighting, Costume and Theatre Direction in Milan. She worked as a choreographer in renowned opera companies and taught specialized courses in Spanish Dance at important schools and organizations abroad.

After winning first prize in the prestigious contest “Nuevos Valores de Flamenco”, organized by the city of Madrid, and now with her own company, Maria Carrasco performed in the most prestigious venues of Madrid's flamenco circuit – such as The Conde Duque Central Patio (as part of La Villa Summer Festival). There, she quickly gained recognition from specialized critics and from an ever- growing audience who had always seen her charm and charisma. From then on, she continued to grow in success and win awards – for example, Spanish Cultural Diffusion in the US, The Silver Antenna presented by the Federation of Spanish Radio and Television, the Parliamentary Bullfighting Association Award for artistic performance related to bullfighting culture, 2008 Golden Microphone for Dance, and two Max Theatre awards for Best Dance Performance and Best Female Performer.

María debuted nine shows with her company Ballet Flamenco María Carrasco: Embrujo, Tiempos Flamencos, Carmen, Concierto Flamenco, Al Compás de Lorca, Aires Flamencos, Flamenco Libre, Made in Spain, and Cinderella (a show for children). She brought all these shows to prestigious theatres and festivals throughout the world. She has danced in countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, Cuba, Portugal, Turkey, Poland, Lebanon, Jordan, Tunisia, France, England, and America. In Lebanon, she was chosen by the Cervantes Institute to represent flamenco dance at the UNESCO Palace, with the show Tiempos Flamencos. In Jordan, she was invited to dance the Carmen show in front of the Jordanian royal family. In Panama, she was invited to represent Spain in the Book Festival, with the show Al Compas de Lorca. In Guatemala, she performed Cinderella as best foreign show for children, as part of the Paiz Music and Dance Festival. She has performed in Mexico on several occasions, particularly at Baja California's La Vendimia Festival, and at the 25th anniversary of Tijuana's Cecut theatre. In China, she performed for the Beijing Olympic Games, and she also participated as a guest artist in important events such as the 150th anniversary of Credit Suisse and the celebration of Spanish Radio and Television's Golden Antennas.

She has performed alongside such figures as Antonio Canales, Joaquín Cortés , Julio Bocca, Jose Merce, Enrique Morente and Carmen Linares, among others, and has been a total success both with critics and at the box office in theatres such as the Teresa Carreño in Caracas, the Masque Theatre in Liverpool, the Fine Arts Circle in Lisbon, the National Theatre of Costa Rica, Nicaragua's Miguel Hernandez Theatre, and others, as well as Madrid's most important theatres, like the Fine Arts Theatre, Madrid Theatre, the Nuevo Apolo Theatre, the Amaya, the Alcazar, the Arenal, and the Lara.

All her shows display modern and unique flamenco as well as original staging and, above all, the strength and character of a special performer – María Carrasco.

Awards and reviews

María Carrasco, winner of first prize in the contest “Nuevos Valores del Flamenco”, dances at the most prestigious venues of Madrid’s flamenco circuit and has the recognition of specialized critics who can see her charm and charisma. She is successful and award- winning, with prizes such as Spanish Cultural Diffusion in the United States, The Silver Antenna from The Federation of Spanish Radio and Television, the Parliamentary Bullfighting Association Award for artistic performance related to bullfighting culture, the 2008 Golden Microphone for Dance, and two Max Theater Awards for Best Dance Performance and Best Female Performer.

“She does not waste any time whatsoever on stage, she grabs the bull by the horns, which is to be welcomed if the link between the different choreographies is to be well managed.” ABC “Her dancing is elegant and her technique unbeatable.” El País “She started with a flowing rhythm and not for such a long time have we seen dancing like this, heels on fire, the intricate communication of sticks and percussion transformed into movements of iconic seriousness and master dialogue in musical verse. A concert section: the audience at the Conde Duque rocked by the earth-shaking rhythm, recognizing the achievement of the whole company with an effusive flamenco stomping in the stands. ” La Razón “What do I want to communicate with Embrujo? I want people to feel what I feel, I want us to connect. I have seen people leaving my shows clapping their hands and stamping their feet. That is what I want, for that energy to reach them.” El País “María Carrasco, a rising star of Madrid’s flamenco.” Metropoli, El Mundo “María Carrasco, a multifaceted new talent in flamenco, recovers dance’s femininity and designs the costumes for her own company.” Vogue Magazine “She offers to the audience something innovative without losing the sense of intimacy of tablao flamenco.” El Periódico “She has a poetic command of the body and especially of the imaginary landscapes that her arms create in the chiaroscuros of the tablao” Información de Madrid “María Carrasco showed that when she dances, she enters a state of transformation that transports her to the purest level of emotion” Diario de Salamanca María Carrasco is a resounding success in flamenco: “This artist showed in every one of her acts that she could combine the essence of flamenco with her own staging, sending a unique rhythm into the audience” La Gaceta “There was real character in Maria Carrasco’s lavish soleá “En Mí”; at times the rhythm was furious and at times serious, delicate and transcendental. Always imaginative in her flamenco” La Razón “María Carrasco dazzles when she appears on stage, with flying white folds over her lean and expressive body” Diario 16

Flamenco Concert

Description of the show

Flamenco, small format, but big claw and magic takes us into a world of expression and feeling where the viewer is immersed and allowed to flow their passions leading him to experience new sensations.

María Carrasco and principal dancer with four excellent musicians offer us in an hour and a half show with flamenco essence granted freedom staged dance of today.

An imaginative Flamenco accompanied by a modern, flamenco music, originally created for this show and exquisitely maintained that perfectly accompanies the expressive dance movements María Carrasco and interpretative essence of flamenco dance.

A world of emotions danced an intimate journey into a personal, evocative and always live flamenco.

Program

I FELL IN LOVE

ECHOES OF THE SOUL

COME WITH ME

MEMORIES

SOUNDS OF CASTANETS

NOT BY MYSELF ALONE

MEMORIES

YOU BEFORE ME

LOOSING YOURSELF

Artistic File

Choreography & Art Direction: María Carrasco.

Music Direction: Carlos Orgaz.

Direction Técnica: Fernando de Gabriel.

Dancers

First Dancer: María Carrasco.

Firs Dancer: Jonathan Sanchez

Musicians

Singer: Sonia Berbel.

Guitar: Carlos Orgaz.

Percussion: José María Urriarte.

Piano: Adolfo Delgado.

Technical File

Lighting Tecnich: Ángel Perez.

Sound Tenich: Javier Ventimiglia.

Production: Espectáculos Candilejas, S.L Costume: París.

INFORMATION & CONTACT

Ballet Flamenco María Carrasco Web: www.mariacarrasco.com

Director: María Carrasco Email: [email protected] Tlf: +34 620 89 59 07

Distribution Email: [email protected] Tlf: +34 914204493

Address: Other Contacts:

C/ Santa Polonia, 9 Bajo [email protected] Madrid – 28014