Sadler’s Wells, London
June 16, 2026
This year’s festival got off to a traditional start with Compañía de Danza Jesús Carmona in UnYdos, Carmona sharing the dancing with Lucia Campillo, accompanied by singers Eleazar Cerreduela and Francisco Blanco with José Manuel Martinez Muñoz (El Peli) on guitar. Credit too must be given to the lighting designer Juanjo Hernández Trigueros for a stunning design throughout.
The evening opened with unaccompanied zapateado from Carmona, back lit by a single white spot that highlighted the lines of his braceo (carriage of the arms) Carmona has fluid arms that are almost feminine without being effeminate. His style invites the sort of comments that are more commonly associated with ballet, at least on his top half. He is not afraid to make a lot of use of filigrana (decorative hand and finger movements) either, alongside pitos (finger snapping) that fire off like pistol shots. Once the lighting came up and he was joined by Campillo, it was clear that we would be getting an hour of flamenco pura.
That said, it was a little shocking when Carmona peeled off the top layer of Campillo’s dress seductively and handed her a silk shawl or manton. Complimented by dramatic lighting, that and the pale blue dress were stunning.
Photo Festival de la Union
Campillo refrained from the all-too-often frenetic movements that are common in much manton work nowadays, instead using it as an expressive prop. It almost seemed as if she were giving birth to it as she bundled it in front of her as she bent in a wide, low second position until it became an extension of her expansive upper body movements and then, finally, a suggestion of her shroud as she wrapped it and her body.
The cante (singing) was superb. Both singers have lightish-tenor voices that for all that, lack nothing in nuance and expression. El Peli sounds like at least three guitarists in one, his voice full of delicate, complex falsettas (melodic variations) with more than hint of classical roots.
So mesmerising was the singing that it was a surprise when Campillo was silhouetted in a bata de cola (tailed flamenco dress) cleverly lit so that it appeared to be blood red. She danced fandangos manipulating both her tail and a fan with such energy that one of her hair flowers flew across the stage.
Carmona followed, dressed in a rather unflattering red suit, a little surprisingly dancing soleá por bullerios. It was dramatic but lacked real depth. She did however scoop up the fallen flower, briefly dangling it at his rear like a rabbit’s scut before tossing it to a guitarist who in turn, slotted it into his buttonhole. Classy.
An evening solidly respectful of flamenco traditions and impressively slick in presentation.