Choreographers: James Cousins and Francisco Hidalgo
Director: Arlene Phillips
Flamboyant costumes, expert choreography, and a heady mix of pop, Latin, and Flamenco hit Peacock Theatre in the West End. Arlene Phillips’ extravagant House of Flamenka is a sexy and sparkly entertaining night of dancing fun that attempts to blend the passionate traditions of Flamenco dance with thumping pop hits and vibrant contemporary dance.
Deep reds, lavish purples and blues, swirling patterns and various props decorate Sadler’s Wells’ other home in the West End, preparing for the 17 dancers to hit the boards for an evening of modern and flamenco fusion. Back-to-back energetic musical remixes, often featuring Latin and pop legends like Rosalía, are brought to life by an all-male cast (aside from one, the star of the show, Karen Ruimy). All dancers undertake an incredible physical feat when moving through James Cousins’ contemporary choreography and Francisco Hidalgo’s Flamenco. The mood shifts from steamy and sexual, to playful and entertaining, to passionate and emotional at high speed.
Contemporary dance and passionate flamenco are set side by side – sometimes they interweave, sometimes they are in competition. Sometimes, the genre-blending works beautifully, especially in the second half. A playful, vigorous performance of clicks and castanets, for example, is followed swiftly by Latin urban hit Tukuntazo by artists El Cherry Scom, Haraca Kiko, and Tokischa. The sharp commercial dance moves alongside the flamenco and extravagant costumes make sense in this instance. At another moment, the dancers engage in a playful dance battle between the percussive flamenco dancers and the contemporary tap dancers. It’s energised and entertaining and people on and off stage have fun.
This spirit isn’t consistent, however. On other occasions, the contrast between genres feels particularly jarring, exacerbated by the music choices. It is a hard thematic jump, for example, from a considered, passionate, percussive flamenco dance to Daddy Yankee’s song Hot featuring Pitbull. At these times, James Cousin’s choreography feels exposed and sparse in comparison to the flamenco, whereas at others it feels rich and exciting.
Jasmine Swan’s sparking costumes play an undeniable role in setting the moods across the show and the outfits become part of the dance itself, especially in the heavy featuring of hat choreography. In the same way, Swan’s set design translates these varying themes in an obvious but effective way, changing from ornate picture frames and indulgent chaise lounges to high scaffolding and cold blue light from one song to the next.
Flamenco legend Karen Ruimy – co-creator of House of Flamenka – is a poised, elegant and captivating queen of costume changes, reappearing in a new, brightly coloured frock intermittently. She holds her own when dancing with the talented male dancers – no small task given there are 16 of them – and she holds the audience when moving across the stage solo. Her on-stage chemistry with choreographer and performer Francisco Hidalgo is evident in their seamless and complementary performance. Ruimy’s effervescent shine is dulled during the occasional rendition of songs, however. The heavily autotuned numbers with meaningless lyrics don’t have the same energy as the excellently blended pop and Flamenco soundtrack in other parts of the show.
Across the performance, the talent of the male dancers is undeniable. Although they are cleanly split into contemporary and flamenco dancers, they bring a sense of energy and cohesion that sees them act as one impressive masse, and it’s hard to take your eyes off them.
While it’s not a pure homage to the traditions of Flamenco dance, House of Flamenka is impressive and seriously entertaining. If you’re in the mood for a bit of flamboyant fun and a hugely enjoyable evening of dance, you need look no further than Arlene Phillips’ House of Flamenka.
Runs until 28 October 2023
