Pascal Gaona
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The story of Pascal Gaona is another example that flamenco knows no frontiers or boundaries. He was born in France but his passion for Spanish dance and flamenco brought him to Spain to learn the secrets of our culture. After dancing with Rafael Aguilar, José Antonio, Antonio Márquez and Aída Gómez, this Young French dancer, the only foreign member of the Spanish National Ballet, launches himself on the adventure of creating his own company. They have just opened with their first show "Fl@menco.fr" in Madrid (Spain). A curious name that heads a brave musical that mixes flamenco with French "chanson” with a cybernetic backdrop.
 What does Fl@menco.fr consist of?
It’s a show that fuses flamenco with French song. I am French but I’ve been in Spain since 1992, so these two worlds mix very well for me. For me both flamenco and French song are expressions of feelings, of reality. Both are a cry, a tragic expression. Each in its own way obviously.
Musically it is inspired by the album "Chanson flamenca" by Pedro Ojestro and Manuel de María. This album reinterprets in flamenco the classics of French song and was the true starting point. The idea was to produce a show based on those songs, weaving them into the plot.
But "Fl@menco.fr" has a different format to what is normal because of is stage setting, colours and performances. It’s more than just your usual dance show. It’s a mix of musical, theatre and music, with artists that dance, sing and act. I use the dancers as actors. And even I sing. But of course, in French and acting, not flamenco.
Both flamenco and French song are expressions of feelings, of reality . |
. Until 2004 I only danced, but I’ve been taking singing lessons for 4 years because I wanted to do a musical and sing.
Why such a suggestive title?
The piece takes place in a flamenco and French song website. In fact the stage setting is a webpage.
The plot is based on my own personal experience, a Frenchman that gets into flamenco and Spanish dance. There are two other main characters, the French girl and the “Franchute” (French guy). The French girl is a metaphor for dance, she came to France to look for me and I followed her to Spain. The French guy is myself. I chose that name because when I arrived in Spain everybody called me that 
Pascal Gaona
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I was looking for a space where the story could take place and I thought of a website. Nowadays communication is done on the internet and places are created by putting a dot and an extension (.fr, .es, .jp, .uk etc.). The @ is because there is already a website for a flamenco dance school called flamenco.fr.
And the internet is an ideal way to disseminate and exchange flamenco experiences. Nowadays web pages are the best way to keep in touch with what is going on in the flamenco world, they take it everywhere. You can go to a chat and talk to anyone form any country. That is very interesting.
Where and how this interest in Spanish dance and flamenco?
I’m from the south of France, from the French Basque country. I have Spanish family and because if we look at who we are you could say that I have Spanish genes.
I was influenced when I was young by Camarón and Antonio Gades and classical Spanish music by Falla and Albéniz.
I was influenced when I was young by Camarón and Antonio Gades . |
And how did you start dancing?
I started dancing in Saint-Jean-de-Luz because my sisters went to my aunt’s flamenco and Spanish dance school. I danced as an amateur until I was 18-20 years old, but at that time I already knew that I loved the stage.
I did that until the time came for me to decide what to do with my future, to go to university or do something else. That’s when I decided to dance for a living and I came to Spain, because Rafael Aguilar invited me to come and dance in his company.
How was your arrival in Spain?
Like an Obelix, and with no Spanish, I jumped into the day-to-day potion of life in a Spanish dance company. I drenched myself in the knowledge and experience of the people from different parts of Spain that made up the company.
Pascal Gaona
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The basis was the human side of things and contact with people. I picked things up here and there. As soon as there was a pause in the tours I would go to the Amor de Dios to take classes with the main masters in Spanish dance.
Later I developed my career in other ballets like those of José Antonio, the Antología de la Zarzuela, Antonio Márquez and I also danced with Aída Gómez, who was the one that opened the doors to the Spanish National Ballet.
How do you understand and perform Spanish dance and flamenco?
My dance has a natural fusion. I have been assimilating and incorporating different dance styles: classical, modern, flamenco, etc. It’s a mix of what’s inside; it’s a question of baggage.
The truth is that I haven’t done a lot of flamenco. I have mostly done Spanish classical and folk dance, but I have always been surrounded by flamenco artists and that’s how I know it and how I know how to direct and choreograph other artists in this style.
I try to keep my dance simple and pure. |
I try to keep my dance simple and pure. I use traditional steps, simple steps performed simply and cleanly. It isn’t easy. Nowadays we are used to making everything too complicated. Sometimes we forget that a simple, well performed movement can be beautiful and plastic.
Why do you think that flamenco is so popular in France?
Firstly I think it has to do with geographical and cultural proximity. And don’t forget that many flamenco artists went to Paris in their day, to the theatres and cabarets to perform and earn a living since they couldn’t in Spain.
Flamenco is Spain’s best calling card abroad. It’s an art form that is very prestigious all around the world, in France, Japan, and the USA. In Spain, on the other hand, it isn’t protected and looked after enough sometimes. You have to realise that many people know of this country thanks to flamenco.
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