Luz Arcas, a 42-year-old dancer from Málaga, embodies a style of dance that defies conventional norms. She prefers to refer to her art as "dance," a term she shared with this publication years ago. By choosing this word, she embraces a primal, untamed, and instinctive form of expression where her language is felt before it's thought.

Arcas, recognized with the National Dance Award for creation in 2024, stands out as an artist characterized by a palpable authenticity. Her latest show, Rare Earths, premiered yesterday at the Green Hall of Teatros del Canal during the International Madrid Dance Festival. The performance, featuring Arcas and four other dancers - La Merce, Danielle Mesquita, Javiera Paz, and Raquel Sánchez - exemplifies a freedom from traditional dance constraints. This quintet of performers immerses themselves in a ritualistic atmosphere, a signature of Arcas's shows.

Their collaboration under La Phármaco company reveals a deep camaraderie and commitment. However, the sheer presence of the performers sometimes fails to sustain the piece, with moments lacking intensity. The sophisticated lighting design, although stunning, tends to overshadow other elements on stage.

Rare Earths could almost be described as a visual-theatrical apparatus, given the prominence of Jorge Colomer's lighting design, which dictates every action. Paired with Victoria Aime's set design, the result is overwhelming. The stage resembles a futuristic landfill or apocalyptic mine—a subterranean realm where five bodies dance, liberated from conventional settings. In this space, they embody the end of something, situated beneath the Earth's crust, a dark past shaping the future.

During the hour-long performance, five creatures—entities caught between life and death—interact with objects such as a rubber band, a barrel, and a large black tarp covering the stage. Two climactic moments in the dance, highlighted by Perrate's singing, bring a terrestrial touch that dazzles. These coincide with all dancers performing a sophisticated yet primal dance, showcasing the powerful language Arcas commands. While the dancers individually convey conviction, the dance often dissolves into gestures and transitions, some excessively prolonged.

Rare Earths is a demanding, dark, and intriguing work, yet the corporeal essence is often lost in the visual spectacle. This is atypical for Arcas, whose choreographic discourse usually relies heavily on the physical representation of her ideas.