Curious how the pandemic lockdown affected Emilio Ochando’s artistic life?

Listen in on our recent conversation, or check out the summary below.

Emilio talked about how the pandemic has influenced his dancing and creativity, projects he’s been involved with, what it is like to work with his partner, his upcoming online workshops, the Premios MAX, what he’s envisioning for the future, and a bunch of other stuff.

Some tidbits from our conversation:

Pandemic life and work as an artist

First of all, Emilio states that the situation of the past year and a half called for a lot of self-reflection, on both the professional and personal levels. His friends and family are healthy, and he’s ever grateful for that.

Emilio has worked to keep a positive attitude during these times. He took advantage of the lockdown in the beginning to give his body and mind a chance to rest.

Three months in he was feeling anxious to get back to work and started creating and making plans for his September 2020 debut of Clásica Traditión in Madrid, which some of you witnessed this as a work-in-progress right here in Portland in both 2018 and 2019!

Having this to work toward kept Emilio in action, and he feels especially grateful that the show was able to happen even with the COVID restrictions in place. (For example, the audience was only allowed to be at 50% capacity, but Emilio said the energy was so high for a moment it felt like a full house!)

Creativity doesn’t stop

The situation of the past year forced Emilio to explore new ways of creating. He spent a lot of time playing around with whatever was around him and allowing his mind to be opened in new ways.

In preparation for Clásica Tradición, for example, he knew he wanted to dance verdiales, but he wasn't sure what the piece would look like. So he started researching videos online and came across a group playing Spanish folkloric music from Extremadura using spoons as an instrument. He began playing around with spoons while at his sister’s house and created his verdiales. (This piece is incredible by the way and those spoons, whoa!)

He was also forced to learn new ways of choreographing as he was unable to meet in person with his musicians for rehearsals at first. In the past Emilio would listen to the music for inspiration and come up with his dance based on that. However being in the studio by himself he would play around and think of ideas for music. He would send voice memos to his musical director, Daniel Jurado, singing an example of what he had in mind. While he found this process challenging it opened up a fountain of new ideas.

He was also invited to do residencies at Rocío Molina’s La Aceitera (WOW) and at Centro de Arte Flamenco la Merced where he further developed the show.

New ways to perform

The pandemic sparked some interesting online collaborations which allowed Emilio to continue exercising his creativity in new ways.

6 Hilos which addresses the raw truth and reality of living through the pandemic as a society and as artists is currently streaming. Emilio came up with the concept and directed the work which is produced by Flamenco Vivo and features artists in Spain and the U.S. Take a peek behind the scenes here. You can watch the performance through June 20th.

Por qué/Why?, a beautiful collaboration with Carmen Romero through the Aga Khan Museum in Canada, is examines the creative process in the COVID-19 era.

Online learning

Of course we all miss in person learning and workshops with guest artists specifically, but virtual learning offers its own benefits. Emilio has been surprised to find it very gratifying and is pleased that even in this new format he has been able to feel connected to students through the screen.

Online learning challenges us as students to be held accountable and notice what helps us learn.

Emilio points out that one huge plus of a virtual workshop is having the video recordings of the class to refer back to as many times as one needs so a student can go back and study at their own pace.

He reminds us of the saying that flamenco has no borders and knows no limits,

“El flamenco no tiene fronteras. El flamenco no tiene límites. ”

Just because we can only meet online, it doesn’t have to hold us back.

“Si yo puedo, tú puedes,” Emilio says. If he can do it, you can do it. Speak up if you have questions, and remember, the main motive is to have fun while we learn.

We talked about possible palos for his upcoming online castanets and mantón workshops. He mentioned guajiras, alegrías, soleá por bulerías. Hmm. What do you want to study?

We also talked about his fabulous technique exercises and the tricks he gives us! (I personally can’t wait to have Emilio’s mantón technique exercises on video to refer to over and over again.)

And, by the way, yes, you can dance with mantón in a small space. The first time I discovered this was when I witnessed Emilio practice with his giant mantón in my little home studio without knocking anything over or getting caught up in it. And then when he danced with his mantón at the tiny Harvest Wine Bar surrounded by shelves of wine bottles in the first Clásica Tradición work-in-progress showing in Portland in 2018.

What the future holds

Emilio sees a light at the end of the tunnel.

While he sees things moving slowly in 2021, Emilio is excited to have some outdoor performances in Spain this summer and fall. (Places have started opening up with 50% capacity with Madrid moving quicker than Sevilla.) The fall and winter should bring increased events in indoor theaters.

2022 will be full speed ahead! He plans to start traveling again, hopefully to the U.S. in the spring and feels that things will have picked up by this time next year.

Even as the world shifts back to in person events, he believes online is here to stay.

How did he feel to be nominated as a candidate amidst thousands of companies for the Premios MAX?

Emilio has, once again, been nominated for this prestigious performing arts award in Spain for Clásica Tradición, and he feels incredibly honored and excited at the possibility of winning!

And guess what?!

You can support him by casting your vote here.

Art & culture in Spain

Emilio notes that one good thing that has come out of the situation of the past year is that it has shone a light on the culture and art that exists in Spain. With the absence of foreign tourists who kept flamenco venues going, now is the time for the Spanish people to recognize what is right in front of them.