By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
The Japanese flamenco star Yoko Komatsubara will once again bring the passion and spirit of Spain's flamenco to Seoul this month.
Komatsubara and her Ballet de Yoko Komatsubara will perform at the Naru Arts Center on Oct. 18 and the Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Complex on Oct. 19. They performed in Korea last year, receiving much critical acclaim.
The Ballet de Yoko Komatsubara promises to stage an enchanting flamenco performance titled ``Mystery and Passion of Flamenco.'' In the show, the dancers will show the true spirit and energy of flamenco through singing, dancing, guitar playing as well as hand clapping and foot stamping. Performances include ``La Vida Breve (The Brief Life),'' ``Malaguena,'' ``Danza de Fuego (Dance of Fire)'' and ``Cante y Guitarra (Song and Dance).''
Known as Asia's ``bailaora,'' Komatsubara is one of the first-generation flamenco dancers and renowned choreographers in Japan. She initially majored in Japanese traditional dance and classical ballet, however, she fell in love with flamenco after watching a show by flamenco legend Pilar Lopez in Tokyo in 1960.
She went to Spain in 1962 to learn from the best flamenco dancers, and dreamed of becoming a ``bailaora.'' She learned from flamenco dancers Victoria Eugenia, Enrique el Cojo, Matilde Coral, Pedro Azorin and Paco Fernandez.
By 1969, Komatsubara had already formed her own ballet company, which included traditional flamenco. She has been recognized for her efforts to promote the art of flamenco dancing in Spain. She won a special prize in Antonio Mairena, Spain's most prestigious flamenco competition in 1975, and received the Lazo de la Orden de Isabel la Catolica (Ribbon of the Order of Isabel), which was given by Spanish King Juan Carlos I in 1977. She also received the Heraldo Brenan Award in 1998 for her invaluable contribution to Spanish culture.
``Flamenco embraces the joys and hardships of life with a love that blossoms, sublimating them into art. If you have no love for flamenco, it's not flamenco,'' Komatsubara has said.
Antonio Marquez, currently considered as one of Spain's greatest flamenco dancers, will also perform with Komatsubara during the show. Marquez is a former member of the Ballet Nacional de Espana and the Ballet Espanol de Madrid, and also has his own dance company.
Tickets are 40,000 won, 30,000 won and 20,000 won. For information, visit www.ticketlink.co.kr (1588-7890) or ticket.interpark.com (1544-1555).