Alba Heredia (1995) was born in Sacromonte, specifically in the La Rocío cave. He has the privilege of belonging to one of the most important dynasties in the world. flamenco: the Maya. All those genes and her perseverance in dance make her a unique artist and possessor of a naturalness that establishes her as a reference in the flamencoIn this interview, the dancer shares her world and her way of feeling with us; she conveys her passion for dance as a way of life.
An interview with Manuel Cid.
- Alba, you are in a very nice moment, with international tours, with festivals like the Flamenco On Fire now in August, and all without leaving the tablao. How are you experiencing this stage?
– I'm experiencing this moment quite happily, being able to participate in major festivals, sharing the bill with great colleagues and artists. And on the other hand, without losing the essence of the tablaos, where, thank God, all artists are present today and can share unforgettable moments, both personally and artistically. The true magic of the tablao, which unleashes improvisation and the most unexpected spirit.
– I'd also like to ask you about your profession. How do you experience it and what does it mean to you? to be a dancer?
- I live by dancing, I always say that. For me, being a dancer is something I have in my DNA. I've already started dancing; I can't remember a moment in my life when I didn't dance. It's a way of life, of feeling, of everything. It's my everything.
"For me, dance isn't just about steps, technique, poses, or highly rehearsed faces... No, no. Dance is truth, it's grit, it's feeling. And that truth is transmitted."
– They say that to sing well you have to hear well and to dance well you have to Look closely. How does Alba Heredia look? What aspects of life do you look at to take them to the stage later?
– I always look with love, that love to flamencoLove and passion for what I do. I look at myself from every angle; everything counts when it comes to sharing your experiences: from joy, love, heartbreak, and even the deepest sorrow. I'm very temperamental and very sentimental. I think that's what I convey in my dance.
– Genius, emotionality, is essential to embody dance, so that the body flows with the music. I would like to ask you: with what palo you live longer emotions? Which one do you enjoy the most?
– With the palo What I enjoy the most is the soleá. This palo I love it, it gives me so many emotions: temperance, the maturity that life makes you acquire, waiting, being patient due to its slower tempos... All of that makes you take it easy and then enter a loop of feelings in its lap. And then I channel everything I have inside. A remix of emotions.
– In dance slang, it is said that someone dances well by saying that they have “dancing intention”This reminds me of that phrase that Antonia Mercé said. La Argentina about dance and truth. She said in her lecture: “I loved the dance because I've always hated lies. In dance, everything is true.". Do you think that dance is made up of something more than a few steps and a few poses? Tell me about that intention and that truth. How you live it.
– Man, of course. I always say that you may like my dancing more or less, but I always tell my truth. For me, dance isn't just about steps, technique, poses, or well-rehearsed faces… No, no. Dance is truth, it's grit, it's feeling, and that truth is transmitted. Transmission is very important, and if when you sit down that person makes your hair stand on end, it's because they're telling their truth. flamenco It can't be robotic; there has to be a moment within the production, within the performance, where you break down. For me, that's the truth.
– I am interested in the terms used in the places of the flamencoas per example the rudeness. In some glossaries of flamenco They define it as “strong blows given with the foot against the ground that are used as a finishing move of other steps, corresponding on the guitar with the simple strums that go at the end of the melody". What does snub mean to you? How do you would you explain to a neophyte in the flamenco?
– I would explain it by saying that a despondency is like a response when we're angry: it starts slowly, like a conversation, and ends with a strident word that leaves you dry. Maybe, but in dancing, that would be a despondency, which begins with blows and ends with a single strong blow, and then stops.
«The protagonist in Flamenco On Fire will be the dance. Dancing without theatrical guidelines. Simply To dance. To dance to life. To dance to the music. And to let myself be carried away by feelings, by magic, by the duende.
– When conservatory musicians communicate about a piece, They do it through musical language, through scores. How would you say that? do the flamencos? On a practical level: how do you communicate with guitarists and singers to put together the shows?
– We communicate by asking for feedback or saying, “Look, I have this idea.” And that's where the duende begins, the improvisation, where the mind wanders. The guitarist starts playing pieces that he feels are appropriate for what we're asking for. It's also where ideas are contributed. We take and receive from both worlds: from dance, from cante, from the touch. Creation is taking shape, it's something wonderful.
– You have received classes from greats such as Belén Maya, Juan Andrés Maya, Iván Vargas, Rafaela Carrasco… Apart from having been on stage since I was little and having lived and felt the caves of Sacromonte. What do you have taught all these artists about the flamencoHow has your experience been? learning process?
– All these artists have taught me mainly the love of flamenco, respect and the value of this art. They have also taught me that the flamenco It is effort, dedication, discipline, perseverance..., and you have to be in continuous learning but always respecting the flamenco and its origins. The learning process has been impressive, because I've been lucky enough to be with the greatest, learn from them, and be able to perform in productions of my uncle Manolete and Mario Maya's plays, may they rest in peace. That has been incredible. It was an intensive dance experience, an onstage experience in every sense. It's been the best. The best memories I have and things I'll never forget.
– You could say that you have been surrounded by flamenco always, you have surrounded by what they call “the pure”. The teacher Paco de Lucía said about This: “They told me that what is old is pure. For me, what is old was old."Pure is that which one feels with honesty and that comes from the heart". What does purity mean to you and how is it conveyed in your dancing?
– For me, purity is not forgetting where I come from, my roots, those who have forged my dance, the mirror I look into. Those ancient roots, so when you step on stage, you can see where you come from and what's behind you: the history, the experiences, everything… And above all, being yourself and expressing what you have inside.
- As we have said, in a few days you will have the performance at the Festival Flamenco On Fire with Ismael de la Rosa cante and Juan Jiménez on the touch. You're in charge of the montage Rocío CaveWhat can you tell us about this? show? What are you going to offer the Pamplona audience who receive the flamenco at this festival with so much desire and so much enthusiasm?
– I can tell you about this show, which comes with great force, and above all, with great truth. Bringing it from my roots, my Granada, my cave, where I grew up and where I began to take my first steps, and where my dance was forged. The protagonist will be the dance, dancing without theatrical guidelines, simply dancing. Dancing to life, dancing to the music, and letting myself be carried away by feelings, by magic, by the duende. I invite you to be part of this show, this ecstasy of feelings, where we will put our heart and soul into it without any pretense. ♦
