Flamenco as a theater form is easy for the non-aficionado to appreciate. It's dramatic, bold and full of passionate meaning that even the youngest audience member can understand: love, hate, fear, longing, all the usual overheated stuff. Flamenco Ole!, under great lady Julia Lopez, and her fantastically talented musical director Carlos Rubio, has created for itself locally a steady, enthusiastic audience.

For its Painted Bride run, Ole opened with the company performing a martinete, which is a rhythm that comes from the sound of a blacksmith whanging his hammer on an anvil. This steady beat -- for the performance emphasized by what sounded like banging on metal offstage -- is actually an homage to the gypsy roots of flamenco. The audience wasn't in the caves above Granada, but it was at flamenco's source sound. The room was packed, some even sitting in folding chairs in the aisles. So while it's wonderful if some of them understood the Spanish lyric (cante) so important to the dancer's interpretation, it is more likely that everyone understood the emotions that fuel the movement and drive the compelling vocal and instrumental music (not to forget the fabulous foot and hand beats).

Flamenco Ole! brought in some outstanding visiting performers for this program, and one of them, Martin Gaxiola from Phoenix (with some heavy years studying in Madrid and Sevilla), virtually stole the show. This guy is just a born star. He performed two long solos, and in both cases had people cheering -- and gasping. His bearing was proud, his look into the audience haughty and flirtatious. Clapping, stamping, arching his back, he was the closest thing a human body can be to a musical instrument -- a very sensual musical instrument.

The other guest was Carmela Greco, whose father was the great Jose Greco. Carmela not only performed two solos, she choreographed several of the company dances (we are skipping the artistic problem of choreographing what is essentially an improvisational dance form). She, like Lopez, is a great lady of Spanish flamenco. Excellent in Tangos de Granada, which utilized her emotional skills as well as the still-sharp edges of her high heels, Greco looked less comfortable in the more girlish Guajiras.

Flamenco Ole!'s heart and soul remains Lopez, Rubio and their dedicated dancers and musicians. ¡Excelente! and gracias.