A very personal journey brought flamenco star Maria Pagés home to Seville

Flamenco is known for capturing the spirit and passion of a nation, but when María Pagés created her dynamic dance show, Sevilla, she took a very personal approach. For Pagés, Seville is home - the place where she grew up, found her love of dancing and, despite spending much of her time on the road, the place to which she always returns. All of which she poured into Sevilla.

"I tried to go back to my childhood, to the place where I first learnt to dance," says Pagés. "Because all of that is still so clear in my memory. And I think it's important to keep those references and roots alive - particularly when you go away so much and there are so many outside influences." Compañía María Pagés will be performing at the Flamenco Festival in London this March, and whereas most artists taking part stay for one night only, Pagés merits four evenings at Sadler's Wells Theatre - such is her appeal.

Born in 1963, Pagés is widely regarded as one of the finest flamenco dancers of her generation. Showing an early aptitude for dance, she began her training aged four - fuelled by a desire as strong as any religious calling.

"It was just something inside me that was always there," says Pages. "It's not something I decided - there was never any question, it just was. I always had a very serious attitude to flamenco, even when I was very small. And my family were very supportive - they understood in the same way I did, that I just had to do it. I was always very passionate - still am."

Pagés early career was spent dancing lead roles with several prestigious flamenco companies, before taking the plunge and setting up Compañía María Pagés. Then, in 1995, she was thrown into the limelight as the guest flamenco artist in Riverdance, an experience she looks back on with mixed feelings.

"For me Riverdance was an experiment - Bill Whelan composed some music for me and I did the choreography," says Pagés. "But when the show became so big it was no longer an experiment, it became a business and I didn't really agree with all that. At the same time Riverdance helped me financially so I could make work with my own company - and it made me very well known, particularly in the States, so I'm very grateful for that."

One of the reasons Pagés has secured such a loyal following over the years, is her unique style. Not only is she a stunning flamenco dancer, but shades of ballet, contemporary and even musical theatre have crept into her work. Having trained only in flamenco, Pagés is quick to downplay her skills in other areas - though she will admit to having a distinctive 'look'.

"Yes, it's true I am different," she says. "But I think that's because unlike most flamenco dancers I'm quite tall and have very long arms. So my body made me think differently about how I was going to dance. Also, I'm very curious about things - and because I travel a lot it's been easy for me to see, and be inspired by, other dancers and styles."

Read the full interview in our March 2008 issue.