Innovative choreographer, director and flamenco dancer Manuel Liñán brings his Oliver Award-nominated show ¡VIVA! to Peacock Theatre from Thursday 17 – Saturday 19 October. ¡VIVA! is a poignant and joyful expression of gay identity. On stage, there are six cross-dressing bailaores (dancers) who perform an ode to freedom that defies the traditional gender-normative codes of flamenco.

First shown in London in Sadler’s Wells Theatre for the Flamenco Festival in 2022, the show comes to Peacock Theatre for the first time. The performance showcases a plurality of dances including traditional rhythmic footwork, curving arms and slaps to the thighs such as alegrías, tárantos and bulerías.

A trailblazing artist, Manuel Liñán created a new space for himself in the flamenco world, challenging the defined roles of male and female forms, working with leading artists such as Olga Pericet, and guest choreographing for the likes of Ballet Nacional de Espana, Rafaela Carrasco and Teresa Nieto. His shows have been seen in London before, most recently in 2023 in a celebratory piece called Gala Flamenca. He comes back to London with his own vibrant, joyful and exuberant show that celebrates expression and the freedom of being oneself.

To create ¡VIVA!, Liñán was inspired by childhood dreams of wearing his female idols’ costumes. His work combines the strongest elements of the flamenco form with his own creative and comedic queer expression. This unique flamenco drag show was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Dance at the Olivier Awards 2023. Manuel Liñán’s accolades also include the first prize for a solo choreography in the Flamenco and Spanish Dance choreography in Madrid and the Premio Nacional de Danza in 2017.

For a bit of background, Manuel Liñán is a trailblazing artist who has created a space for himself in the flamenco world by challenging the defined gendered roles the flamenco form. To create ¡VIVA! he was inspired by childhood dreams of wearing his female idols’ costumes. He said : “When I was little, I locked myself in my room and dressed in my mother’s green skirt. I adorned my hair with flowers, made up my makeup, and danced secretly. That dance was unthinkable outside those four walls – and today it is unthinkable not to show ¡VIVA! around the world. I’m excited to come back to London, and to Sadler’s Wells’ Peacock Theatre for the first time.”

What is ¡VIVA! and what can we expect to see?

A flamenco show with six male dancers dressed as flamenco dancers, six performers proposing different styles and a strong personality. A show that presents itself as a cry for freedom, born with the intention of reclaiming part of my childhood, of my desires as a child regarding cross-dressing.

How did you come up with the idea for this show?

As a child, I already wanted to dance like a flamenco dancer and also dress and characterize myself like them. When I did, people laughed at me and insulted me; I endured a lot of mockery and criticism from a young age. So, out of fear of this social judgment, I began to cross-dress in secret from society, in my room, without anyone seeing me, because I was scared. Over time, when I found the courage, I wanted to reclaim those childhood feelings and open that door of my room to present that child who always wanted to cross-dress.

Where do your inspirations come from?

From everything around me. From human behavior, love, relationships, childhood, education, injustices. Many of my works are inspired by my childhood, betrayal, the weight of tradition.

What does flamenco mean to you?

It is my life, it is my most sincere means of expression, it is the best tool I have to express myself, it is the way I manifest myself to the world.

How would you describe your work?

A difficult question for me to answer. I like to move between tradition and avant-garde; the coexistence of these two worlds is important to me. I like to challenge the audience, investigate what I want to do, experiment, explore all possibilities, etc. A committed, honest work.

How do you feel knowing that your show ¡VIVA!, nominated for the Olivier Awards, is returning to London?

Oleeeeee super happy, very very very happy! It was a gift to be nominated for such important awards; a flamenco show at the Olivier Awards in London, among the best shows, is already a great honor. I was very excited to share this nomination with international artists I admire. It was an incredible gala!

You are an innovative flamenco choreographer, director, and dancer. What is more challenging?

Thank you for the definition! I do things without thinking about the consequences they may have, and with total freedom of expression. I try to capture everything necessary in the best way, without limits for creation.

How do you portray freedom that challenges traditional gender codes of flamenco through your work?

By making shows like ¡VIVA!, where men appropriate accessories that were previously designed only for the female gender. As an author’s dance, where I use the bata de cola, the fan, and the shawl with total naturalness, without justifying myself, also appropriating accessories that have always been used only by female dancers.

What are your future plans?

I don’t know, hahaha, but I can’t be still without creating; creation is vital for me. I just premiered in June “MUERTA DE AMOR,” my latest show, a tribute to love, the relationships between men, and their consequences. I hope to share it in London as well.

Thursday 17 – Saturday 19 October
Tickets from £18
Tickets: 020 7863 8000 or http://www.sadlerswells.com