Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Think of "The Nutcracker" and you imagine chimes and snowflakes. Think of flamenco and you conjure up guitars and passion. So at first glance, the idea of a seasonal flamenco Christmas performance seems as wobbly as a cantaora's vibrato.

But hold on: Carlota Santana's "Navidad Flamenca" proves that passion is an appealing holiday spirit and that castanets are as marketable as nutcrackers. Her company Flamenco Vivo played to a packed house Sunday at the Music Center at Strathmore, indicating that the Christmas flamenco show she began in 1999 is catching on in a big way.

No amount of packaging can make a holiday gift like this truly enjoyable unless the item offered is good quality. On that count, Santana's company hits the mark. The dancers have an inward intensity that is outwardly attractive. They are all-season flamenco artists, not a pickup group of flamenco dancers making hay out of Christmas.

The program's first half was holiday-themed, with guests gathered at a home celebrating Christmas. There was a tree, seasonal songs, a young girl opening presents and, yes, dancing. Traditional flamenco dances such as jaleos, soleares and alegrias formed the program's second half.

If Santana really wants this holiday program to compete with "The Nutcracker," she would be wise to spruce up the stage set. The Christmas tree was an underwhelming two feet tall, there was no backdrop and guests dressed down for this party. The potential for making this an eye-catching Spanish Christmas scene is enormous and Santana, who has been gifted with a possible new blockbuster on her hands, should make "Navidad Flamenca" as visually attractive as possible.

-- Pamela Squires