Maria Serrano

Maria Serrano:
Maria del Mar Serrano Rebollo, "Maria Serrano", was born in Seville (Spain). From early childhood on she was taught Flamenco by Seville's best and most famous Flamenco teachers. José Galvan, Los Gitanillos de Bronce, Juan Manuel, Farruco, to name only a few, very soon discerned her sensitivity and power. Very soon she travelled half the world with famous ensembles such as Meme Menjibar, Javier Baron, Carmen y Carmelia Montoya, Antonio "El Pipa", etc. In 1993 André Heller chose her for his production "Magneten" and in this show she enchanted the audience in Germany, Austria and Switzerland for six months. The Austrian "NEWS" even named her the "Voodoo Queen" of Flamenco. In the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 Maria Serrano was touring all over Europe. Finally, she toured with the production "Mi CARMEN Flamenca", which had its premiere in November 1998 at the German Opera in Berlin. For RITMO Maria Serrano has created her first own Compania.

André Heller about Maria Serrano:
Maria Serrano is a volcanic phenomenon. She dances her inspiration into purity. Sometimes one gets the impression that she is obsessed with jumping dexils and only a few moments later she totally belongs to the deepest melancholies. Her art's home is always in the magic. It connot be explained, only admired.
Direction: Tomas Gonzales Perez (Cuba):
As a director, dramatist and author of films and theatre, the Cuban Tomas Gonzales Perez, who is now living on the Canary Islands, is now very rich in experience. As a professor he taught Modern Dance and folklore at the Escuela Nacional de Arte in Havana. As a scriptwriter he wrote two classics of the Cuban film: "La ultima cena" with Tomas Gutiérrez Alea and "De cierta manera" with Sara Gomez. Additionally, he has received numerous national and international awards for his work. Together with his wife Mar’a del Pino Rodriguez de la Cruz, who is working with him as a dramatist for RITMO, he is the head of the "Escuela Internacional de Actuacion Trascendente" in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

Choreography: Manolo Marin (Spain) and Lazaro Noriega (Cuba):
Nowadays, after a brilliant career as a dancer, Manolo Marin surely is the most important choreographer in the world of Flamenco. Among many others, Cristina Hoyos, the Spanish National Ballet and the Centro Andaluz de Danza, have entrusted themselves to him in the past few years. His name is well known far beyond Spain`s frontiers after his working with Carlos Saura, the artistic collaboration on the EXPO '92 in Seville and the Olympic Games in Barcelona. Additionally, Manolo Marin has a very close artistic partnership with Maria Serrano, with whom he has already worked for "Flamenco es mi vida" and "Mi Carmen Flamenca".

The Cuban choreographer Lazaro Noriega is a professor for Afro Cuban folklore and the director of the dance ensemble "Pinos Nuevos". As a dancer he went through the excellent Cuban dance education, and later he studied dance, literature and art. Not only as a dancer but also as a choreographer has he been awarded several national and international prizes. Numerous guest performances, tours and workshops have led Lazaro Noriega through Europe, and he has become especially fond of Spain.

Music Direction: José Luis Monton and Ramon Valle:
José Luis Monton is known as one of Spain's most significant Flamenco guitarists. Constantly widening his music's horizon he is open for innovation, without ever denying his roots in Flamenco. He combines virtuosity with distinct musicality and great technical skills. José Luis Monton has composed for the theatre, wrote the music for "Vivencia" of the dancer Antonio "El Pipa", has been awarded prizes at international guitar competitions in Jerez de la Frontera, Barcelona and Nimes, and was awarded the Cup Teatro Pavon for guitar, a trophy created for the new values of the Flamenco art form. The Spanish literary award-winner Manuel Rios Ruis even called him the "Flamenco guitarist for the 21st century".

Ramon Valle combines in his piano playing boundless creativity with polished technique. No less a person than Chucho Valdez, the maestro of all Cuban pianists, has called him the most wonderful of all young Cuban pianists. In the meantime, together with his Jazz trio the Latin Jazz virtuoso, who is now living in Amsterdam, has made a name for himself in the international Jazz scene. Ramon Valle's compositions convey his love for Jazz, his Cuban roots are always present with it. He got involved in Flamenco for the first time while recording together with Paco de Lucia's bass player Carlos Bennavent.

Script and Direction Tomas Gonzales Peréz
Choreography Manolo Marin
Lazaro Noriega
Music José Luis Monton
Ramon Valle
Dramaturgy Maria del Pino Rodrguez del la Cruz
La Compania
Maria Serrano
Dancers Maria Serrano (Spanien)
Antonio Castro "Antonette" (Spanien)
Ivàn Eugenio Martinez (Kuba)
Ivan Elias Gongora Navarro (Spanien)
Christina Gallego (Spanien)
Mercedes Cortés (Spanien)
Inmaculada Luna (Spanien)
Yahima Caridad Comez Hernandez (Kuba)
Maibel del la Caridad Gomez del Vallin (Kuba)
Rolando Pacheco Fleitas (Kuba)
Leiza Mendez Sardina (Kuba)
Music José Luis Monton (Gitarre / Spanien)
Paco Javier Jimeno (Gitarre / Spanien)
Juan Cantarote (Gesang, Percussion / Spanien)
Inmaculada Rivero (Gesang / Spanien)
Ramon Valle (Piano / Kuba)
Oscar Rodriguez Calvo (Bass / Kuba)
Frank Bell (Percussion)
Elsa Valle (voc, / Kuba)
Guest on the bienal Enrique "El Estremeno"
Juan José Amador
Technical Direction Andreas Kisters – Guillermo Suero
Hanno Mack