Siudy Garrido's "Bailaora- within me, within you," is this weekend at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Omar Cruz
Siudy Garrido is a flamenco artist who strongly believes in maintaining the roots of flamenco as well as promoting the evolution of the art form. Her production, "Bailaora- within me, within you," can be seen this weekend at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
"Bailaora" stays true to traditional flamenco while incorporating different styles of music employing the flute, flamenco guitar, electric guitar and percussion instruments. The company goes far beyond the parameters of flamenco.
"Bailaora" ( “flamenco dancer”) is the latest creation from Garrido, a dancer and award- winning choreographer. Garrido collaborates with different artists in order to advance the evolution of flamenco. Her work fuses elements of contemporary music and traditional flamenco.
Photos by Omar Cruz.
Flamenco was once thought to only exist in restaurants and small clubs with the dancers performing traditional steps and wearing bata de colas ( long skirts ). No more.
Since its founding in 2000 in Caracas, Venezuela, Siudy Flamenco Company has developed a repertoire featuring multidisciplinary collaboration with visual artists, dancers, musicians, designers, filmmakers, and composers from all backgrounds. This innovative company has also collaborated with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the South Florida Symphony Orchestra. Garrido says “flamenco is a very powerful form of art. You can add different styles of music and it maintains its essence.”
Photo by Kike San Martin.
"Bailaora- within me, within you" is one of Garrido’s most personal works as it offers a humanist commentary on self- invention and self- determination. It is, in essence, an artistic awakening.
The program is divided into seven acts: Awakening, Root, Frontier, Impure, Warriors, Brave and Evolution. The original music is composed by Juan Parrilla and Manuel Fernandez and features Rondena, Tango, Buleria, Seguirillia and Alegrias..
Garrido says Flamenco “is not only a passion, but my life. It is like breathing.” She was born in Caracas, Venezuela and comes from a family of flamenco artists. Her first teacher was her mother, Siudy Quintero. Garrido has worked with major companies such as Disney, Cirque du Soleil and the Latin Grammys. One of her productions: "Siudy: Between Worlds" had an off-Broadway run.
Photos by Kike San Martin.
Miami became the company’s headquarters in 2015. It is here that Garrido rehearses with her company and also offers flamenco classes for the community. The school is a year-round institution where students study to become accomplished flamenco dancers through dance education directed and mentored by professional dance teachers.
For more than two decades, Garrido has been dedicated to continue the expansion of flamenco as an art form. One of her hopes, too, is to get young audiences excited about flamenco.
Garrido says she is “super happy” to be back at work after the lockdown of 2020. The company was set to begin a tour one week before the pandemic closed down much of society.
During this time the company continued to rehearse and teach.
"Every art is totally different. I love to work with people I admire in different types of music and dance, I love the exchange and the communication between the arts,” says Garrido. Her hope is that "Bailaora-within me, within you" captures it all.
Siudy Flamenco Company: "Bailaora- within me, within you"
Friday, Oct. 8, Saturday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m.
Knight Concert Hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center
1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami 33132
Tickets, $25, $55, $75, $95 at www.arshtcenter.orgInfo @siudyflamenco.org
