A SPANISH Flamenco adaptation of “Carmen,” an 1845 French novella by Prosper Merrimee, was staged at the AIA Grand Theater in Shanghai on Tuesday night. The one-time performance was produced by the Antonio Gades Company, a renowned dance group that has been a pillar of Flamenco in Spain since its establishment. Flamenco, which has been recognized by UNESCO as a form of intangible cultural heritage, unites dance, song, guitar music and costume to create a distinct art form. Boasting a profound history, Flamenco has also benefited from the cultural exchange between the East and the West, according to Stella Arauzo, artistic director of the Antonio Gades Company and show’s chief director. She said that the Manila shawls worn by the dancers are a vivid example. These were originally Chinese shawls, and they evolved alongside the rise of Flamenco, being shipped from Guangdong Province to Manila in the Philippines hundreds of years ago, and then to southern Spain via the Maritime Silk Road. Over the years, distinct tassels were added, and the shawls became essential props for Flamenco. Today, the shawls are popular attire in Spain and many Latin American countries. A lecture on Flamenco was also given recently at the Miguel de Cervantes Library in Shanghai, a center dedicated to fostering cultural exchange between Spain and China. Famed Flamenco singer Alfredo Tejada incorporated Chinese elements into his performance at the event, improvising lyrics about China and several countries in the Americas to showcase the diversity and inclusivity that have driven the evolution of Flamenco. This is not the first time that Flamenco has won fans in Shanghai. This art form was showcased during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, inspiring fans to attend performances and also learn how to sing and dance in the Flamenco style. (Xinhua) | 