Noche Flamenca leaves hearts racing on Valentine’s night

The men ruled the roost at Friday night’s Noche Flamenca.

While there were plenty of swirling red skirts, scraped back buns and stomping high heels, it was the men who dominated much of the performance.

The show, part of the Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts, opened on Valentine’s night to a full audience at City Hall.

Memorable

Perhaps one of the most memorable parts of the evening was the extraordinary entrance of dancer Antonio Jiminez — he sounded like he was tapping for all five people on the stage. 

His performance stood out because he appeared to feel the music deeply. 

He had a certain rugged elegance that shone through a true appreciation of the music. 

As his robust routine came to a close, the parts of his body slowed down leaving just his legs quivering minutely at lightning speed, his heels providing the only sound in the auditorium before eventually coming to a complete halt.

Piercing the air with his sorrowful wails, singer Miguel Rosendo captivated the audience. 

He has such character in his voice and at times it sounded as if he was laughing. 

Manuel Gago provided the a warmer, quieter sound but with no less passion — in fact he looked like the emotion he was experiencing was torturing him or breaking his heart.

Impassioned

The star of the company, Soledad Barrio, gave it her all in an impassioned performance towards the end of the show, bringing it home for the girls. 

One of the best parts of her performance was her beautifully circling wrist work, which was highlighted by the movement with her agile fingers. Her footwork was outstanding and she too appeared to revel in her performance.