Blood and honour

Whoever put women into mini skirts obviously knew nothing about feminine allure. Spain's National Dance Company returned to the Wells last night and its female dancers wore dresses that covered everything except their necks and wrists. Needless to say, they looked more appealing than any flesh-baring supermodel, and you could see why the show's baddie couldn't keep his hands to himself.

Founded by the dancer and choreographer Antonio Gades, the National Dance Company is a large ensemble that specialises in danced dramas that mix flamenco, classical Spanish dance and other folk forms. For this visit, the Company performs Fuenteovejuna, a story of honour and vengeance set in the eponymous 15th century rural town. A girl is raped on her wedding night by the local commander and her kinsmen speedily give as good as she gets.

Visually, the piece is stunning, with a plain, inky black backdrop and the dancers and musicians wearing rusts and browns. The women have splashes of pink and gold, and their white chemises peek from modestly cut bodices. The dancing is best described as a pillowy sort of flamenco, softer, gentler, with pretty round dances for the group and classical grace tempering the percussive solos.

It is also crafted to reveal the full range of human emotion. When the Commander (Francisco Velasco) humiliates the Mayor (Juan Mata), the heroine Laurencia (Tamara Lopez) restores his dignity by supporting his lonely retreat. A happier sequence is the bottle dancing scene, when the virile young hero Frondoso (Christian Lozano) good-humouredly reveals his strength and finesse.

Less good is the occasionally unclear structure, and its villain, a bit of a cartoon baddie. More seriously, as the musicians are rarely in view, you can't always tell if they're live or recorded.

Fuenteovejuna, on the surface, seems a rural idyll. The women are sweet, the men good humoured, and young and old get the respect they deserve. The grit comes from their passion for vengeance. The townsfolk want an eye for an eye, and happily bloody their hands to get it.

Ballet Nacional De Espana: Fuenteovejuna