Mercedes Amaya “La Winy” and Santiago Aguilar
Publication Date
Fall 11-2-2012
Files
Piece Description
Title of Choreography: POR EL CAMINO
Palo: Martinete
Music Composition: Santiago Aguilar
Original Cast: 12 Dancers
Original Costume or costume idea: Fitted lace traditional costume that she wore for tablao.
Description of Work: This is a work originally choreographed for twelve dancers. Santiago Aguilar composes the original music to this work. The choreography juxtaposes the use of a large group of dancers and large staging with the steps and choreography of a traditional martinete.
Mercedes Amaya is recognized for her style that is clearly “Amaya” but at the same time very unique, given in part to her isolation as an artist in Mexico and her unique experience as a dancer.
The martinete is a flamenco palo belonging to the group of the tonás or cantes a palo seco. As the rest of the songs in this group, it is sung normally with no accompaniment, though for dance percussion played to the compás of siguiriya accompanies it. The percussion instruments chosen for this are frequently a hammer and anvil, to evocate the origins of this palo, attributed to Gypsy smiths. The subject matters of the martinet often contain allusions to persecution, prison, and the environment of the forges.
Words from the Choreographer:
"Por el Camino"… ya que es a través del tiempo y los caminos que uno va aprendiendo y creando con las experiencias vividas…
Rehearsal Video Link
https://libmedia-unm-edu.libproxy.unm.edu/unm/flamenco/mercedes_amaya_rehearsal__H264.mp4
Class 1 Video Link
https://libmedia-unm-edu.libproxy.unm.edu/unm/flamenco/mercedes_amaya_269_H264.mp4
Class 2 Video Link
https://libmedia-unm-edu.libproxy.unm.edu/unm/flamenco/mercedes_amaya_369__H264.mp4
Performance Video Link
https://libmedia-unm-edu.libproxy.unm.edu/unm/flamenco/mercedes_amaya_full_piece_H264.mp4
Artist/Choreographer Biography
Mercedes Amaya is the niece of the great flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya, daughter of Antonia Amaya and the singer Triana Chiquito.
Amaya begins her professional career in the 1980s, performing in the most important flamenco forums in Mexico and then touring internationally in Latin America, Japan, the United States, and more recently Spain.
In the early 1990s she forms her own company. Her work “Fuente Vieja” premieres at La Sala Miguel Covarrubias in 1992 and in 1994 her company shows this same work at the Palacio de Bellas Artes as part of the Festival Internacional del Día de la Danza.
In 1995 she opens the great Festival of Acapulco and presents her works “Canastero” and “Calle Gitana.” In September of the same year she opens the first Festival Internacional De Danza Y Teatro in the city of Lima Perú.
In 1999 Amaya travels to Spain and joins the company of dancer Antonio Canales. Amaya works as invited artist in Canales’ work "Raíz." In this work, Amaya is presented over a three-month period in the most important theaters of Spain, Palacio de Congresos in Madrid, Teatro Lope de Vega in Sevilla, Teatro Villamarta in Jerez de la Frontera and the Tivoli in Barcelona among many others.
In 2000, Mercedes is presented at Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In February 2001, is presented at the opening of Carnaval de Mazatlán in the production “Sangre Latin” along with the National Dance Company of Mexico. In this same year, Amaya is featured in the festival “Vive la Magia” in Celaya, Guanajuato, and in September she closes the third Festival del Desierto in San Luis Potosí.
In 2002 Amaya again presents her own evening in Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque where she shares top billing with Maria Pages and Farruquito. In 2003 Amaya and her company travel to work for a six-month period at the most prestigious tablao in Tokyo, Japan, "Del Flamenco."
In 2004, Amaya presents a work in Festival Ceiba in Villa Hermosa, Tabasco.
In 2005, Amaya is featured again at the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Alburquerque, in December of this same year Amaya is contracted for a month’s work at the reknown flamenco tablao “Casa Patas” in Madrid.
In 2006, Amaya is featured at the Festival de Mont Marsan in France where she shares the stage with flamenco guitarist Gerardo Núñez,
2007 plaza de toros Mexico at the event "Red Bull X-Fighters" for 40,000 people, in September this year will perform an extensive tour of the cities more important of Japan .
2008 October, season in the tablao flamenco press testimonials Mexico City Gitanerias.
In mid-2011 performs the presentation of his show "Amaya lineage" that achieved a resounding success of 2 nights with full totals in the theatre "Teatro de la Ciudad" Esperanza Iris.
Amaya currently lives in Mexico City where she performs and teaches.
Time at UNM
October 15 - November 2, 2012 (Three weeks)
Recommended Citation
Amaya, Mercedes "La Winy". "Mercedes Amaya “La Winy” and Santiago Aguilar." (2012). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/flamenco/1
