Flamenco fury at Fountain Theater

Dance · Reviews

Paloma Rios_2-smallThe petite lady in the photo, a Frida Kahlo lookalike named Palomo Rios, is a spitfire dancer whose performance at the Fountain Theater’s “Forever Flamenco” series we had the great pleasure of viewing last Sunday evening .

One suggestion: Do not get on Ms. Rios’s bad side.

She’ll hurl her compact body through space, seizing an on-stage stance, her pelvis a gyroscope rotating above slightly bent knees. Then, all at once, she’ll snap to startling attention like supercharged marionette, her brown eyes searing a hole through the very air that buffets her solo dance. Oozing fearsome passion that defies you to look elsewhere, she’ll drill the floorboard with her heels, at first spasmodically, and then, rat a tat tat, pounding to a fine rhythm. Her ferocity will cast a spell on you. And you will comply.

You won’t fare much better with the other merciless flamenco-istas impresario Deborah Lawlor rotates through her sixth annual pageant at Hollywood’s intimate boutique-theater.

Sunday’s crew included San Francisco-based Marina Elana, an exquisite, fully formed dancer with cool exterior and lots of inner heat, and the brooding and handsome Ricardo Chavez, who lent masculine balance.

Performances always feature superb gypsy guitarists and singers.

Do you enjoy seeing the body in spellbinding motion? Great artistic individuality? Live music?  Then go.  Recommended.

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Fountain Theater: Sunday evenings thru December
Ford Ampitheatre: Part of rich summer-dance line-up, July 23, 24

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