Rocío Molina

Centro Danza Matadero co-produces and hosts the world premiere of the latest work by Rocío Molina, regarded as one of the leading innovators of contemporary flamenco. Warm-up (Calentamiento) is a performance created and directed in collaboration with playwright and stage director Pablo Messiez (La voluntad de creer), with musical direction by Niño de Elche—with whom the Málaga-born artist previously collaborated on Carnación—and the participation of Cabosanroque. In Warm-up, the dancer and choreographer presents, together with a group of flamenco singers, the moment of preparation before a performance.

To loosen the muscles.
To transmit warmth to a body.
To inflame someone.
To arouse sexually.
To grow fervent.

These, among others, are the definitions the dictionary offers for “warm-up.” All of them resonate in Rocío Molina’s new work.

Barely at the beginning—or perhaps it had already begun?—Rocío tells us that before starting the warm-up, she will do a pre–warm-up warm-up to start warming up before she starts.

This opening up of the infinite beginning is life telling death that it’s not afraid—simply that it hasn’t yet begun to walk the path.

And since every beginning carries its own ending, this Warm-up will keep moving in circles, searching for relief.

It will find it sometimes in calm, sometimes in work, sometimes in pleasure, sometimes in pain, sometimes in solitude, and sometimes in company.

But always, always, always—in never letting the celebration end.

Performance included in the Flamenco Women, Large Format, and Flamenco series.