DAY ONE
AKDC company dancer Jane Chan shares her account of the ONE collaboration between Amina Khayyam and Belen Maya in Laroles – Me Vuelves Lorca Festival
The long anticipated collaboration of ONE between Amina Khayyam and Belen Maya began as the company travels from London to Laroles. After two flights from London to Madrid, Madrid to Granada and a long two hour drive weaving along the Lorca mountains as the sun set, we finally arrived in a beautiful village full of white houses with fig, almond, grapes trees along the road, with the smell of fresh laundry and the sound of water streaming down the mountains.
We were then greeted with Spanish omelettes and a stunning view of the village, where life unfolds before us.
As the stars appear, we venture to Me Vuelves Lorca Festival' soutdoor amphitheatre with the mountains as the backdrop for an evening of energetic Cuban music which brought the audience to their feet.
Amina, Belen and our highly reputable musicians: Lucy and Noelia (vocals), Debasish (tabla), Alastair (cello) and Guiliano (guitar) are keen to start getting to know each other with their crafts. Because none of us can wait any longer, our host / artistic director of Me Vuelves Lorca Festival, Anna and the company moved things around in her beautiful casa blanca and we started straight away in a simple but gorgeous room underground room away from the scorching Spanish sun.
Debasish kicked off with some frenzy joyous teental compositions and Noelia could not help it but join in with her cajon. It was as simple as that, everyone in the room is tapping away, and there were no ice breaking needed.
Followed by Lucy and Noelia with one song each, transporting us with their powerful and amazingly soulful voices that left the room in silence, overwhelmed with emotions. Not everyone in the room shares the same language but music, rhythms and emotions brought us together.
May the dance, music, rhythms, cultures, and characters collide. I very much look forward to the coming few days.