JERUSALEM POST
1977

DANCE
by Dora Sowden

THE ASTONISHING VARIETY OF THE SPANISH DANCE

The astonishing variety of Spanish dance was demonstrated by Silvia Duran at
Tzavta in Tel-Aviv on Sunday night when she presented a brilliant new Solo
Programme of seven dances - and brought the house down.

Three of the dances were regional.  With short-skirt, soft-shoe charm that
involved various types of footwork - high kicks and turns in the Malagan style,
swift leaps and "travelling" in northern jota and intricate ankle action in Salamancan
tradition.  Each had its own kind of gaiety and tease.

For sensual elegance there was the opening classical Sevillian dance, in magnificent
foaming frilled dress.  For sensual boldness, two flamencos of different appeal
conveyed the smouldering sentiment within the Spanish temperament.  One was more
of the theatre type with castanet encouragement, long-tailed excitement, dramatic
shawl play and meaningful heel tapping - in all of which the dance never lost dignity.

Yet, it was in the final flamenco that Silvia Duran showed her virtuosity, with a
zapateado on a table top where her heels almost spoke and where her fiery flashing
movements raised the temperature.  The full house roared for more.....

In several of the dances Silvia Duran had the live accompaniment of guitarist Baldi
Olier who showed equal competence in classical and gypsy style.  When at the end
he broke into Latin-American song and rhythm - which the dancer gave one of her
encores - voice, instrument and player came really alive.

Silvia Duran's particular gifts lie in her capacity to change from lyrical to dramatic
dance - and the use she makes of her skills.  The easy side-stepping seductiveness,
the arched body in flamenco fury, the use of castanets to heighten comment, the
control of speed and space, pause and pulse, the subtle timing showed her as the
true artist - to her fingertips and her heel taps.