No one has yet established the foundations of what constitutes the Jerez school of dance, and some even claim that it lacks the unique characteristics that would give it its own identity, unlike Seville's. Be that as it may, the dance of Gem Moneo It demonstrates that when a flamenco dancer is from Jerez, it's obvious from a mile away: their wrists, their rhythm, their attention to the canteIts elegance, and a few technical resources specific to this region. There were, are, and will be dance representatives who carry the banner of the movement. flamenco Jerez native around the world with admiration for the respectable.
El Don Antonio Chacón Cultural Center It opened its 41st edition of the spring cycle with Gema, the niece of Manuel, Juan and Luis MoneoThat's nothing. His father, The GuardHe is one of those guitarists who have experienced the great festivals of Jerez since Gema was born in 1991, so it was to be expected that the little girl would be born with a star shining brightly. She has seen and heard everything that her age should, and her dancing reflects that. At four years old, she was already showcasing her talent in academies like those of Ana María Lopez o Manuela Carpio, those from her neighborhood of La Plazuela, to go on as a teenager to train with Manuela Carrasco o Farruquitowho, incidentally, included her in the show SoneríasIn 2018 he made his solo debut in a big way at the Jerez Festival and the specialized press awarded him the Revelation Prize for The Sound of My Days.
Gema's career was and continues to be unstoppable. She is admired by her peers, both the veterans and the new talents arriving to follow in her footsteps. No one can doubt that she is a leading figure of her generation. Her dancing, then, is a balanced testament to the experiential and the theoretical, never with the latter overshadowing the former. It's raw and undeniable; she improvises with the risk of making mistakes, but that's the magic she creates on stage. And no, she rarely makes mistakes. She resolves them with a smile because the connection with the cante de John of the Maria y The Quini It's unbeatable. Special mention for John Campallo, a guitarist who creates on the fly.
"Gem Moneo She began with bulerías, wearing an apron and a robe, painting a landscape of vineyards and wineries with her arms. She poured fino wine across the stage and won over the audience without mercy. She continued with seguiriyas, with the measured pace of thunder, which she controls until it unleashes.
La peña of the historic center of Jerez is the peña For everyone. Its members don't seem to have any more presence than non-members; there's usually a diverse atmosphere. It's welcoming and handles the seasonal heat as best it can. A large crowd attended the first session of the series, which will continue. The Tolo and that will conclude The Macanita as a star figure. It's already common for the peñaThe fact that Jerez's theaters accommodate both new talents and established figures from major theaters should come as no surprise, given that forty years ago, those same stages hosted, among others, The Paquera o Jose Merce.
The dancer began with bulerías, wearing an apron and a flamenco dress, her arms tracing a landscape of vineyards and wineries. She spilled sherry across the stage and won over the audience completely. She continued with seguiriyas, with the measured pace of thunder, controlling it until it exploded. The second part began with tangos, with Juan de la María and El Quini clearly enjoying each other's company, and both of them reveling in Juan Campallo's music. In the front row sat the masters. Ana María Lopez y Juan ParraVeterans of the cloth smiled and assumed they were in the presence of one of the greats.
The bulería to listen to is pure amontillado, powerful and full-bodied, opening up a myriad of aromas. With the audience on their feet, Gema didn't want to leave without singing bulerías as if it were a family celebration. When she finished, the cheers were unanimous and the reflection was clear: "There are few like Gema." ♦
