RIAF Review: Rocío Molina 'Danzaora y Vinática'

Rocío Molina’s flamenco performance the Ringling International Arts Festival, “Danzaora y Vinática,” was hypnotizing with the rhythms created by Molina’s movements, the traditional Spanish ballads, strums of the guitar and hand clapping keeping beat.

Molina is truly passionate about the flamenco style and has been awarded for her skill and creativity in the dance style. “Danzaora y Vinática” begins on a dark stage lined with microphones along the floor so the audience can clearly hear the rhythms created by Molina’s feet in her dance sequences as she beats her heels, stomps and drags and brushes the floor while turning and jumping in different geometric formations.

Molina starts the piece dragging a wine bottle that is leashed with a rope in circles creating a rolling sound before taking a sip of the wine before beginning her dance performance. She begins with rolling fingers and wrists that turns into undulating upper body moments with her arms and then adds the quick tapping, stomping and rhythms of her feet.

The performance included the musical talents of José Ángel Carmona who sang heart-stopping ballads to the sounds of guitar player Eduardo Trassierra and hand clapper José Manual Ramos, who also later stunned the audience with beat keeping by clanging wine bottles together.

The 75-minute performance that Molina performed without an intermission included four costume changes and stunts with wine glasses and bottles. Molina performed one segment where her feet stomped and tapped at lighting speed around a wine glass before she finally crushes it into the ground with one-full stomp. Later Molina used the crushed glass during a slower scene where she crunched and scraped the glass under her feet creating interesting sounds during a more adagio speed.

Molina’s performance was incredibly creative and her talents are undeniable as well as the musical talents of her cohorts. It was a very special show to behold.