La Luna Nueva — Miracle Theatre Group’s festival of Hispanic arts and culture from around the world in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month — opens in just a couple of weeks, and we couldn’t be more excited about the diverse line-up (see the whole schedule in English; vea el horario completo en español). Starting today, our guest blogger Stefanus Gunawan goes backstage to interview these extraordinary artists, offering an inside look at their life, their passion, su arte. We begin with flamenco dancer Melinda Hedgecorth. In her new show titled “De mi barrio” (From my neigborhood) at Milagro on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. and again Sunday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. Hedgecorth will be joined by talented singer Vicente Griego, dedicated guitarist Ricardo Diaz, and long-time flamenco friend of 12 years Laura Onizuka!
Stefanus: You have a fascinating background, and it is apparent that you have a resounding wealth of experience, but will you begin by introducing yourself a little bit?
Melinda: Sure, I am originally from Kansas City where I attended the University of Missouri, Kansas City and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts for Ballet, Modern Dance and Flamenco. There I performed with Tamara Carson’s group Ole! and with a project set up by David and Debbie St Charles who were principal dancers with Alvin Ailey. Soon after, I moved to Seattle to look for more opportunities to perform. There I increased my knowledge dancing with Carmona Flamenco and occasionally appearing with other groups in Vancouver, B.C. and Portland.
After two years in Seattle I took my first trip to Spain for three months to take five classes a day and try to soak up as much as I could. For me it was like starting over again. I danced until my feet bled in my new shoes and felt privileged for every moment I had with those wonderful artists (many of them the best in the world). After going back and forth from Spain to Seattle for five years to study in Madrid and Jerez I decided to move to Spain in 2004. I found some work in Sevilla and began my new life. I have lived there ever since. I was lucky to have a full year of classes with Israel Galván who has been very influential and to take private lessons with Isabel Bayón who has coached me a lot in the style and execution of my work. I have also studied with great dancers such as Pastora Galván, Belén Maya, La Truco, Ursula Lopez, and Andrés Marín. I performed in the local tablaos, peñas, festivals such as Flamenco en la Frontera in Morón de la Frontera, and museums such as El Museo del Baile Flamenco de Cristina Hoyos and Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporáneo.
As well as performing with the local musicians in Sevilla, currently, I maintain a group in the U.S. based out of Kansas City, Flamenco Mio, with guitarist Beau Bledsoe and saxophonist Mark Southerland. In the summers I tour the US and other countries such as Germany, Ireland, and soon the Ukraine, performing and teaching workshops in studios and at Universities.
Moving to your La Luna Nueva performance, I have to talk about your title—“De mi barrio”—because it is very intriguing. Could you explain to me why you chose this title, and what it means to you?
“De Mi Barrio” means from my neighborhood. In Sevilla, Spain I live in a very flamenco neighborhood. It is where world famous singers, dancers, and guitarists live in order to practice, teach and perform such as Israel Galván lives, El Lebrijano, Isabel Bayón, and many others. It is where the best flamenco goes down in sketchy back alleys, artful peñas, tablaos with big stages, and bars with just a few boards thrown together for the artists to stand on. It is where the paper posters line the dirty streets announcing classes in small dank studios with some of the most visionary bailadores in all of Spain. This is where I live, learn, and create, and I would like to present all of the life, dedication, and raw emotion that I experience here daily.
In your words, what kind of style, music, and experiences will one expect from “De mi barrio?”
“De mi barrio” is all about flamenco which is a very passionate music (made up of guitar, rhythm, and singing) and dance that originally comes from the Roma people (sometimes called gypsies and in Spain called Gitanos). These people migrated from India all the way to Europe and their music changed with time and influence of different cultures. In the south of Spain this music became flamenco, and it is often dark and haunting, about an oppressed people and their lives, loves and losses. In our performance we will share this side as well as some of the more light and upbeat songs that were used to celebrate at family gatherings. The dancing will reflect the traditional side of flamenco as well as some more contemporary movement that is being done in Spain today.
The cast for the upcoming performance is very impressive. How did you meet Vicente Griego, Ricardo Diaz, and Laura Onizuka? What are their roles in the performance?
Vicente Griego is a wonderfully talented singer who will use his rich voice to express all the pain, suffering, and joy of life as expressed by these traditional song forms. Vicente and I have heard about each other’s work and development for many years now, but we spoke via skype for the first time around Christmas and expressed our desire to work together. La Luna Nueva will be our first performance and we are very excited about the opportunity that it presents us.
Ricardo Diaz is a dedicated guitarist who I first met in Spain while he was accompanying Andres Marin’s flamenco dance class. I was impressed with his intuitive playing style, and we began to perform together in some of the local tablaos. He recorded his first CD in Jerez not too long ago and has played all over the world. His knowledge and style will bring a lot to the group.
I have known Laura for at least 12 years! We first met in Portland shortly after she had spent a year living and studying in Sevilla. We have been friends since that first day and as our experience in flamenco grew we shared information and performances. Laura has become one of the most respected flamenco teachers in the Northwest and brings so much art and command to the stage. Our dancing styles are very different and so we complement each other well. It will be a pleasure to see her and share the stage with her once again.
This year’s La Luna Nueva festival is made possible with the support of PGE Foundation, The Oregonian, Oregon Arts Commission, Regional Arts & Culture Council and Work for Art. Festival events occur September 14-29, 2012 at El Centro Milagro, 525 SE Stark Street, Portland, Oregon 97214; a complete schedule is available here. Admission varies; several events are FREE. Purchase tickets at 503-236-7253 or www.milagro.org (follow links for “La Luna Nueva” in right-hand sidebar).