A true performance is interactive, with both the energy of the performer and the crowd uniting to create an artistic experience for all. Nuevo Ballet Español’s show Flamenco Directo, part of George Washington University’s 6th annual Flamenco Festival, does just that. Artistic directors and principal dancers Ángel Rojas and Carlos Rodríguez wowed the crowd at GW’s Lisner Hall last weekend.

Though the female tends to be the center of attention in flamenco, the principal performers who stole the show were male dancers Rojas and Rodríguez. Their solo performances during Mahera and Siento, respectively, was dance at its finest. The precision of their movements with the quick tempo and soul of the flamenco music was exquisite.