The jubilant styles of Compania Espanola de Antonio Marquez will grace the Wharton Center stage tonight with the art of the flamenco dance.
Marquez, Spain’s leading flamenco dancer, will perform with the emotions of colorful traditions and rhythms of his culture.
“I know the American public will not only value the discipline and beauty of dance,” Marquez said. “But above all they value a type of performance like flamenco dance.”
Flamenco dancing is a mix of visual art and Spanish tradition with the ability to mesmerize the audience.
“It’s important to modernize a style of dancing in a way that conserves the origins of dance,” he said. “It is very important not to lose the sensation of the tradition, and by modernizing in this way, one can preserve this tradition longer.”
Marquez has studied dance since the age of 12 and began his career at the Ballet Nacional de Espana in 1982. He has performed at prestigious dance companies, such as Ballet Espanol de Madrid, Ballet Region de Murcia and Victor Ullate’s Ballet Company.
“As a boy I was always fascinated by the world of bulls and the beautiful movements they make,” Marquez said. “I discovered early on that it was the artistry of this movement that attracted me. I knew with Spanish dance I could get close to the kind of artistry.”
The performance incorporates other dance styles, such as the bolero, zapateado and reencuentros.
Marquez said the first part of the show the audience will see a demonstration of traditional Spanish classical dance called reencuentros.
The show starts at 7:30 p.m. today. Tickets run from $22 to $36. For ticket information contact the Wharton Center box office at (517)432-2000 or 1-800-WHARTON.
