María Pagés. News

Utopia wins the Audience Award at the Jerez Festival.

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:21:34 +0100

The spectators at the 2012 Jerez Festival have granted the Audience Award to Utopia. This latest piece by María Pagés - that had been performed previously at the Niemeyer Center in Avilés and the Teatro Español in Madrid, before landing at the Teatro Villamarta - enjoys continuous support from the public, spreading its message of optimism and commitment.

Diario de Jerez

All tickets sold out for Dunas, in the deSingel Theater, Antwerp.

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:49:23 +0100

Dunas, the show in which the talent of Maria Pagés and the Belgian choreographer, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, joins together, has sold out all tickets for their upcoming performances in the deSingel Theater, Antwerp (from 29th February to 6th March, 2012).
In Dunas, the roots of both choreographers are present. The music, specially composed for the show by Szymon Brzoska and Ribén Lebaniegos, is harmonized with echoes of Flamenco, classical and Arab influences.
This is a deeply renovating piece, that will also be coming soon to Bregenz (Austria), Sainte Maxime (France) and Valladolid (Spain).

Photo: Koen Broos

UTOPIA AT THE TEATRO ESPAÑOL, FROM DECEMBER 15TH TO 30TH, 2011

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:13:47 +0100

Utopia is a declaration of principles in the form of Flamenco dance, born of the artiste's admiration for the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. A humanist whom, at his 103 years of age, leaves the unmistakable sinuosity of his buildings to us as a legacy, as well as - above all - the integrity, commitment and solidarity that have guided his life, that has become both an inspiration and a message.
Utopia, which was premiered this year - on October 8th 2011 at the Niemeyer Center in Avilés, Spain - is an emotional reflection on the yearning, the imagination and the instinct that human beings possess, empowering themselves to dream of living in a better future. This is a global project, in which eight male Flamenco dancers together with María Pagés, interpret the experiences of the ethics and aesthetics of desire, of nonconformity and utopia.

Dates: From December 15th to 30th 2011 (no performance on the 24th December).
Venue: Teatro Español - Main Hall
Times: Tuesday through Saturday, 8p.m., Sundays at 6p.m.
Ticket prices: From 4€ to 22€. Discount Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Duration: 1hr 10 mins. Approx (No intermission)
Ticket sales

Maria Pagés' Autorretrato awarded the Premio Butaca Prize for Best National Theatrical Production

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:38:25 +0100

The XVII Edition of the Premio Butaca Awards - characterized by it's popular voting system - took place on the 22nd November 2011, in the Teatre Lliure de Montjuïc (Barcelona).

Pagés ignites Niemeyer's night

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 08:41:33 +0100

UTOPIA
Original idea, Direction and Choreography: Maria Pagés. Music and arrangements: Rubén Lebaniegos, Fred Martins, Isaac Muñoz and José "Fity" Carrillo. Lighting: Pau Sallana. Stage design and costumes: Maria Pagés. Venue: The Niemeyer Center, Avilés (Spain).
EL MUNDO, October 10th 2011/JULIA MARTÍN

Utopia will possibly be the last production staged in this magnificent Niemeyer Center, as the programming will be suspended as from November, due to the lack of license for the use of the installations, which comes as a consequence of the new tenancy of the Principality.
This ode to simplicity and human encounters, which has put Asturias on the map internationally and highlights Avilés as a new center for cultural tourism, is in peril. Amidst the winds of closure that are blowing, this Utopia took on a tragic light last night, being as it is, a hymn to optimism. Maria Pagés has conceived this show as homage to the great humanist, to the simplicity and curved lines of his architecture and to his concept of life, integrity and social commitment.
This evocation is sometimes literal in the movements of the "Sevillana", reproducing sinuosity and spherical movements as it develops. At other moments this homage - militant and non-reverential - is to be found in the poetical expression of the group as it plays with the profound space, lit by subtle spotlighting that isolates their figures as if they were passers by in a universe that they seem to explore and enjoy, accepting it's fugacity.
The piece flows without a break, always keeping within the codes of Flamenco. It is entertaining, its symbols and images are filled with hope. They are present in the songs, verses by Benedetti, Cervantes, Machado or Neruda, present in those very fine curved lines that compose the stage design. The company, musicians and dancers show security and understanding, all together, in their interaction with the velvety voice of Ana Ramón and the vigor of Ismael de la Rosa's voice, whilst Maria Pagés puts a focus on the message with her powerful display of physical and mental dominion.
Utopia proves to be a subtle, harmonic and dramatically effective staging, the product of a clear idea of what is to be said and how. It has the power of simplicity. Those minimal lines that contain the substance of expression, that frame or expand, enclose, or serve as a landscape for the dance. Although the lighting is subtle, it contributes to the capture of the expression; the message of optimism and anemic thrust is clearly conveyed.
Maria starts up with a free and generously designed "Farruca"- choreographed by José Barrios - in which her silhouette, dressed in black tights, appears as if Niemeyer's pencil has come alive. In the second dance she appears as a vestal virgin, perhaps representing the all the vital impulse intrinsic in utopias. She paints desire, vertigo and convulsion: a fantastic visual moment that surges from the classical poetic arm movements that Pagés began years ago, to the sound of Saramago's voice.
The "Martinete" stands out in the peak of the energy rise, with sustained emotional tension. Followed by some Brazilian "Tangos", to the words of Niemeyer's "Awaiting nightfall". A foreshadow of what is to come. Maria Pagés ends her wonderful performance wearing a Flamenco dress, symbolizing cosmic movement, in a set of difficult "Alegrías" that she dominated - although somewhat long drawn out - representing the valleys, clouds and seas named in the songs.
She is left fluttering her wings like a lark that loses itself in the darkness.

Maria Pagés received the 2011 Terenci Moix Award for the Performing Arts.

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:04:34 +0100

María Pagés, along with the other winners in the 7th Edition of the Terenci Moix Award.

EFE (From the left to the right are, the Syrian Poet Adonis, the French writer and journalist Jean Daniel, the Spanish choreographer and dancer Maria Pages, the Israeli writer David Grossman and the Greek movie director Theo Angelopoulus)

MARIA PAGÉS AWARDED THE 2011 INTERNATIONAL TERENCI MOIX PRIZE FOR PERFORMING ARTS

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 10:16:53 +0100

Maria Pagés is awarded this prize for Autorretrato (Self-portrait), a show in which the choreographer and Flamenco dancer summarizes - in dance - the study of her own identity. The VII Edition of the International Terenci Moix Prizes for Literature, Performing Arts and Cinematography will take place next Thursday, September 22nd, at 7.30p.m. in the Palau de la Música, Barcelona.

Maria Pagés has been awarded the prize for Performing Arts. Other prize winners in this edition are the movie director Theo Angelopoulus (Prize for a Career in Cinematography), the photographer Colita (Special Prize from the Jury), the journalist Jea Daniel (First Crónica Prize), the writers Juan Eduardo Zuñiga (2011 Book of the Year Prize for Essay), and David Grossman (2011 Book of the Year Prize for Fiction), the poet Adonis (Prize for a Career in Literature), the movie director Agustí Villaronga (2011 Prize for Cinematography) and the musician Carles Santos (Prize for a Career in Performing Arts).

MARIA PAGÉS PREMIERE'S UTOPIA IN THE NIEMEYER CENTER IN AVILÉS, (SPAIN).

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:35:29 +0100

On the October 8th, the Maria Pagés Company will be premiering their latest show on the stage at the new Oscar Niemeyer Center in Avilés, Spain. Utopia is a declaration of principles in the form of Flamenco dance, born of the encounter between the artiste and the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemayer - a humanist whom, at his 103 years of age, leaves the unmistakable sinuosity of his buildings to us as a legacy, as well as - above all - the integrity, commitment and solidarity that have guided his life.

This is a reflection in dance form about the yearning, imagination and instinct that human beings possess, empowering themselves to dream of living in a better future. This is a global project, in which eight male Flamenco dancers together with Maria Pagés, - swathed by the music played live and specially written for the show - interpret the ethics and aesthetics of desire.

The Niemeyer Center in Avilés becomes a significant meeting place for this Utopia inspired by the architect, and structured in eight parts (or verses), which evoke poems written by Baudelaire, Benedetti, Neruda, Larbi el Harti and Niemayer himself.
Danced by Maria and spoken by Oscar:
"When Life is degraded and Hope flees from the hearts of mankind, revolution is the only path to take."

MARÍA PAGÉS STUNS MOSCOW WITH "AUTORRETRATO"

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:49:08 +0100

Publicado: 21 jun 2011 | 15:15 MSK

This afternoon Maria Pagés has returned to Moscow with her "Autorretrato". The premiere was three days ago, on the 18th June: this famous Flamenco show was the first in the Spanish section of the International Chekhov Theater Festival.
Maria Pages' performances will be going on until the 24th June. The Festival organizers say that this Spanish dancer will be performing for a full house every afternoon: tickets sold out the morning after going on sale.
The world premiere of "Autorretrato" took place in Tokyo in 2008. The show was inspired by the Mikhail Baryshnikov, the famous American choreographer of Soviet origin.
As the dancer says, Baryshnikov asked her to create something very personal, "something that will show what I am like as a person, as an artist and creator of my own Flamenco". Maria specified that on that occasion her presentation was very much a "chamber performance", but she was inspired by the actual idea of developing the 'self-portrait' theme onstage. She tells us "I felt the need to learn to understand myself, specially at that point in my life, a need to halt, to look into the mirror to see it all clearly and in detail, and to analyze myself in order to translate it all into the language of dance. I tried to follow the same procedure that painters follow when creating their oil painted self-portraits. Be this as it may, it is the only way I have found to get to know myself".

World Book Day

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:54:06 +0100

The World Book Day is celebrated next 23rd April and I have been invited to comment on it and make some recommendations to encourage young people to read.
Reading teaches us to think.
Reading is inspirational.
Reading makes us laugh and cry; it touches our emotions.
Reading teaches us to get to know ourselves.
Reading is comforting.
Reading teaches us to live.
Reading always provokes the imagination and beckons us to dream. In each stage of our lives our dreams change just as people change.
I remember the classic stories from my childhood, which I would never recommend any child to read now. Little Red Riding-hood never gave me any feeling of wellbeing or security; I never liked Sleeping Beauty, because I never could see myself in that world of Prince Charmings, my dreams weren't to be found in those stories. My dreams were of dance and space, of the cosmos - I saw my life as very related to these things, thus was I so impressed by the arrival of Man on the moon and thus I never found any book that I liked better than the Universal Atlas.
As a teenager, I remember "One Hundred Years of Solitude", by García Márquez, that impressed me and I recommend.
Other books I'd recommend - there are so many - but I'd like to pinpoint "The Art of Loving", by Erich Fromm, "Time for Outrage!" by Stéphane Hessel, "Memoirs of Hadrian" by Marguerite Yourcenar and as an author, I'd recommend José Saramago. He was, and remains - through his works - a necessary person, due to his capacity for transmitting values.
I also really like "After Tangiers", by Larbi El Harti; in this book, each story is a dream full of humanity. I also recommend two authors that write about Flamenco, Alfredo Grimaldos and Manuel Bohórquez. It's important to get to know about Flamenco by reading about it as well, in this way you'll enjoy it more, you'll love it more.
Finally, I vindicate the reading of poetry, there is a poem for each person. I like the irony of Belén Reyes in any of her books, "Atrévete a olvidarme" ("Dare to Forget Me"), is one of them.
Maria Pagés
April 2011

National Mohammed V theatre, in Rabat.

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 09:53:16 +0100

We wish to thank the National Mohammed V theatre, in Rabat, for their collaboration in lending us a space for rehearsals, as well as for the kindness and helpfulness of its Director, Mohammed Benhsein.
This company is a regular at the National Mohammed V theatre, having performed there several times, in the "Dos Orillas" Festival with "Flamenco Republic", in December 2007 and in the Mawazine Festival, with "Dunas", in May 2010.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL DANCE DAY

Sun, 17 Apr 2011 14:40:31 +0100

Dancing, and working on our new project were the best ways to celebrate the International Dance Day. Thus we did, in the Canal Choreographer's Center in Madrid; our rehearsals were open to the public, children and adults enjoyed the experience of seeing and living our work first hand. It is always interesting to be at rehearsals, this being part of an initiative begun 12 years ago - amongst other ongoing activities - in Torrelodones, with excellent results such as raising awareness of art and the cultivation of new audiences.

María Pagés, the Flamenco dancer and choreographer, is awarded the gold medal of Andalusia.

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 21:07:51 +0100

The Sevillian dancer and choreographer Maria Pagés, who claims to be proud and very happy to be contributing to the diffusion of the culture and identity of Andalusia "wherever it is to be found", thanked the Council of Government of the Autonomous region for awarding her this distinction with these words. The event, which was a part of the Commemoration of the Day of Andalusia last February 28th, was attended by personalities from the world of poetry, the opera, historic heritage, gastronomy and graphic illustration, who were also awarded this distinction in 2011.

World premiere of "MIRADA" in Japan.

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:37:45 +0100

María Pagés performs in two of the world's most prestigious theatres:
The Hyogo Performing Art Center, in Osaka and the Bunkamura Orchard Hall, in Tokyo.

María Pagés es desde hace años la gran coreógrafa del baile flamenco, o sea, la gran creadora. Mirada, la obra que anoche gozamos en el Maestranza y que el público despidió en pie, lleva el sello de María Pagés (..) en esta obra, una vez más, la bailaora demuestra su gran sensibilidad artística para montar los bailes en una armonía perfecta con la música, las luces, el vestuario, la ocupación casi matemática del escenario, la maestría a la hora de mover el cuerpo de baile, como si se tratara de una obra de arquitectura en movimiento.

El Correo de Andalucia
Manuel Bohorquez 30-6-10

German Tour

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 12:11:14 +0100

German Tour has been a big success, the audience was excited and the sold
out poster was hanging in every city. How good beginning for 2011!