The pulsating rhythms and high-voltage experience of Malevo - review

The Malevo group from Argentina, founded by director/choreographer Jaime Matias, is the first touring company to visit Israel since October 7. Composed of 12 dancers and four musicians, one could sense the powerful impact of the company’s high-voltage energy from the first second.  

The group’s cultural roots derive inspiration from the Argentinian traditional Malambo folk dance created in vast pampas by the cowboys (gauchos). As time passed, the dance adopted a few more genres, elements of Flamenco tradition, and more contemporary music.

The talented musicians were stationed in the back next to their two large sets of percussion instruments, a guitar, a violin, and the bandoneon. Each musician strengthened the production, sometimes as background music for the wild action on stage and sometimes focusing on their own important contributing part. 

The minute the lights went on, the stage was overpowered with loud pulsating rhythms of the drums and the dancers, stumping with their wooden heels on the floor, flooding it with gestures that showed off their power and virility. 

The group’s stylistic path became obvious quickly. Malevo’s group aimed high and completely overtook the stage. 

Coming on stage bare-chested, wearing tight black trousers, their long hair sweaty and a wild, fierce look in their eyes, the group hit their drums unanimously, without mercy, stamping their feet in complex rhythms, somewhat reminiscent of the way that male flamenco dancers execute the dance. Even so, they lacked the measured control, finesse, and nuances that stylized flamenco dancers bring to the stage.

The overstretched show was composed of rather short sections. Quite a few of them were often needlessly repeated.  

For example, a series of scenes based on a simple gimmick: whirling leather ropes with small balls tied at their ends in the air. One dancer, or a small group of dancers, played with the ropes, originally used to tackle livestock, as part of hunting, which eventually became a game. It was a gimmick – not very exciting, simplistic, and eventually, rather tiresome.  

The same moves were repeated by different-sized groups of dancers before or in between new scenes. Miraculously, the audience applauded the dancers for their simple whirling rope games, as though mesmerized. Remembering that Malevo is just an entertainment show with contained aspirations (as it should be), lowering expectations while watching is often wise.

Finally, we could feel a new refreshing vibe in the air. 

Our small orchestra started playing our substitute hymn, ‘Hava Nagila’ (let’s be happy) – a viral song, to which they received a loud standing ovation from the audience. The surprised and delighted dancers had a difficult time leaving the stage. 

To our surprise, as soon as we left the auditorium, we found that the dancers were already in the lobby, waiting to hug everyone, and take pictures. It was a most touching moment. Their smiles and hugs came from their hearts. This had never happened to them or us.