Having "homo" in the title of a dance show will surely get the attention of gay boys, but in the case of La Otra Orilla’s HomoBLABLAtus, it refers to an “ultimate incarnation of the human race,” one that sings, dances and babbles. Óle to Myriam Allard and Hedi Graja, the Montreal flamenco company’s founders and the show's creative collaborators. Blah, blah, blah never looked and sounded so entertaining. Their imaginative approach to showing the redundancy of words in conversations through dance, song, imagery and sound speaks more than any written description. With dancers Aurélie Brunelle and Antonio Arrebola, along with percussionist Miguel Medina, HomoBLABLAtus is truly an evolved entity.
 
The initial image of floating white masks seen through the window of a white cube, as Allard’s legs and red shoes dance on the cube’s wall, immediately communicates that this isn't a traditional gypsy performance. From the dramatic interplay of projected and live dancing, narrated by an emotional couple having a pointless phone conversation, to the brilliantly choreographed attention-seeking Siamese waltzers, La Otra Orilla shows its wit and humour without going over the top. And even when the audience is exposed to near sensory overload during the show’s climax, there is definite purpose to the clamour.
 
Flamenco fans can swoon at the modern take on the traditional Spanish dance, but you don’t have to be familiar with the Iberian art form be tickled and sensitized by the spirited audio-visuals. HomoBLABLAtus deserves both an enthusiastic gypsy cheer and a befitting bravo. – Eduardo Sabate
 
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