Everything happened thirty years ago, the poet would say, but some anniversaries are commemorated better than others. The three decades that have passed of Jerez Festival They were last night the perfect excuse to bring together on the stage of Villamarta Theatre to three exceptional flamenco dancers from the region –Mercedes Ruiz, Leonor Leal and Salomé Ramírez—and with them a representative cast of artists, all to the greater glory of the women of this flamenco-loving town. The entrance to the coliseum, lined with long queues, was proof of the great anticipation this event had generated, both among the local public and abroad, with a large contingent of Japanese fans.
Wanting to honor the past, the gala opened by looking to the future: three young girls danced bulerías to pre-recorded music by the masters of yesteryear, whose echoes would continue to accompany the entire repertoire. As for the very young flamenco dancers, Lucía Valladares, Valeria Vidal and Lucía CaboThey went far beyond a typical school performance, commanding the stage and recalling a tradition of dance academies that has kept this art form very much alive in Jerez. One of them even performed a charming choreography to the zambra. alms of love, in homage to Lola Flores.
Before that number, the three protagonists danced The Fantasy Festival, the bulería that Santiago Lara He composed for the Jerez Festival. The time had come for the senior dancers to shine, and they certainly made the most of it, supported by singers of proven talent such as The singers, Melchora Ortega, Felipa del Moreno and Tamara Tañé.
"The show 'Jerez, with a woman's name' was lively and entertaining, and above all moving: without chauvinistic displays, without overusing clichés, but bringing out the best of the land, there could not have been a better way to blow out the thirty candles of the Festival's life and toast to the next thirty. Bravo!"
Leonor Leal performed a truly magnificent farruca, her dance always elegant, full of fluidity and delightful restraint—a dance that was both thoughtful and deliberate. Mercedes Ruiz provided a playful and joyful counterpoint with the garrotín, while Salomé Ramírez soared with her shawl over Chacón's malagueñas before they closed together with colombianas, in memory of the Jerezanitas, Isabelita and María Juana Ruiz.
Looking once again to the depths of Jerez tradition, Ramírez captivated the audience with his bulería por soleá, Leal added a highly suggestive contemporary touch to his soleá, and Ruiz took the stage by storm with his castanets in peteneras, before heading towards the end of the festivities with a contagious rumba in which three seasoned veterans joined in the dancing. Angelita Gómez, Ana María López and La Chiqui de Jerezwhich unleashed euphoria in the auditorium. The customary bulerías finale culminated in a serene melody, performed by Pastora Larawhich turned Ruiz, Leal, and Ramírez back into the girls from the beginning, because memory is circular. flamencoand the new and old generations nourish each other.
All of this unfolded in a well-calculated hour and a half, avoiding the tedious way in which galas often drag on unnecessarily and demonstrating the value of well-programmed transitions. Each and every person involved fulfilled their role flawlessly, pouring their heart into every performance and conveying authenticity in everything they did. The show was fast-paced and entertaining, and above all, deeply moving: without chauvinistic displays, without resorting to clichés, but showcasing the very best of the region, there could have been no better way to celebrate the Festival's thirtieth anniversary and toast to the next thirty. Bravo!
Credits
Jerez, with a woman's nameMercedes Ruiz, Leonor Leal and Salomé Ramírez
Jerez Festival 2026
Villamarta Theatre
February 28th 2026
Dance: Mercedes Ruiz, Leonor Leal, Salomé Ramírez
Special collaboration: Angelita Gómez, Ana María López, La Chiqui de Jerez
CanteMelchora Ortega, Felipa del Moreno, Tamara Tañé
Guitar: Santiago Lara, Javier Ibáñez
Percussion: Perico Navarro
Palmas: Javier PeñaFernando Martínez
Young flamenco dancers: Lucía Valladares, Valeria Vidal, Lucía Cabo
Voice: Pastora Lara
