The flamenco spectacle from Spain, “Gran Gala Flamenco,” was held two days ago on the stage of the Bosnian Cultural Center in Sarajevo, thereby officially opening the Festival of Dance and Arts Dansar.
The audience had the opportunity to enjoy two performances, both held before a sold-out hall. The performances brought an outstanding combination of passion, music, and dance performed by artists from Barcelona, confirming the reputation of “Gran Gala Flamenco” as a program usually staged at the world’s most prestigious venues.
“This was truly a wonderful night in Sarajevo. The audience was wonderful. At one moment, I really felt as if I were in Spain because we connected in a beautiful way, and I am truly grateful to the Sarajevo audience for this evening,” said dancer Eli Ayala after the performance.
On stage, alongside the Spanish artists, Sevdalinka interpreter Alma Subasic and guitarist Mirza Redzepagic also performed, uniquely combining Bosnian sevdah and Spanish flamenco, highlighting the emotional and aesthetic similarities of the two musical traditions.
Thanking Redzepagic for the invitation to participate, Subasic emphasized that the performance was excellent, that she herself enjoyed it, but also that the audience was impressed.
“I feel that flamenco is deeply close to me. Through working with Mirza, I realized that I can convey that emotion on stage because it is the same soul carried by sevdalinka, with its rich and beautiful texts and melodies,” said Subasic.
“It is always a wonderful experience to play with flamenco artists from Spain. Honestly, there was a bit of stage fright because Spain is, after all, the cradle of flamenco, so this was truly a very special experience,” emphasized guitarist Mirza Redzepagic after the performance.
Co-organizer of the Festival of Dance and Arts Dansar, Enis Avdic, said that he hopes the Festival will again bring joy to the Sarajevo audience with such a spectacle next year.
“It is an exceptional pleasure for us to have hosted the fantastic group Gran Gala Flamenco tonight in Sarajevo, with some of the best dancers, singers, and musicians in the world. The audience showed with thunderous applause how much they enjoyed the performance. In the coming days, we will continue the festival program, and we are especially looking forward to next weekend when we will have the international competition in modern dances,” said Avdic.
The Festival of Dance and Arts Dansar continues until October 12th and brings a rich program.
From the exhibition of dance photographs “Step by Step” by Enis Avdic, through the Fuego Dance Night party with Latin rhythms and social dances, all the way to the central event, the III International DDC Open competition in modern and street dance styles, which will be held in Skenderija on October 11th and 12th and gather more than 1.000 participants from the entire region.
The festival will conclude with dance masterclasses in Performing Arts and Street Dance disciplines, it was announced by the Association “Center for Dance Development.”
