Flamenco comes to On Stage at Kingsborough with “Memoria Antigua”

March 25, 2016 Jaime DeJesus
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On Stage at Kingsborough continues its series of world-class performances as award-winning dancers and choreographers Patricia Ibáñez and Abel Harana present flamenco production “Memoria Antigua,” which translates to ancient memory, on Saturday, April 9.

Photo by Ana Palma
Photo by Ana Palma

During the performance, the duo will honor the history of flamenco dance and music and the genre’s predecessors.

“The company is from Southern Spain. I had the privilege of seeing Abel Harana perform in Spain,” said Anna Becker, executive director for On Stage at Kingsborough. “He is just a tremendous performer. Aside from technical skill as dancer, which is enormous, he is also a passionate and charismatic performer. To watch him is very special and we are thrilled to have him and Patricia Ibáñez come here.”

“Memoria Antigua” will also salute early flamenco dance styles such as the Farruca from Galicia, the Malagueña from Malaga, and the Taranto from Linares.

“They are masters of the form. If audiences want to know what it’s like, and they come to the show, they’ll see the leading artists of that form,” she said.

Becker added that attendees will enjoy Harana’s stage presence. “He’s extremely dynamic and owns the stage,” she said. “His footwork is mind-boggling and is combined with burning passion and strong characterization. There’s a fair amount of showmanship.”

Over the years, flamenco has grown in popularity and On Stage at Kingsborough expects Brooklyn audiences to embrace it as well.

“Flamenco is an art form that is so bold,” Becker said. “That passionate rush is something you get when you see flamenco that you may not get with other performance style. That’s what makes it so special. It’s a very theatrical experience.”

“Memoria Antigua” offer be a unique display of flamenco, as a wide range of styles within the form will be represented. “There will be a wide variety of songs from southern Spain so you get a deeper experience with it,” Becker said. “They really bring together the history of flamenco in a beautiful way.”

This isn’t Ibáñez and Harana’s first time performing in New York. Last year, “Memoria Antigua” was performed at the 2015 Gypsy Festival at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

“They certainly have a lot of chemistry together,” Becker said. “They’re a fiery duo.”

The response has been positive thus far and ticket sales are strong, she added, noting “It’s a very personal work. They pay homage to predecessors who created rich and beautiful artistic work, people that toiled in the fields.”

Memoria Antigua will begin at 8 p.m. at On Stage at Kingsborough, 2001 Oriental Boulevard. Tickets start at $30. For more information, visit www.onstageatkingsborough.org.

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