Sangre Flamenca II / Sunico’s Paris concert

The mini-stage of Spotlight reverberated with the thunderous zapateados and taconeos of eminent flamenco dancer-choreographer Clara Ramona in “Sangre Flamenca II”.

With flair and élan, sensuous grace, supple movement, she glided onstage seducing the audience, or startling it with footwork of incredible speed, power and stamina while she dominated the program from start to finish.

In Entorno de Mujer (Feminine Turns), with music by Granados, she magnetized viewers with her deft and lightning manipulation of the fan, her body undulating. In Andaluzi Café Belly Dancing, she wriggled her hips, her curvaceous figure making seductive circular motions.

Yerbaguena guitarists Miguel Nañana and Raj Mansukhani, and percussionists Pepoy Songco and David Esteban created tremendous pounding rhythms by striking their canes against the floor with devastating zest and vigor; soon after, Clara Ramona and her ensemble danced enticingly to the deafening beats.

There were three other soloists. The exotic beauty Olivia Francisco as Gitanilla (Little Gypsy) exuded pertness and charm as she struck her tambourine or, leaving it on the floor, whirled with gay abandon. Tammy Monsod and Timothy John Fabian (the only male company member) separately danced the Farruca, each manifesting vastly impressive discipline and control in zapateados and taconeos and in dramatically abrupt pauses, head held high to express Spanish hauteur and arrogance.

Mercedes Soler, Maradee de Guzman, Clarissa de Castro, Donica Lopez, Rose Roig, Nozomi Yamagoshi, Mika Maronilla completed the cast, dancing with shawls or fans, or clicking castanets or doing rapid footwork. They exhibited grace and precision while capturing the very essence and spirit of flamenco.

The ravishingly attractive and elegant costumes designed by Clara enhanced the dances considerably.

Youngsters — Erika Sujimoto, Anastacia Wasti and Donna Mascarinas — were aptly chosen for “Las Niñas Rumberas”.

The finale featuring all participants was a dazzling riot of color, movement and sound.

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Celebrated international pianist Raul Sunico gave a concert at Paris’ Cathedral Saint-Louis des Invalides for the 110th anniversary of Philippine Independence.

Sunico, UST Conservatory dean interpreted Chopin, Grieg, Respighi, Liszt, Debussy, Ravel, Kreisler and Rachmaninoff. The SRO audience came from the French Foreign Ministry, the diplomatic corps, UNESCO, and other international organizations, Paris’ discriminating habitués and Filipino community leaders.

The concert was arranged by the engaging, hard-working Ambassador Jose Abeto Zaide who reported to FA Secretary Alberto Romulo the generous support of Ambassador to the Netherlands Romeo Arguelles and the Honorary Consul General.

Recognizing culture as an instrument of diplomacy, Secretary Romulo, Tourism Secretary “Ace” Durano and NCCA Undersecretary Vilma Labrador heartily joined hands.

In Sunico’s concert, the Filipinos were particularly delighted with his arrangements of F. Buencamino’s Ang Larawan, E. Cuenco’s Bato sa Buhangin and De Guzman’s Bayan Ko. Sunico has promoted Filipino music internationally, and recorded 13 volumes of native folk songs.

He has had engagements with the Moscow Philharmonic, Transylvania Philharmonic, Szezecin Philharmonic, Towson Community Orchestra, among others, and has concertized under such notable conductors as Enrique Batiz, Pierro Gamba, Garyth Nair, Helen Quach, Oscar Yatco, Ruggiero Barbieri and Eugene Castillo. Sunico has performed in Europe, the US including NY’s Lincoln Center, the ME and Asia.