This year, I was only able to attend the closing of the Festival de Jerez, starred by El Carpeta, the youngest of the Farruco siblings, in a show which, some time ago, became entangled in a controversy created by Antonio Canales’ very harsh words against this festival, what prompted El Carpeta to remove Canales as invited guest from his original lineup, and replacing him with his brother Farruquito, who, incidentally, came on stage after half of the public had already left, to apologize for not having performed due to an injury.

The Festival of Jerez is one of the main flamenco events of the year, among the best, and that’s why it has to take good care of everything. Frankly, El Carpeta, bailaor from Seville, is not the best suited artist to close a festival of such magnitude, less so at the Villamarta theater. I’m not saying that his show wasn’t good enough to feature in this festival, even as I personally didn’t like it, but having this show, “A Bailar” (“Let’s Dance”), as the closing event of the festival is beyond understanding. First, it didn’t have the high standard required for these things. Second, because El Carpeta is not the kind of bailaor and choreographer for such undertaking. He dances, for whoever likes him, and that’s about it. Yet, one thing is to have a touch of art and grace, and quite another is to create a world-class show.

The grandson of the great Antonio El Farruco has a lot of self-confidence and mighty strength in his legs. However, dancing flamenco is much more than that, and I’m not even getting into what it means to produce a show, create choreographies, set up the stage lights, lead the ensemble, and performing the whole thing. I’ve seen Antonio Gades, Mario Maya or Cristina Hoyos do that. What kind of show is having a bailaor come out, make three or four flamenco poses, stomp three times and parade around the stage, coming and leaving at will? Not to mention the excess of concert guitars, the awful lightning and many other essential things in a show.

Fortunately, at least the music had interesting things when it came to cante, it was outstanding in toque, and it was well devised. Also, seeing La Farruca dance is always a joy, due to her pellizcos, although not quite dancing the version of La Salvaora arranged for her, even less so in a theater where Caracol and Lola Floreshad such great success.

I didn’t go to Jerez to write a review, I simply wanted to attend the closing act of this festival as one more spectator. I paid for the trip and the hotel room out of my own pocket, although this doesn’t really matter. If I ended up writing a review, it’s because I believe that, without trying to discredit this young bailaor, these things should not happen in a festival of such stature, and the closing acts should be reserved for the very best.

Translated by P. Young