Pilar Rioja. - Repertorio Espanol's Gramercy Arts Theatre, New York, New York - dance reviews

Dance Magazine, Dec, 1996 by Anne Tobias

It was one of those magic moments in the theater. And this vision resides clearly in my memory: An opaque front scrim gradually dissolves into translucence, revealing an intimate view of a woman's lovely back. With a gently waving arm to each side and pulsing hips below, the back has a lyrical, sinuous energy. All curves and graceful harmony, the muscles are, at the same time, sprung with restless power. This woman has told us almost nothing yet, but this single furtive glimpse promises mystery and drama. I am enthralled, desirous for more.

The woman is Pilar Rioja, performing in her regular New York season, which usually falls in late summer or early autumn. Rioja, a master of flamenco dance, often presents her art in the form of a sophisticated lecture-demonstration. Each half of the program is introduced with a fast-paced and humorously informative discourse on the basic history and attributes of Spanish dance. A lot of dance lovers would immediately recognize flamenco by the dancer's proudly arching back and fiercely stamping feet. But how many of us would guess that the footwork consists of precise subdivisions of movement that use the heel, the ball of the foot, and the toe with varying degrees of force? Or that there are different types of hand clapping[UNKNOWN TEXT OMITTED]

While the lesson given is thorough, the real learning takes place in watching Rioja at work. You could dutifully note the astute physical illustration she is giving of everything the lecturer has just told you, or you could let go and fall in love. For Rioja transports the dancing beyond its known quantity. Every beat of her heel against the ground, every luxuriating arm gesture, every subtle twist of her pelvis, every instance registers a distinct emotion. And even her brilliant technique pales in the face of her deep and inquiring portrayal, through movement, of the human experience.

Rioja possesses a rare and generous gift: she allows viewers to participate by projecting their imaginations into her performance. Her dancing is suggestive rather than expository, and our visions, conjured by her actions, complete the moment. For me, this meant seeing in the eight stylistically distinct dances that Rioja presented an exploration of Everywoman, at all ages and stages of maturity. Inspired by Rioja, I could fathom this transcendent woman's joy, her rage, her innocence, her culpability--the multifarious qualities that reveal her as complex and eternal.