The Auditorium was nearly filled for Ensemble Espanol’s spectacular 32nd Anniversary concert. The event was a treat to the eyes and ears and by the conclusion of the event the audience gave a standing round of applause that lasted for a few minutes!
The performance began with three couples in stunning blue outfits wearing tap shoes and holding small instruments that made a rattling sound. Then a trio of dancers emerged onto the stage, a male dancer accompanied by two female dancers. The trio wore white costumes. This group primarily danced at the center of the stage.
Next, First Dancer Jorge Perez emerged onto the stage accompanied by a female partner and they both performed a dance that made use of a lot of the stage area. Both were dressed in white, with Jorge clad in a white vest and slacks, while his female dance partner wore a flowing skirt. Next, a group of dancers emerged and the larger group began performing a dance routine similar to the dance done by Jorge and his partner, and the entire stage was utilized.
Next came a folkloric dance presentation. The folkloric dance stlye is native to Spanish small towns. The folkloric style uses bagpipes, flutes and drums, and traditionally, both young and old alike from the town participates.
The folkloric scene dancers arrived on stage without shoe taps and included male dancers styled as Spanish fishermen who utilized sea- shells as instruments, a traditional part of Spanish folkloric dance. The female dancers took the stage wearing long, loose green skirts and wide straw hats with ribbons, while the men wore tight spandex pants with a bell bottom flair at mid- calf and white button up shirts and vests. I got a sense of the Spanish countryside while viewing this scene. The folkloric dance portion of the program was followed by intermission.
After intermission, there was a dance where the performers stood in place and made a tapping sound with their boots. The women wore long black skirts and black jackets.
Next was a solo dance to a guitar song by a woman clad in a long blue dress and black shawl.
The next scene consisted of eight women seated in chairs, clapping while clad in long blue dresses that had three layers of flair. Five men emerged wearing grey suits with blue shirts similar in color to the blue dresses that the female dancers wore. Next, six women emerged onto the stage, each in a different colored outfit.
Next, there was a performance by a solo guitarist. The lights were turned off and the spotlight was placed on the guitarist who sat alone in a chair. His passion for the music that he played was evident, as his performance involved a lot of body movement while playing the instrument.
The final scene, entitled Bolero was a captivating display that used the entire stage and created the illusion that the on- stage performance leaped out into the audience! Initially, five women in large, red dresses appeared on stage beneath dim lights, and under the dark lights it appeared as if the women were apart of the stage floor, because they were hunched over very close to the ground. After a brief period of time male dancers emerged. What followed was a spectacular display of large capes, twirled in circles by several dancers and yellow fans carried by other dancers. This twirling display created a tremendous finale of sight and sound! It was truly marvelous!
The concert began with a magnificent slide show that included photographs from the Ensemble’s recent trip to China, where they visited the Great Wall and the Forbidden City among other highlights. Dame Libby Komaiko founded the Ensemble in 1976. In 1983, Libby Komaiko was awarded the Lazo de Dama de la Orden de Isabel la Catolica, which translates to “Ribbon of the Dame.” Don Juan Carlos 1, then King of Spain, awarded the highest honor that the country bestows on foreign nationals when he awarded Libby Komaiko with the Ribbon. In 2008 Dame Komaiko won the 2008 Outstanding Partnership Award for their partnership with Joyce Kilmer Elementary School in Rogers Park.
The concert included three styles of Spanish dance: Classical, Folkloric and Flamenco. You don’t want to miss their performances in 2009!
Finally, here’s a factoid taken from the beginning of the performance: Spain has the richest and most diverse dance culture in the world, with over 10,000 dances. Interesting!