DANCE REVIEW : Fuego Flamenco Catches Fire

Within the cramped confines of the 75-seat Fountain Theatre in Hollywood, the eight-member troupe Fuego Flamenco made an unusually visceral impact.

Company artistic director and choreographer Roberto Amaral danced two smash solos on Friday--”Romera” and “Cana”--the first with fluent leg crossings and furious footwork; the second with pensive demeanor, slow turns and soft glides alternating with bursts of explosive footwork.

His duet, “Zorongo Gitano,” with the statuesque, brooding, sensual Irene Heredia proved a highlight of the program. With her beautifully arched back, proud and pained demeanor and fiery virtuosity, Heredia traced the delicate stages in the give-and-take of this moonlit romantic assignation.

Of the other dancers, the tall, angular Maria “La Cha Cha” Bermudez offered an impressive extended solo. With trance absorption, Bermudez danced with tense, hard, percussive footwork, fluent quick twists and hops.

Her almost disdainful exit revealed the attitude of a person who had realized she had been observed dancing for herself, rather than for an audience. Elsewhere, Antonia Lopez brought poise, sullen heat and large-scale movement to her solo “Por Tientos.”

Lacking an ideally stretched back and technical mastery, Liz Imperio compensated with sunniness and comedy in her “Tanguillo de Cadiz.”

Pepa Sevilla sang with the expressive, hoarse remnants of a voice and danced “Rumba Flamenca” with fierce commitment and irrepressible magnetism.

Guitarist Benito Palacios offered a florid solo, in addition to expert accompaniment. Antonio de Jerez sang with chalky expressivity.