Company

The Ballet Nacional de España wishes to pay tribute to dancer and choreographer Mario Maya (1937-2008), one of the great masters of Spanish dance, who despite being a creator of a unique style of his own had not been included in our repertoire.

“Questioning traditional thought is always the starting point to gain new knowledge. Cultural tradition has to persevere in a vigorous, constant process to keep its status of ‘art’ and adapt it to the new social needs and conditions. Deep socioeconomic and cultural changes encourage me to seek new forms of expression as the only way to avoid the decay into folklore merchandise.  Art is no ritualised memory. Art is a conception of life and a symbolic challenge to man. “Beat plus shout or shouting on beat”.

MARIO MAYA

The Ballet Nacional de España pays tribute to Mario Maya, a brilliant bailaor, choreographer, and master who passed away in 2008. Mario Maya is a leading figure in the world of Spanish dance because of his genius and sensitivity. A groundbreaking artist, he staged bold productions and created an artistic school that includes registros of dancer and bailaor at the same time.

De lo flamenco is defined as a flamenco suite that portrays Mario Maya’s own style, who in 1994 founded the Compañía Andaluza de Danza, present-day Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía. The programme Mario Maya premiered that year was a leap forward, a breath of fresh air that was different from the flamenco performed up till then. Even now it is still innovative and completely different from anything else.

“Master Mario was a tireless researcher in everything to do with this art, a global and Flamenco Teatro Andaluz leading dancer, creator of a unique, very personal style. That’s why, I believe that the Ballet Nacional de España had to include one of his works in its repertoire”

RUBÉN OLMO