Sentimientos at the Artscape

So it's no wonder that watching La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre perform is such exultation - the dancers are accompanied by the only flamenco singer (cantaora) in South Africa, 21-year-old Loreán Swartz, and one of two active flamenco guitarists in Africa, Bienyameen Camroodien. They were ably supported by Robert Jeffery on cello and guitar, Robert Davids on cajón, Christopher Jeffery on violin, Brydon Bolton on double bass and Kathy Henderson on vocals.

To see La Rosa perform live is no less than a privilege - no matter what the setting, audiences are guaranteed a professional, polished, artfully directed show. On opening night, several Sentimientos audience members agreed it was the best they had seen in a long time from this company.

Holden attributes that to being able to rework this show around Loreán, “the voice of the performance” - a teacher and dancer with La Rosa who began as a community dance student at ComArt and was one of the first graduates of La Rosa's three-year vocational training programme. Her power in song escalates when she takes the floor to dance. It's enough to send shivers down one's spine.

Flamenco rhythms are incredibly complicated and the challenge for the flamenco guitarist is to follow the vocals, in addition to the footwork of the dancers, often with only the key as a guide. “This show is very busy, there's so much going on,” said Bienyameen. “It's an adrenalin rush!”

Sentimientos explores the broad spectrum of human emotions, from fury to elation, and features choreography by Holden as well as Madrid-based choreographers Joaquin Ruiz and La Truco. My dance favourites were Conflicto y Entrega, featuring Holden with Nicole Kleinhans and Luvuyo Simandla, and Soledád with Beth Shapiro and Ndumiso Tafeni, but not one of the numbers disappoints in impact, technique, lighting, costuming or use of the space. Instead of two hours of what can sometimes be described as caterwauling when audiences don't understand or relate to the music, we were treated to a range of beautiful, lyrical pieces that constitute the best I've seen in a flamenco show.

Performances run until 30 October at 8.15pm with two shows on Saturday, 31 October at 2.30pm and 8.15pm and one show on Sunday, 1 November at 6pm. Tickets cost R95 to R125 with a discount of R30 per ticket for learners, senior citizens and block bookings of 10 or more, via Computicket and +27 (0)21 421 7695.