If you take a ship and gradually replace all its planks with new ones would it still be the same ship? And if you took all the old planks and built another ship, which one is the original? That is the paradox which kicks off Puerto Flamenco’s latest project Ship of Theseus as part of the Malta International Arts Festival 2017.

The paradox mentioned above is built on a story recounted by Plutarch whereby the Athenians kept Theseus’ ship berthed in the harbour in honour of the great hero. Over time the planks of the wood had to be replaced, but the Athenians still regarded the ship as being the original. But in order to understand the paradox, we would first need to ask ourselves: ‘What is a ship?’

Let us put that question aside for a moment and ask ourselves another question: ‘What is flamenco’? For most of us the term conjures up frilly skirts and castanets in some dark tavern in an Andalusian village. But that misses the point completely. If there is one thing that Puerto Flamenco excels at, it is challenging our pre-conceived notions of what flamenco is all about.

I hesitate to call Ship of Theseus a ‘show’ – I believe it was much more than that. The performance managed to both reduce flamenco to its essence as well as expand its potential beyond its traditional parameters. This was achieved through several somewhat unorthodox explorations that involved new technologies, visuals as well as simple gestures.

I found that the simpler gestures were the most effective, and that the technological aspect was not always happily integrated. Many of the digital visuals felt too clinical for something so deeply emotional as flamenco. However, when technology was more interactive and integrated into the show, the result was a happier one.

If there is one thing that Puerto Flamenco excels at, it is challenging our pre-conceived notions of what flamenco is all about

The use of a rhythm mobile app with flamenco dancing was particularly fascinating and the sharpness with which the musicians and dancers responded to it was absolutely fantastic. On the other hand, the short film in the first half was interesting but only that. Perhaps it was the lack of visual unity between the film, the opening graphics and the digital backdrops that made it feel a little disjointed, even though the contents of the film did tie in with the subsequent choreographed sequence.

However, these were minor shortcomings compared to the sheer beauty of the rest of the performance. The duo between Francesca Grima ‘La Chica’ and percussionist Andrej Vujicic with both sitting on a chair facing each other was something I found particularly touching. The simplicity of the premise and the effectiveness of the choreography showed that flamenco needn’t always be dark and intense but can also be sweet and loving.

I found the second half much more coherent in its progression precisely because the line between one ‘scene’ and the next was blurred and there was a tighter organic progression from one element into the next. In fact, it almost rendered the scenes listed on the programme almost irrelevant, which to me is a good thing because it meant that one could enjoy the experience in its totality without getting lost in its subdivisions.

The ensemble was made up of two superbly balanced trios. Francesca was joined by two male dancers: Abel Harana, poised, elegant and intense, and Antonio Molino ‘El Choro’, fiery, robust, and equally intense. Together they counterbalanced Francesca’s vigorous and poetic dancing beautifully. The other trio was made up of Andrej’s impeccable percussion, Ruben Romero on guitar, and powerful heart-wrenching vocals by Jesus Corbacho. I must single out Romero’s guitar playing in particular. Those who know me know all too well that I am not exactly a guitar fan (the result of being forced to attend too many ‘folk’ masses when I was younger), so it is not easy for me to admit that it was sublime.

The best aspect of Ship of Theseus is that each movement and each note is ripe with potential. There were many moments were the imagination made the mind wander. Francesca’s choreography with a helium balloon could have easily been the start of an entirely new performance. At one point one cannot but wonder whether it can still be considered flamenco at all.

So, what is flamenco? Flamenco happens when dancers are also musicians and vice-versa. It is when the body narrates what words cannot describe. Flamenco is two people sitting on a chair, it is a helium balloon, it is a mobile app. Flamenco is the journey of human experience. And what is a ship? A ship is not just wooden planks – it is the sum of its journeys. A ship is a dancer on the waves.