The Myth of the Cave, The Winged Chariot, Norma and Nigger heaven, a novel by Carl Van Vechten that is part of the so-called Harlem Renaissance (a movement that showed the richness of the arts in the Black community in New York in the 1920s) are, in fact, the lifeblood or the blood, as you prefer, of the show. These and other literary creations make up the foundations of the production directed by the dancer and choreographer María Pagés and the Moroccan writer El Arbi El Harti. A negritude resonates in him that the artists use to speak about the conflicts of a humanity that is a victim of its own asymmetry. Dance, song, music and drama combine to explore on stage the limits of human nature, the boundaries and threats, physical or symbolic, that generate violence in the human conscience and that present the other not as an extension of our own desire, but as an enemy, thus distancing us from balance and happiness. Arrhythmias, anomalies, disorders... These elements are very present in a show that seeks precisely balance and harmony, but which uses these resources to reflect on stage the existential anguish that we all experience and which generates this kind of inner ‘confinement’ that distances us from others. In fact, Norma and Nigger Heaven would be, after Una oda al tiempo (2018) the second part of a choreographic trilogy in which María Pagés talks about the shadows and decadence that loom over humanity.
It is a new work by Seville-born María Pagés, a flamenco artist with a strong, international reputation. She was awarded the Premio Nacional de Danza in 2002 and Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts in 2014. In 1990, she established her own company, through which she has made her flamenco concept known. This involves the most traditional aspects of the genre dealt with from a contemporary perspective, with no fear of mixing artistic languages and the highest commitment to the world we live in. As she says, modernity is nothing but tradition in movement.
Coproduced by the Barcelona El Grec 2021 Festival, Centro Coreográfico María Pagés de Fuenlabrada, Fuelabrada Town Council and Madric City Council.
In partnership with the Comunidad de Madrid.
Director: María Pagés, El Arbi El Harti Choreography, musical direction and costumes: María Pagés Dramaturgy: El Arbi El Harti Dance: María Pagés Music performed by: Ana Ramón Sara García (singing), Rubén Levaniegos (guitar), Sergio Menem (cello), David Moñiz (violin), Chema Uriarte (percussion) Musicians: Rubén Levaniegos, David Moñiz, Sergio Menem, María Pagés Lighting design: Pau Fullana Stage design: María Pagés, El Arbi El Harti Sound: Enrique Cabañas Lighting and technical coordination: Pau Fullana Staging: Alba Pastor Producer: Mamen Adeva Communication: Hasna El Harti Photographer: María Alperi
