Dance - Carmen Mesa

Laurence Hill, the organiser of the annual Lewes Guitar Festival, first saw the up-and-coming flamenco group Carmen Mesa a couple of years back. “It was actually in an old cinema in a tiny village about two hours crazy-drive away from Seville,” he says. “When flamenco is played well it has the ability to move the audience emotionally. They call this ‘duende’. The performance was very moving. The group is not extremely famous in Spain, but they have the sort of rawness that genuine flamenco offers. This is the sort of group that you would see in a cave in Granada or Seville. This is not the sort of frilly stuff that’s served up for the tourists”.

“The group is named after their dancer, who is an amazing performer,” he continues. “But there is much more to it than just the dance. While Carmen is the focal point of the audience’s attention, the singing, the guitar and the percussion are all an important part of the blend”. So will there be duende in the All Saints? “I certainly hope so. The old church is a perfect setting for such an event. The group will certainly stir the passion of the people who go to see them”. If you’ve ever come across an impromptu flamenco performance in a beat old bar in Spain, you’ll know what real flamenco is. This is the nearest you’re likely to get around here for a long time. Andale. AG