Olga Pericet

Olga Pericet, an international creator, dancer and choreographer, shares her vibrant art at the world’s biggest festivals and theatres. Drinking deep from tradition, she throws herself into the unknown, displaying what has never been seen before in shows in which a flamenco of opposites beats: dark and luminous, feminine and masculine, disturbing and beautiful.

In 2018, she received the National Dance Prize in the Interpretation category for “her ability to bring together the different disciplines of Spanish dance, updating them in an interpretive language with her own stamp” and for “her theatrical versatility and her meaningful capacity for communication”.

She began her career in her hometown of Cordoba. She graduated from the Conservatorio Profesional Luis del Río, and continued her studies at the Maica Moyano School. She trained in flamenco, folklore, bolero and classical dance with masters such as Matilde Coral, Manolo Marín, Concha Calero, Cristobal Reyes, Juanjo Linares, Pedro Azorín, Eloy Pericet, Julio Príncipe and José Granero, among others. She has been a soloist and guest artist with companies such as Rafaela Carrasco, Nuevo Ballet Español, Arrieritos, Miguel Ángel Berna, Teresa Nieto, Belén Maya and the National Ballet of Spain. She has shared the stage with Ana Laguna, Nacho Duato and Enrique Morente.

Awards

A great renewer of flamenco, many awards recognize the technical mastery, harmony and beauty of her work. Some of her most recent awards include the National Dance Prize 2018; the ACE Extraordinary Theater Award 2016 (Association of Entertainment Critics of New York); the Max Award for the Performing Arts for Best Principal Dancer for Pisadas (2015); and the RNE Premio el Ojo (2014) for ‘Her versatility as a performer, her creativity and the courageous way she takes artistic risks’. Other awards include the Premio Flamenco Hoy a la Bailaora, awarded by Spanish specialist critics (2012); the Prize for the Best New Artist at the Festival de Jerez (2011); Max Award for Best Choreography for De Cabeza (2009); Pilar López National Flamenco Award (2007): Villa de Madrid Award for Best Dance Performance (2006); and First Prize for Choreography and Music at the Spanish Dance and Flamenco Contest of Madrid (2004).

Works

Her most recent work is Un cuerpo infinito [An Infinite Body], a piece through which she embarks on a journey of self-knowledge through the legendary figure of Carmen Amaya (premiere 25 May 2019 at the Teatros del Canal in Madrid). Other shows include: La espina que quiso ser flor o la flor que soñó con ser bailaora [The Thorn that Wanted to be a Flower, or the Flower That Dreamed of Being a Dancer] (2017), for which she was awarded the Specialist Critic Award and the Chair of Flamencology at the Jerez Festival; FLAMENCO (Untitled), which premiered at the Repertorio Español in New York in 2015; Pisadas, fin y principio de una mujer [Footsteps, End and Beginning of a Woman] (2014), which earned her the Max award for Best Female Dancer; De una pieza [One Piece], which premiered in 2012; and Rosa, Metal Ceniza [Rose, Metal, Ashes] (2011), her first solo work.

Collaborations and Co-Directing

Sometimes Olga Pericet’s shows are the result of a process of personal creation, while in others she combines her talents with those of other artists, with whom she feels comfortable both on stage and off. In 2017, she was guest choreographer for the National Ballet of Spain’s Electra show, directed and choreographed by Antonio Ruz. As a guest artist, she has performed in Alma y Cuerpo. La habitación luminosa [Body and Soul. The Luminous Room] with Silvana Abascal, Irene Escolar, Paloma Díaz and Diego Garrido; Paso a Dos [Step To Two], with Marco Flores; Las cinco estaciones [The Five Seasons], with Marco Flores, Laura Rozalén, Mercedes Ruiz and Blanca del Rey; 13 rosas [13 Roses], with the Compañía Arrieritos; and De cabeza [Head] and Tacita a tacita [Cup to Cup], with Teresa Nieto Compañía. She was choreographer and guest artist with Rocío Molina in Ángeles caídos [Fallen Angels] by the Ballet Nacional de España. She also participated in Ataque Dona, with Claudia Faci and Daniel Doña; Encuentros [Encounters], with Miguel Ángel Berna’s resident company of Zaragoza; Cartas de amor y desamor [Letters of Love and Indifference], with singer Edith Salazar, the participation of Lucía Bosé, Terele Pávez, Loles León, Antonia San Juan, Mariola Fuentes and María Estévez, and text by Espido Freide; and Romeo and Juliet with Chevi Muraday for the Nuevo Ballet Español, directed by Ángel Rojas and Carlos Rodríguez. She also co-directed Cámara Negra [Black Room] (2004), En sus 13 [In Its 13] (2008) and En clave [In Code] (2007) with Manuel Liñán.

In 2006, she established the Chanta la Mui company with Daniel Doña and Marco Flores, with whom she produced the works Chanta la Mui (2006), Chanta la Mui II Complot (2008) and Chanta la Mui III Recital (2010). In 2010, she performed Bailes alegres para personas tristes [Happy Dances for Sad People], a choreographic duet with Belén Maya directed by Juan Carlos Lerida.

In Spain and Around the World

She has appeared in numerous theatres and galas throughout the world: New York (City Center), Lyon (Maison de la Danse), London (Sadler’s Wells); Sidney (Opera House), Hong Kong (Hkapa Lyric Theatre), Miami (Arsht Center); Amsterdam (Bienale Nederland, International Theatre Amsterdam), Washington (GW Lisner Auditorium) Paris (Théâtre National de Chaillot), Boston (Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater) and Tel Aviv (Festival Días de Flamenco, Instituto Cervantes), among others.
In Spain: Barcelona (Mercats de les Flors), Valencia (Dansa València), Madrid (Teatros del Canal, Teatro Español, Festival Madrid en Danza, Gala 20 Aniversario de la Unión de Actores en el Teatro de La Abadía), Jerez (Festival de Jerez), Seville (Bienal de Flamenco), Granada (Festival de Música y Danza), Cordoba (Festival Flamenco viene del Sur) and Zaragoza (Gala Española de la Danza), among many others.