Telmo Zarraonandia (old-good-great), the top scorer in the Spanish league for seventy years, is considered a legend of our football. Anyway player athletic bilbao And Spanish selection He was the six-time top scorer in the Spanish King’s Cup, the all-time top scorer, and the author of Spain’s goal against England in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. With him, he placed the national team in the top four national teams for the first time. on. Names the trophy of the Spanish player who has scored the most goals in the First and Second Division, and Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit.
Zarra’s granddaughter and choreographer Adriana Bilbao created this piece. dance in memory of his grandfather. However, he seeks to glorify the symbolic figure of the footballer through anecdotes with his origins and Zarra as the ubiquitous narrator. He does this through his own company, Cía Adriana Bilbao, with which he has created three shows, and even visits abroad. They have now stopped by the Reina Victoria Theater in Madrid where they will be with ‘Zarra’ until 27 August.
“I wanted my grandfather’s voice to be there and direct the scenes”
The choreographer had a very close relationship with her grandfather. and it was clear from the beginning of his professional career that he would do ‘something’ for him, even though it took time to put all the pieces of the puzzle in place. “A few years ago I thought it would be a good memory As it is the 100th anniversary of his birth in 2021. We had to postpone it for a year with the arrival of the epidemic, so it finally premiered at the Teatro Arriaga in Bilbao in November 2022.
He was not alone in this very special and personal adventure. He had a roster of bailaores with whom he shared his early professional years. About your teammates ‘María de Ávila’ Dance Conservatory in Madrid. “There was so much harmony between everyone. To run this type of project, you need to be calm in the whirlpool it contains. Surrounding you with people who support and understand you keeps everything going.”
“I think it’s an original proposal. It makes it special because of the personal history that surrounds it.”
Tatiana Cuevas and Gabriel Matías are in the cast of the game. Total there are nine dancers, but this is not just a coincidence. This is how Adriana wanted to represent the number his grandfather carried on his back throughout his career as a football player. They both thank Adriana for giving them the opportunity to be a part of this very important project: “Zarra became our grandfather too because we tried to convey all the love and admiration she had for Adriana’s ‘aitite’” . In addition, they value teamwork in both football and flamenco, which today opposes the dominant ego.
With this show, they explored a range of creative possibilities by combining two fields as disparate as football and flamenco.
preparation techniques
They had to work hard to bring all the ideas of the show to the stage. research and preparatory work. It consisted of graphic and sound images that helped the football player correct his body expression and make it as real as possible. They did this at various residences in Bilbao in the years before the premiere, even visiting the premiere. Bilbao Athletic Club’s sports city is in Lezama, for a close-up view of how the first team trained, and for insider information about the club’s history. Also, a member of the club’s technical team visited them during rehearsals, helping them correct their posture and the attitude they needed to take to become footballers. “I do flamenco, my grandfather plays football, I believe that everything can be transmitted through the body. It was a very interesting fusion and sharing process.”Adriana’s comments.
“It took me a long time to bring this project to life. It took four or five years from the idea to the editing, and the editing started almost two years before the premiere.”
Bailaora’s ultimate goal is to convey what made her grandfather a legend. his nobility on the field and his values as a human being. “Strength, nobility and courage, the most beloved lion”.
She doesn’t deny the fear she feels when she tells such a personal story: “It’s true that I took a moment to myself. grandfather-grandchild part on the show.” Adriana dances alone on stage under Zarra’s supervision as she talks about her role as a grandfather and how important her grandson’s arrival is. You can hear how Zarra describes him as “better than an autograph” in this most emotional of the show.
Next games: Gexto (Vizcaya) in October and Sevilla in December. “Hopefully there will be more by 2024.”
A legend glorified with its humanitarian and sporting values
In a match against Málaga in 1949, Zarra and Arnau struggled for a ball when they jumped for the ball and Arnau fell to the ground. Zarra, who remained unopposed in front of the goal, sent the ball into the net. Something similar happened with defender Ponte against Deportivo in La Coruña. At that moment, on the verge of a possible goal that would win them or even a draw, he decided to stop the game.