The flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortes, 38, began his career with the Spanish
National Ballet before establishing himself as a solo performer in the early
1990s. Since then, he has danced around the world, performed at the Kremlin
and attracted numerous fans, including J.Lo and Sting. Born and raised in
Cordoba, he now lives in Madrid. His latest DVD, Joaquin Cortes –
Live at the Royal Albert Hall, is out now
‘IT FASCINATES me that, across the globe, every city has a different beat and
every country dances to a different tune. The pleasure of travelling is to
pick the vibe in each new place and discover its charms.
New York, for example, has an amazing, constant energy. It’s such a
cosmopolitan city that the energy feeds in from all parts of the globe and
from people with many different backgrounds, creating a very intense pace
that is maintained 24 hours a day.
Cities such as this have a dance of their own, performed by their inhabitants
out on the streets. Somewhere like New York you can’t help but be caught up
in the dance and it is very uplifting, whereas somewhere like Paris has a
slower, more sensual pace – which you can either adopt or simply sit out and
watch.
The most exotic place I’ve encountered is China. There is so much cultural
exchange these days that countries on the other side of the world can seem
quite familiar, but China is still like nowhere else. I went to Beijing to
make a commercial and we had special permission to film right inside the
Forbidden City. We were driven to the middle of the palace grounds, which
was like taking a journey back through time. One minute we were in the
middle of a busy metropolis, the next surrounded by the edifices of an
entirely different era.
The drive itself was extraordinary, as we had a special, officially appointed
driver, whose skills did not actually include being able to drive. He seemed
to think that having international clients on board gave him the right to
ignore all the traffic signs. In the Forbidden City, where the road system
is unconventional, you really need to take any help you can get, but he
chose to ignore directions and drive as if he were in a movie. It was
terrifying, and not the best way to see one of China’s greatest sights.
One of the strangest places I have been is Iceland. Going there is like
stepping back thousands of years into a primeval landscape. I had
encountered nothing like this in the rest of Europe, where the countryside
has always been moulded by inhabitants. In Iceland, nobody can tame
anything; geysers burst out of the ground and great icy waterfalls cascade
down the hills. Its rhythm is very fiery and unpredictable. I went in summer
and it was amazing to experience the endless days, and also a land that is
so sparsely populated. Even Reykjavik seemed quiet and more like a sleepy
fishing village than a capital city.
The last holiday I had was very simple. I went to the seaside in Andalusia for
a couple of weeks with my family. I grew up in Cordoba, and for our holidays
we would always drive south to the provinces of Malaga or Granada, to spend
time on the coast. In Malaga, the beaches are urban and busy, whereas in
Granada the mountains run down to the sea, creating many secluded coves. So
it’s a place where I can have a taste of city life as well as a bit of beach
isolation.
The first time I went away on my own I travelled to Greece and spent a few
weeks island-hopping. The strongest memory I have is of making a fool of
myself hiring a motorbike. When I tried to ride off, the bike shot out from
underneath me and I landed in a heap on the ground. I had had a mental image
of myself, an intrepid young man touring around the island, but the reality
was rather different.
Not long after that I went to the south of France for three weeks. I had
absolutely no plans and just did whatever came into my head. I visited
Cannes, Nice and St Tropez. In reality, I did very little, but at the time
it seemed like a great adventure. When you are on your own in the world for
the first time, even simple things like walking into a hotel and buying a
drink have huge significance, and finding somewhere to stay seems a great
achievement.
That was probably the best holiday I have ever had; not because of the place
or what I did, but because of who I was when I went. I know I will never
experience the south of France like that again. It has probably not changed
a great deal, but I have – sadly, I’ll never be 18 again.’
