Rhythmic layers of flamenco excellence

It was a great show when it was brought here in January 2008, and it was great again Saturday afternoon, when the Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company appeared in

A Compás!

before an ecstatic crowd at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall.

Mind you, the experience would have been even better without the audio feedback that continued throughout the first half of the program. But the problem was fixed during intermission, by which time this nine-member troupe of top-flight artists from southern Spain had definitely gotten our attention.

The program's title indicates that all the items on the bill are designed to emphasize rhythm (compás), the most important element in flamenco. The best demonstration of compás came in a piece that literally built up complex layers of rhythm, one layer at a time, and then let the performers trade riffs, as in jazz. Only here, there were no conventional instruments. Rather, three of the artists banged on an anvil using metal hammers, while others rapped on a table with their knuckles. The rest produced rhythmic sounds by clapping their hands, stamping their feet, or playing the cajón, a drum made from a wooden packing crate. It may sound odd, but this sequence was absolutely thrilling.

Peña is a flamenco guitarist of international renown who started touring with his own troupe almost 40 years ago. Most of the current cast members have been with him awhile, and they work together seamlessly. The makeup of this group (two other guitarists, a pair of singers, three dancers, and a percussionist) illustrates Peña's admirable intention to showcase flamenco music, as well as dance.

Other highlights of the show included Peña's early solo, a slow, haunting interpretation of the flamenco form called Peteneras; everything that Javier Márquez sang; and the understated but emotionally satisfying Farruca danced by Angel Muñoz.

It was also great to see such long-neglected flamenco standbys as the bata de cola (a floor-length gown with a ruffled train), the mantón (an embroidered silk shawl with long, luxuriant fringes), and castanets - all of which were expertly shown off by the gifted dancer Charo Espino.