Two new events and a review!

content/calendar/one-off/2024-06/ballet-nacional-de-espana.md

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+---
+title: "Ballet Nacional de España: Invocatión"
+emoji: 🩰
+date: 2024-06-15T12:06:40.389Z
+timings:
+  - starts: 2024-06-14T19:30:00.000+01:00
+    duration: PT2H
+    attending: [jp, yvette]
+link: https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/ballet-nacional-de-espana-invocacion/
+location:
+  name: Sadler's Wells Theatre
+  latitude: 51.52945433303787
+  longitude: -0.10592580089437353
+summary: Spain's National Ballet troupe perform four works that span the pillars of Spanish dance.
+---
+
+I'm writing up this event after the fact as I'd forgotten {{< friend yvette >}} has booked for us to go — I'll keep my thoughts on it for another post but you should definitely go to see this while it's in town!
+
+> Invocación features four works that cover the cornerstones of Spanish dance, from vibrant flamenco (De lo Flamenco) and traditional bolero (Invocación Bolera) to contemporary dance (Jauleña) and classical ballet (Eterna Iberia).
+>
+> As one of the main cultural ambassadors of Spain to the world, Ballet Nacional de España (BNE) highlight Spain’s rich choreographic heritage. The National Ballet, founded by the Ministry of Culture in 1978, continues to set the standard for Spanish dance.
+>
+> Artistic Director Rubén Olmo curates this all-encompassing evening of four pieces. De lo Flamenco is a tribute to the legendary dancer and choreographer Mario Maya. Olmo choreographs two works; Jauleña, performed by a different soloist from the company each night, and the colourful, ensemble piece, Invocación Bolera. Finally Antonio Najarro’s Eterna Iberia which features the signature elements of Spanish dance – castanets, the Spanish Cape, and the Cordobes Hat.
+>
+> [Part of Flamenco Festival](https://www.sadlerswells.com/flamenco-festival-2024/)

content/calendar/one-off/2024-06/summer-garden-lates.md

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+---
+title: "Summer Garden Lates: Midsummer folk"
+emoji: 💐
+date: 2024-06-15T12:01:28.151Z
+timings:
+  - starts: 2024-06-23T18:30:00.000+01:00
+    duration: PT2H
+link: https://www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/event/summer-garden-lates-midsummer-folk/
+location:
+  name: Chelsea Physic Garden
+  latitude: 51.48488942825877
+  longitude: -0.1627397337286898
+summary: As the solstice sun sets, step into a world of enchantment with an evening of folk music at Chelsea Physic Garden.
+---
+
+A lovely university friend Sophie is playing at a folk festival set in a beautiful West-London garden — as if I needed _yet more_ good reasons to go to such a lovely place and event!
+
+Buying tickets in twos is heavily discounted, so bring a friend!
+
+> As the solstice sun sets, step into a world of enchantment with an evening of folk music at Chelsea Physic Garden.
+>
+> Join us within the walls of London’s oldest botanical garden, where the air will be alive with the melodies from the city’s finest emerging folk musicians, creating an evening of pure wonder and magic.
+>
+> Unfurl your picnic blanket,  unwind, and let music and nature transport you away on a midsummer’s evening in one of London’s most captivating and beautiful gardens, all part of our Garden Late series.

content/posts/reviews/events/ballet-nacional-de-espana/index.md

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+---
+title: "Ballet de España ¡Qué emoción!"
+emoji: 🩰
+type: review
+date: 2024-06-15T12:10:22.951Z
+inReplyTo: /calendar/one-off/2024-06/ballet-nacional-de-espana/
+summary: Flamenco and bolero and ballet and contemporary dance in a gloriously colourful thrill of a performance!
+tags:
+- dance
+- theatre
+topics:
+- Reflections
+location:
+  name: Sadler's Wells Theatre
+  latitude: 51.52945433303787
+  longitude: -0.10592580089437353
+---
+
+_Wow_. This was an absolute joy to watch — what a stunning display of rhythm and colour and movement! I really can't recommend seeing this performance enough.
+
+As an almost complete neophyte to Spanish dance I’m making the assumption that the first half was the more traditional dances (Ballet and Bolero, would be my guess), and the second half infused with more recent influences — the contemporary dance and the Flamenco. I found the first half harder to anchor myself into; I could see the skill, the precision, and the grace of movement (and the _incredible_ intricacy of the dancers' castanets) but it didn't immerse me anywhere near as much as the second set of two performances!
+
+That second half was so full of colour, rhythm and _joy_ (despite the dancers' stern faces) I couldn't help but bop along in my seat in those few moments where I wasn't on the edge of it. {{< friend yvette >}}, as a latina, proudly told me “now _that_ was great Flamenco” — I can't wait to see more.
+
+{{< figure src="./rmadya9.webp" caption="I snuck a photo during the encore they graced us with after the rapturous standing ovation they received at the end of their performance 🤭" alt="Colourful women swishing their flamenco dresses on the right, men in tuxedo-like leotards clapping overhead on the left: the band at the back of the stage loving the not-quite-battle before them." >}}