A Chat with Olga Pericet

“Olga Pericet returns to Repertorio Español” (you’ve heard that a thousand times by now, right?) so here’s something different! We had a very unique opportunity to ask Olga Pericet a few questions and we are very excited to share her answers with you!

When did you know you wanted to be a professional bailaora? Did you have another career path set for you? If you weren’t a dancer, what other profession appeals to you?

OP: Very young–I’m talking about 8 years old I unconsciously knew I wanted to be a bailaora–but around 13 years old I was more serious about taking this path.  If I had chosen another career, I would be working in a field related to technical design, scenery, custom design, or maybe architecture; I was also interested in Psychology. Being completely honest I would need to be doing something with movement.

Your style of flamenco is unique because you incorporate other dance forms, what was your inspiration for doing this?

OP: I think that I get inspired by the important figures in dance and flamenco like any other dancer that follows those icons. I think the combination {arises} from liking freedom, loving the traditional but following contemporary works and other forms of movement that made me look towards another path.

Some say this new form of dance is divorced from typical flamenco, do you agree?

OP: When people say that they limit the endless possibilities that flamenco has to offer. On occasions, traditional flamenco can be expanded; I don’t like to limit such a free art. Art adapts to its times and that doesn’t mean it’s losing its identity or tradition. I think not letting it all flow and just wanting to leave it static is a mistake, just captured in the bubble of stereotypes and of a specific time.

Outfit sketches with primary colors

Can you give us a sneak-peek of what you’re bringing to Repertorio this April, or what we should expect?

OP: It’s an adaptation for Repertorio Español of my show De una pieza. It’s a show that has been very successful in all the places we’ve taken it and received a lot of good critics and a large audience. I hope it’s received with the same affection.

Mosaic is De una pieza’s younger brother with a very intimate format.  Without the invited artist, I’ve focused the entire piece on my dance. On this occasion for Repertorio Español, I’m adding two more dance pieces; it’s a challenge to be able to do five pieces with the same physical and emotional depth that they require. They belong to my artistic career and each was created in a very specific time in my life–they are very dear to me.

Mosaic is a play with electronic sounds inspired by the tangram principles; a type of Chinese puzzle that in the end becomes whole.  It’s an emotional mosaic of a renovated orthodox flamenco, very personal and inspired in the traditional and the addition of primary colors for the scenery.

When you’re not rehearsing or performing, what does Olga Pericet enjoy doing?

OP: Sleep (a lot), go to the movie theater, swim, explore online and cook.

Photos by Paco Villalta