Awaken the senses with a flamenco expert at the top of her game

Calentamiento is the latest creation by flamenco innovator Rocío Molina (Al Fondo Riela) – a raw, intimate exploration of the body in preparation. Co-directed with playwright Pablo Messiez and featuring musical direction by Niño de Elche and scenic collaboration by Cabo San Roque, the piece premiered to sold-out audiences at the Centro Danza Matadero in Madrid in 2025. 

A glass box, neon lighting, a drum kit and a collection of metal chairs create the playground for Molina and a group of female singers to explore the process of warming up. Testing their physical and emotional resistance, they invite the audience into a vulnerable, electrified space where movement begins.

Rocio Molina is an internationally acclaimed flamenco performer, best known for her bold innovation and technical mastery. She has received the Spanish National Award for Dance, and in 2022 she was awarded the Venice Biennale Silver Lion, the first flamenco dancer to be recognised by the prestigious art festival.

Part of Flamenco Festival 2026 

Header image description: Four women stand in a large glass box in the foreground. They are all facing out in different directions, and appear to be in the middle of an energetic conversation. They are casually dressed in jeans, skirts and crop tops. In the background, a woman wearing a black top and a red ruffled skirt plays a drum kit.

Header image © Simone Fratini