The Flamenco Night of Paulina Ruiz in Tapalpa
Bailaora Paulina Ruiz is becoming established as one of the most promising jewels of flamenco in Mexico. She’s now performing her show in Tapalpa with her brother, Mario Ruiz, and guitarist Fernando Martínez.
After Spain and Japan, Mexico is the third country with the most flamenco academies in the world. Here we already discussed the flamenco fever taking hold of that nation. Thanks to the work of the academies, now and then stars such as Paulina Ruiz come out.
This bailaora from Guadalajara (Jalisco state) is becoming established as one of the most promising jewels of flamenco in Mexico. After the successful Ibérica Contemporánea dance festival held in 2017, the Fundación Cristina Heeren granted Paulina — then just 17 years old — half scholarship for its Curso Flamenco Anual. This young bailaora thus followed in the footsteps of other Mexican students such as Carmen Young and María Martha Rodríguez.
Paulina Ruiz continues to grow and on Saturday, March 14th she’ll perform her show Noche flamenca (‘Flamenco Night’) in Tapalpa. She’ll be joined by her brother Mario Ruiz, also a bailaor, and by guitarist Fernando Martínez. «I’ll perform traditional flamenco, which is the style of baile I like the most. There will be alegrías of Cádiz, soleá por bulerías, and my musicians will perform tangos and a few Mexican songs with a flamenco bent», explained the artist in a statement published at informador.mx.
The show will take place at 8 PM at Hotel La Casa de Maty, located on 69 Matamoros, in Tapalpa’s downtown. Further information and reservations are available at the hotel’s website. Besides, as of March 5th, Ruiz is performing every Thursday at Café 48, and later she’ll take part in an international festival which will be held at Degollado Theater with Ana de la Peza’s company Encuentro Flamenco, under the direction of the Spanish bailaora Mariana Collado.
This successful bailaora also teaches at Las Cabales dance academy. She recalls having started dancing flamenco when she was 3 years-old, and what was initially a pastime became a career. «Women have an essential role in flamenco and in life. I always say that in flamenco, as in life, nothing happens without women. Women feature in flamenco’s history from the very beginning. I feel empowered when I dance, it makes me feel strong», Paulina said.
Flamenco in Guadalajara
Proud of her birthplace, this bailaora tells informador.mx that Guadalajara is one of the Mexican cities where flamenco is most popular and where the public shows greatest interest. «The new generation is very strong, very impressive. The old generation embraces the new. Flamenco is very traditional, but it’s also very flexible and innovation is always welcomed with great respect. Stars such as maestra Triana Maciel are teaching the new generations», stated Ruiz.
The new star of baile is certain that flamenco in Guadalajara and Mexico is alive and well thanks to that new batch of young bailaoras. Besides, she has encouraged their training so they can learn about flamenco culture in greater depth.
Image above: Paulina Ruiz (courtesy of informador.mx)
