¡VIVA!

March 27 / 8:00 pm

100 minutes

Adults

“When I was little, I would lock myself in my room and put on my mother’s green skirt. I would decorate my hair with flowers, put on makeup, and dance in secret. That dance was unthinkable outside those four walls.”

From this intimate childhood memory, Viva was born —in circumstances where social and artistic conventions impose that an artist must express themselves according to their gender. After illusion, desire, and necessity were confined in silence for years, Viva sees the light, reviving those moments and opening the door that once separated the private from the public.

A cry for the freedom of transformation —which doesn’t necessarily mean disguise, but rather, exposure. In a spirit of celebration, Liñán proposes the plurality of dance, its diverse forms, and the singularity of each one. Alongside six bailaores-bailarines (male flamenco dancers), he dives into the fascinating universe of transvestism, exposing the formal and expressive side of these identities that shape our very nature. “We want to dance as women.” Chim pum.

Manuel Liñán (Granada, 1980) is one of the most innovative and charismatic artists in contemporary flamenco. A dancer, choreographer, and director, he combines a deep grounding in tradition with a personal vision that has placed him at the forefront of Spanish dance. His style—marked by freshness, passion, and total command of the stage—seeks to transcend the limits of the genre to explore new forms of expression rooted in authenticity and emotion.

In 2009, he began his solo career with “Tauro,” a work that earned him the Revelation Award at the Festival de Jerez. This was followed by “Mundo y Aparte,” “Sinergia,” and “Nómada,” productions with which he toured major international theatres —including New York City Center, Sadler’s Wells in London, and Teatros del Canal in Madrid. In 2013, he received his first Max Award for Best Male Dance Performer, a recognition that marked the beginning of a career filled with success.

With “Reversible” (2016), he broke gender conventions in flamenco and reaffirmed his position as an avant-garde creator, receiving the Critics’ Award at the Festival de Jerez, his second Max Award, and in 2017, the National Dance Award. In 2019, he premiered “Viva!!”, a show that revolutionized the flamenco scene, acclaimed by international critics and awarded the Max Audience Award, the Critics’ Award at the Festival de Jerez, and featured in outlets such as The New York Times and The New Yorker.

In addition to his work as a performer, Manuel Liñán has worked as a choreographer and stage director for artists and companies such as Rafaela Carrasco, Mercedes de Córdoba, Belén Maya, Mario Maya, the National Ballet of Spain, and Flamenco Festival London, among others. His trajectory—recognized with numerous national and international awards—confirms him as a key figure in the evolution of contemporary flamenco.