Harlequin’s favourite: El Yiyo

At the beginning of 2004, at the end of a performance, the famous flamenco dancer Farruquito spoke to the father of the then eight year old El Yiyo saying, “you have a diamond in your hands, an uncut diamond, but a real flamenco diamond!”, Farruquito was referring to El Yiyo.

In the gypsy quarter of Barcelona, El Yiyo is a real star. At 11 years of age, El Yiyo, the diminutive name of Miguelillo, and by which name he was called by his grandfather, surprised with his expressive gestures and incredible body language. Some say a phenomenon. A genius, say others.

A natural gift

“He has a natural gift. He watches a lot of videos. Also, he follows the flamenco shows performed by the big names in flamenco”, says his manager, Augustin de Beauce. He met the young boy at a flamenco class, which he had been attending regularly for several years.

Loyal to the gypsy culture, El Yiyo still has his father and family around him, who admit to having recognised the young boy’s exceptional talent from a very early age. “At family reunions we would sing and dance. Early on, when he was 3 years old, we realised that he was different. One could see that he had a gift, something very special within him”, his father told us.

An innate charisma, a natural elegance

El Yiyo practices regularly in a garage near his parents’ home, in front of a mirror hung on the wall opposite a 6m² Harlequin LIBERTY™ sprung floor. When he dances, he says “concentrate on the music and movements, which are repeated”.

‘Flamenco Puro’

‘Flamenco Puro’, says the poster hanging in his garage. A clear and simple message and the perfect interpretation of the flamenco danced by El Yiyo. By combining the best of gypsy and Andalusian culture into a single art form, he is determining his own personal and individual interpretation of flamenco. His creativeness is in its basic stages; his sad and innocent expression is underlined by his natural charisma and graceful stature.

Tested and approved!

When El Yiyo received a Harlequin Liberty™ panel to test, “it was like a revolution, as if someone had given him the instrument he had been searching for. The sound is strong, but he cannot feel the vibrations in his legs. Since he has been dancing on a Liberty™ floor, we have noticed his dancing has improved, as if his movements are freer”. El Yiyo agrees with his manager’s choice. “It’s a real pleasure to dance on a Harlequin Liberty™ floor. It gives a good sound and I feel safe”.

05.05.2008