We attended the opening of the fall season of the Cultural Flamenco Gathering The Well of Sorrows, in the very flamenco town of Los Palacios y Villafranca (Seville). The treasurer enlightens us with his knowledge, Alfonso Vázquez, who perfectly defines the meaning of this program: "We dedicate it to those trees that have lost leaves due to age, but still have deep roots and much to teach." This peña Full of good fans, it knows how to give its place to the intergenerational principle of flamencoNeither young nor mature nor elderly, everyone has their place and deserves respect in this long-established gathering, now celebrating its 75th anniversary. That's something!
The star of the night was Carmen Ledesma, the mastery of dance rooted in tradition, timeless in its essence, of bodies that dance to canteShe was accompanied by a group of singers, carefully chosen by herself. Moi de Moron y Luis Ortega, and the guitarist Emiliano El LitiA perfect backdrop for the audience to vibrate and feel the emotion that the flamencoThere were even those who couldn't hold back their tears. Because when things are truly felt, they are received with the same sincerity, and it's impossible not to feel an emotion that arises only within each individual spectator. Because although the flamenco It is that instant of communion among a number of people; the reaction is unique and personal. That is why it is understood or not understood; it is art facing oneself and oneself facing art.
He opened the recital a guitar solo by Emiliano El Liti that carried us away on a journey of chords that filled the space of flamenco and musicalityto whet the appetite of the attendees gathered there, who filled the house to capacity. the corkIt was absolutely packed. And with this musical prelude, Moi de Morón and Luis Ortega completed the stage, opening the cante With alegrías and cantiñas. Two singers sought after for their skill, the first for his Morón roots and the second, younger, carving out his own niche. Alegrías that filled the stage of the Pozo de las Penas with rhythm. The emotion, the desire to enjoy, and the anticipation were already sown. We missed... Mari PeñaThe person announced on the poster, who was unable to attend due to a minor health issue, wishes her a speedy recovery.
"Carmen Ledesma is a great one of the flamencoFrom the Sevillian dance. She reminds us who we are and where this universal art comes from, an art that fills with pride anyone who experiences it. It's easy to adore and admire her when we see her on stage, her generous body telling us the beautifully described story of a taranto, a regal soleá, the rhythmic bulerías.
Thus, with an eager audience wanting more, Carmen Ledesma became the undisputed queen of the stage, which It creaked as it felt her confident step, her feet like a queen of mastery Undeniable. When Carmen Ledesma takes center stage and raises her arms to the sky, she summons all the forces of her ancestors from the collective memory. She transports us to bygone eras where roots gave life to the great trunks of dance, eventually reaching the magnificent tree of our time. Carmen Ledesma is the magic that summons all the spirits of dance, carrying us aloft to the imagined reality she expresses with her movements: when she withdraws in the face of sorrow, or opens her chest with her hands crossed, or hides her face in her intertwined arms to ward off tragedy, or strolls from one side to the other with the head held high like a sovereign of dance.
Carmen is a shaman; she bewitches us with the rhythmic tapping of her own body, with her defiant gestures, looking us in the eyes seeking our complicity, with some palmas that break the silence of the deadWe are captivated when she invites the flamenco singer to come closer to her and dances for him. canteEntangling her hands and arms in the verses that escape her mouth, in each wail, in each breath. And the spell is cast with an audience bristling from head to toe, exhaling "oles" and applauding as if wanting to be part of the stage. The dancer already knows she has succeeded. Her audience feels, vibrates, trembles with accelerated heartbeats and lives with her in the magic potion of art flamencoA gift shared only by the chosen ones of the art of... jondo.
It's very difficult to truly understand. Who is Carmen Ledesma and what does she represent in dance? flamenco when we see her in her eternal simplicityHer prodigious warmth, her maternal humility, and her deeply human way of carrying herself on stage. These qualities evoke the entire history of dance. flamencoAttentive to every movement, with the conductor in her hand, ensuring the singers and guitarist synchronize to her commands. And Carmen is indeed a great one. flamencoFrom the world of Sevillian dance. She reminds us who we are and where this universal art comes from, an art that fills with pride anyone who experiences it. At the same time, it's easy to adore and admire her when we see her on stage, her generous body telling us the beautifully described story of a taranto, a regal soleá, or the rhythmic bulerías she gifted us last night.
But she's also a teacher, and as such, she calls flamenco dancers from the audience onto the stage to join her in an impromptu masterclass that leaves us astonished and surprised. No one expects such a natural reaction on stage. Her impromptu dance school turned them into students once again... Alba Serrano, Juani Ramírez, Charo Pozo and Berenice Jurado, who at the end of the night performed for everyone the choreography designed for the painting flamenco by the magnificent flamenco dancer Carmen Ledesma.
With hearts overflowing with emotion, we must congratulate Pozo de las Penas on their magnificent choice and wish them a brilliant and wise autumn season.
Credits
Carmen Ledesma dance recital
Cultural Flamenco Gathering The Well of Sorrows
The Palaces and Villafranca, Seville
November 7th 2025
Dance: Carmen Ledesma
CanteMoi de Morón and Luis Ortega
Guitar: Emiliano el Liti
