There's something genuinely electric about even the most mundane prep work that goes into attending one of New Orleans' cultural events.
The almost routine picking up of clothes from the cleaners becomes exciting. The pain staking process of primping one's hairs into order briefly takes you back to the night of your first date.
Even the drive to the theater feels a bit more special, even if it is the same route you take to get gas every morning.
Entering the auditorium that same electric charge then blends in with hundreds of others'. Hands are shaken.
Wine is enjoyed. Laughs are exchanged. And all the while, everyone remains very anxious for what is now only a few moments away.
You page through the provided reading materials wondering quietly to yourself, what do these two singers, two guitar players and a trio of dancers have in store for me . You read up a bit on the history of the dance, the painful history of its people. Then, the lights dim, and the music starts and you are taken someplace far away-
So began my night at the ballet this past Saturday night.
The New Orleans Ballet Association, an organization near and dear to the hearts of New Orleans' vast and varied dance communities, presented Noche Flamenca this past Friday and Saturday night, the second of six performances the Association has on tap for their 2006-2007 season. Both shows were sold out, and rightly so, with the troupe receiving multiple standing ovations throughout the performance. The troupe, hailing from Spain, has toured the world playing to capacity crowds everywhere they go.
They've performed from Montreal to Hawaii, including a six week stint in Australia and New Zealand.
The performance was in a word, mesmerizing. From the moment the house lights went down, the troupe captured every eye with masterful ease.
Each artist displaying their wares in such a way that you momentarily forgot anyone else existed on stage or for that matter, the audience. I more than once found myself hypnotically fixated upon a particular dancer, only to be snapped to attention, reminded of other members when the guitarists or vocalists re-entered the scene.
The masterful stage lighting only perpetuated this fascination/fixation.
Each soloist seemed to be plucked from the stage and placed on a pedestal under multiple spotlights. Then, at the drop of a hat, your attention would be forced to dance between musicians and dancers, dancers and singers then singers and musicians, an experience that reminded me of a musical tennis match of sorts.
If you are unfamiliar with the vocal styling of Flamenco, they are best described as residing near the crossroads of Arabian, Indian and Spanish highways.
The sounds emanating from these men are produced from a place in the soul that has no business giving anything less that 110% eight days a week and twenty-five hours a day. The ferociousness of emotion would drive a pile through bedrock. All I could think of was those early vocal lessons in choir where I would be instructed by my teacher to "sing from your diaphragm, dear- your diaphragm!
" Well, the diaphragms of these three men would send you flying back into your chair just like that 1979 Maxell poster.
In addition to the nightly performances, the troupe took part in NOBA's educational program which provides free classes to local children of all levels. Additional information on NOBA's classes can be found through their .
The majority of their programming begins January 15, 2007.
An important note to those anxiously awaiting the reopening of NOBA's usual digs, the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts, the venue has recently began remodeling, and will hopefully open by next season.
Next on tap, Savion Glover.
A word to the wise, get your tickets now. Glover will sell out fast. For more information on NOBA's upcoming performances, you can visit their .
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