La Emi, the Santa Fe-based flamenco, artist has grown-up before my eyes. I’ve been living in Santa Fe and writing about the dance scene here for the “Santa Fe New Mexican” for 16 years. La Emi, also known as Emmy Grimm, began dancing at an early age under the tutelage of the legendary María Benítez. She was a child performing in the youth company Benítez founded, and soon began a career as a professional, as a dancer in the companies, Compañia Chuscales y Mina Fajardo. Entreflamenco, Juan Siddi and others. A few years ago, the opportunity to perform as a headliner offered itself, first at a now-defunct downtown venue, and then as the summer resident at the Benítez Theatre, inside the Lodge at Santa Fe. And then the Lodge was sold, and her residency there ended.
La Emi: Now I’m going to be performing at the Inn and Spa at the Loretto downtown. I’ll be in the Chaco Ballroom. What’s really cool about this show is that it is a collaboration with Vicente Griego (a highly regarded flamenco singer) and his band, ReVózo. There’s a violinist, a percussionist, I mean, these guys have toured the world. They are incredible musicians. We’ll have two (flamenco) guitarists alternating, and two female dancers my my company Janira Cordova and Aislin Robertson, both natives of Santa Fe. We’ll be featuring various guest male dancers as well. And I’ll be debuting a new solo.
Culturevulture: Tell me about that.
La Emi: It’s a soleá. A very intense solo. It’s the most profound palo (a traditional flamenco form). I’ve been working on it for the past, say, two-and-a-half years. I just didn’t feel like I was ready before.
CV: So tell me about this journey, because it’s partially about getting older and getting wiser, right?
La Emi: Exactly. This is the solo that I didn’t feel like I could even start to dance until now. And I’m just at the beginning of that.
CV: How old are you now?
La Emi: Oh my goodness, I’m 33.
CV: Well you need to have some years for a soleá, right?
La Emi: It’s a journey. We’re also going to be dancing a bolero that’s a kind of love story duet. The ladies are going to be dancing a martinete which was choreographed by Eloy Aguilar from Granada.
CV: Does ReVózo play all kinds of music? Or just flamenco?
La Emi: They play a huge variety of music. Flamenco “puro,” boleros, rancheras. Some of the rancheras have roots here in New Mexico.
CV: I want to find out more about this soleá. Can you talk about the special demands of the dance—technically and emotionally?
La Emi: It’s the Grandmother palo in flamenco. It’s a number that expresses great loss, that expresses the hardships of life. It pulls on personal strength. Also it’s a slower number so it’s not filled with movements, it’s filled with the essence of the singing, and dance just marking the music sometimes. Soleá means solitude or loneliness.
CV: When you said that you weren’t ready to do it before have things happened in your life that make you feel more ready? Is it just age and experience?
La Emi: I’m just starting now. I think that I will be in a different pace next year, in five years and in ten. I like to learn a dance style and do it for one to two years. I really want to dive into the form, the expression of the form. You know I did it with the guajira, I did it withy my alegrías. I did it with taranto. So this is a new journey. And I think the more life experience you have, the richer the personal expression in flamenco will be.
CV: It’s sad that the Benítez Theatre is gone. What are the new owners of the hotel planning to do with that space, do you know?
La Emi: The owners of El Rey (a funky motel on a Santa Fe’s commercial main drag which has been turned into a hipster hangout) bought the Lodge. I know they’re trying to attract a younger demographic. I’ve had such a positive experience with Heritage Hotels (the previous owner). I wanted to stick with their team, and I am excited to be downtown. Walking distance to the Plaza. It’s really helpful to be in the center of town.
CV: Did you travel to Spain this year?
La Emi: I did not. I actually spent this year really focusing on my vision and what I want to accomplish. As you know, I have my (educational) nonprofit as well (EmiArte Flamenco) and I’ve been focused on expanding that. We are now in the New Mexico public and charter schools for six and a half months a year. This program is free to children. It’s funded through grants and donors. Right now we’re working in Hobbs, New Mexico two months a year. We’re working in Chama and Tierra Amarilla. We’re in the Santa Fe public schools in partnership with the Lensic (Performing Arts Center). That’s just part of the influence we’re having with children in this state.
CV: At the Lodge, you were working all summer. This engagement is shorter.
La Emi: We were doing 60 shows, now we’re doing 26. Between all the other programs we’re doing, it’s a nice mix. I really love working with kids.
CV: Well congratulations. It’s nice to see your evolution and to be part of your journey.
La Emi: It’s been a really fulfilling journey. Thank you.
