Grab onto your boleadoras! A group of sultry, leather-clad Latin Americans are about to hit our shores – they are called Malevo!
Created by Argentinian director, choreographer and dancer Matias Jaime, the group performs a rhythmic folk dance known as Malambo – including rigorous drumming.
“I’ve been dancing tango and other Argentine folk dances since I was quite young,” says Jaime.
“Particularly the traditional Malambo. I was drawn to the rhythm, power and passion and enjoyed learning the art form. Its traditional form is in neighbourhood groups and peñas (events) and as young kids, we’d gather to dance, play music and hone our skills.”
Creator of Malevo, Argentinian director, choreographer and dancer Matias Jaime
“I was a shy kid and originally studied martial arts,” says Jaime.
“One day at school I saw a dance that had movements reminding me of martial arts, but it was quite moving. This was ‘Malambo’. The music and rhythms reminded me of my grandparents and the drums and boleadoras fascinated me.”
“The physical intensity keeps us in good shape and we’re proud to be masculine.”
At seventeen, Jaime joined a Tango group as a dancer and toured internationally.
“While I was proud to share Argentine culture through Tango, I felt Malambo could also have a space on the international scene as a cultural export. However, I thought it needed to be packaged more attractively to engage a broader audience. Malambo wasn’t intended as a full performance in theatre, but it has many unique elements. That’s when I began experimenting to incorporate parts of other dances like flamenco, which gives more musical texture and choreography.”
But Malevo’s success, which has included appearing on America’s Got Talent and performing with the likes of Ricky Martin and Cirque du Soleil, has had its challenges.
“There were a lot of nay-sayers along the way,” says Jaime.
“Especially at home in Argentina who said no one would be interested in Malambo outside of the smaller circles. There’s also a certain element of discrimination where certain groups look down on Malambo as being provincial and not something for the upper class. That motivated me even more to prove them wrong.”
Historically, Malambo is the music and dance of the gauchos aka South American cowboys! It was something of a competitive dual against oneself or between gauchos when they gathered at trading posts. It’s strong, pounding, grounded and fast-paced with rhythms reminiscent of the galloping La Pampa horses. It’s also something reflected in the group’s presence on stage. Dressed in black there is a lot of sweaty masculine sexual energy.
“I see Malambo as a living breathing representation of who we are.”
“To be honest, the passion and strength of Malambo, naturally brings that out,” says Jaime.
“It’s an energy and we can feel the audience receiving that energy. It’s a human connection between us and the audience. That’s the magic of a shared live performance. The physical intensity of the show keeps us in good shape and we’re proud to be masculine. It’s a natural feeling, so we show it and that can also be sexy.”
Now an official cultural ambassador for Argentina, Malevo have toured London, Las Vegas, New York, Dubai, Paris, Cairo, St Petersburg, Montreal and spent a year residency at Universal Studios Japan. While the show is an entertaining spectacle, it’s also worth noting the historical significance of the Malambo dance.
“The aspects of the show have deep historic roots,” says Jaime.
“It’s something of a cultural melting pot that is quintessentially Argentinian. The drums and rhythms originate from West Africa and were brought into eastern South America through the slave trade. The boots and zapateo (percussive footwork) have ties to Spain from the conquistadores (explorers) and flamenco. And the boleadoras might seem like an effective prop but, they were originally hunting tools of the gauchos.”
“To me, Malambo is our cultural identity but some feel that folklore is about preserving something as a museum piece. I see it as a living breathing representation of who we are, and I aim to bring Malambo to new levels and share it with audiences around the world.”
Malevo is playing at the Sydney Opera House & State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne throughout January
For more: malevogroup.com.ar
