Malevo group founded by director/choreographer Jaime Matias, is the first touring company to visit Israel since 7/10/2023.
Composed of 12 dancers and four musicians, one could sense the powerful impact of the company's high-voltage energy from the first second.
The group's cultural roots derive inspiration from the Argentinian traditional Malambo folk dance created in vast pampas by the cowboys (gauchos).
As time passed, the dance adopted a few more genres; components of Flamenco tradition, and more contemporary music.
The talented musicians were stationed in the back next to their two large sets of percussion instruments, a guitar, a violin, and the bandoneon. They strengthened the production, sometimes as background music for the wild action on stage, and sometimes focusing on their own important contributing part.
The minute the lights went on, the stage was overpowered with loud pulsating rhythms of the drums and the dancers, stumping with their wooden heels on the floor, flooding it with gestures that showed off their power and masculinity.
Within a short time, the group's stylistic path was obvious. Malevo's group aimed high and pushed to overtake the stage, all the way.
They came on stage bare-chested, wearing tight black trousers, their long hair sweaty and a wild fierce look in their eyes. They hit their drums unanimously, without mercy, and stumped their feet in complex rhythms, reminding somewhat of the way male flamenco dancers execute the dance. Yet, they lacked the measured control, finesse, and nuances that stylized flamenco dancers bring to the stage, and Malevo dancers search for.
The overstretched show was composed of rather short sections. Quite a few of them were often needlessly repeated.
This refers particularly to a series of scenes based on a simple gimmick; whirling in the air leather ropes with small balls tied at their end.
The dancer, or a small group of them played with the ropes, originally used to tackle livestock, as part of hunting, which eventually became a game. It was a gimmick, not very exciting, simplistic, and eventually, rather tiresome.
The same moves were repeated by different size groups of dancers, before or in between new scenes.
Miraculously, the audience applauded the dancers for their simple whirling rope games, as if they were mesmerized.
Remembering that Malevo is but an entertainment show with contained aspirations, as it should, lowering expectations while watching is often wise.
Finally, we could feel a new refreshing vibe in the air.
Our small orchestra started playing our substitute hymn- 'Hava Nagila' ( let's be happy), a viral song. The audience stood up and gave the group a loud, standing ovation. The surprised and delighted dancers had a difficult time leaving the stage.
To our surprise, as soon as we left the auditorium, we found that the dancers were already in the lobby, waiting to hug everyone, and take pictures. It was a most touching moment. Their smiles and hugs came from their hearts. This never happened to them. This never happened to us.
