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August 27, 2005
Flamenco Poster Drop
I hear from Jo Lynn that Walter and the Save the Children team are giving out posters for the Flamenco Spectacular at the Notting Hill Carnival over the weekend. When asked if he thought it was sensible to try and attract that many people to the Royal Albert Hall on September 14th, he said “We are going to have fun trying!”
!flamenco! in aid of Save the Children is at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 14th September. To book online go to the Royal Albert Hall website
or donate directly at Save the Children
August 13, 2005
Learning Flamenco and Spanish in Seville
Taller Flamenco offers Estaciones de flamenco three times a year in March, June and August. They hold other special courses and workshops at all levels throughout the year (there’s a great one in September to coincide with Seville's big bienal flamenco festival and if you want you can even do both during the duration of the special courses.
Estaciones is an intensive flamenco course with a fairly casual and unstructured Spanish lessons. If you want to combine structured, intensive or just more Spanish with your flamenco, Don Quijote Language School is a short walk away and provides excellent daily lessons in an open environment. For a more laid back holiday you could take group Spanish classes at Don Quijote along with their tri-weekly flamenco lessons. There are also loads of local flamenco teachers with good reputations who usually teach new choreographies from the beginning of each month. Many, such as Mercedes Ruiz, are internationally famous.
However, the higher levels of these classes are very demanding and you won’t get Taller Flamenco’s friendly atmosphere. All schools and teachers are listed in the free magazines available in bars and restuarants, and there are always posters advertising flamenco courses on the wall of the “Asociacion Cultura Antigua de Seville” on Calle San Luis.
Hotel Alfonso XIII is easily the best hotel in Sevillle, a less expensive hotel close to the school is Hotel Patio de la Alameda and both Taller Flamenco and Don Quijote can help with lodgings.
Taller Flamenco Seville, last day
Unfortunately I left half way through yesterday, so I missed the party on the roof of Taller Flamenco. The photos look great, with student, staff and teachers socialising and having fun together. It was a wonderful, exhausting and intense two weeks and while I've personally had my fill of flamenco for a couple of days, I would love to go back and do it again.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 11, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Thirteen
I’ve decided not to participate in the last two days of lessons. I’ll watch, but it time is pressing on and I need more notes and more photos. When I started taking photos in the lesson without even attempting to dance Lidia laughed and told me I had "cara". I think it means front or cheek, in the nicest possible way (at least I hope so). I've surprised myself - who would have thought I would chose work over dance!
I interviewed Eukene today. Looking at the thriving, friendly school community now, it's hard to imagine, but apparently the school's inception beginning there were lots of people that didn’t believe that Taller Flamenco would work! Students come here from all over the world but at the moment Taller is hosting visitors from England, Italy, Germany, the US, Japan, Austria and Canada. I met a lady from Singapore here as well as two New Zealanders (I interviewed one – you never know…). Eukene says that more women than men normally learn to dance and more men than women learn guitar, although I met an Israeli lady in one of the guitar lessons..
Eukene says she is happy with the school as it is. She has no intention of letting it get bigger; “I don’t want a very big school. It is important to me that everyone here is known by their face and full name and I don’t want that friendly feeling to change”
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 10, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Twelve
Yoriko from Japan and Steve (who is English but lives in Madrid) joined our dance classes on Monday. Both have a good standard of flamenco and learn fast, and are already dancing the choreography with more confidence than me.
I love it when we use our knees and body shape to create height or the illusion of being small within the dance form. I feel; and hopefully can convey, huge potential energy in a semi crouch, and a willowing leafiness when I’m upright. The tension conveyed by flamenco dance doesn’t just come from the music, palmas and taconeo, but also from the way the body is held, the way it’s expressed with face and arms, the centre of gravity and what you project. I especially enjoy watching Lidia demonstrates; poetry in motion.
It’s getting very difficult to take notes and photos and learn at the same time. I feel like the slowest learner in the class and am surprised that I can demonstrate what we are learning when asked. Lidia says that the trasnitions to paso to paso are important and easy. They might well be easy in themselves, but put them between two pasos and it all gets hellishly complicated again.
I think I’ve interviewed most of the Taller Flamenco teachers now, and hope to get separate features on learning flamenco dancing, palmas, guitar, singing and technique from them. It’s interesting to hear what each different teacher believes to be our biggest challenge, and a real personal challenge to interview in Spanish and make notes in English.
There is one thing that all teachers agree on. In fact, every flamenco performer and teacher I’ve ever interviewed says the same thing. If you want to be good you have to listen. Listen to lots and lots and lots of flamenco music. Listen, understand and feel. Lidia Valdes says “flamenco is a form of living, all of your being has to be flamenco, I can’t teach you properly unless you know in your stomach where flamenco is from.” She says more; “Sin tecnica que una tonteria hacer una coreografia” I guess the closest would be “If you have no technique, it’s pointless to do a choreography.” This was in response to a question about holiday flamenco dancers who want to feel that they have learned a choreography without spending any time on basic technique.
Esther Velez says she loves it when her teaching helps her students express what they want. She says that flamenco isn’t just a way of moving but “a form of presentation, of living, of communication, of everything”
Manuel, the guitar teacher is really impressive. A well known and respected performer in his own right, he has a wonderfully structured approach to teaching flamenco guitar. But; like everyone else in the flamenco world, he emphasises the way you feel “It doesn’t matter if you can play flamenco with flawless technique, it won’t sound right unless you feel it. Like Lorca said, Duende is all-important”. He talks about helping flamenco guitarists feel secure in their feelings for the music and adds “Many people don’t understand that while the feeling is important it is also important to play with good technique and confidence. Those working on their flamenco guitar should work on one tiny thing until it’s right. If you can’t feel and interpret and do one thing right, you can’t do the rest.”
This second week of Compas and Palmas is much more demanding. It is incredibly difficult to start clapping Bulerias on the first beat. As a dancer, I am used to just starting at whatever point the dance requires and I’ve only just now consciously realised that dance teachers always start clapping or counting on the second! But it makes sense that musicians, percussionists and dancers think of the same rhythms in different ways as it is this combination that gives flamenco the feelings of suspense and energy that make it so passionate.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 09, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Eleven
On this second Tuesday the difference in the way that we're learning some of the taconeo is beginning to tell. We start quite slowly, concentrating on the rhythm from start to end of the compas, and as we speed up and gain confidence the rhythm comes together and, even though it's the same footwork the rhythm shifts, and feels more like the bigger feeling of the music.
In technique there is more emphasis on body direction and arms, as much of the difficult taconeo has been covered. But there are still surprises in technique and choreography and we are still putting the pieces we have been doing together and fitting them to the music at the end of each class
I’m still having problems with the transitions. Learning fatigue is similar in dance to when you're learning a language, and because I have not been a dancer for years and years (like most of the others) it really hits me. But, like learning a language you can work through it and eventually overcome it.
Everyone in Willys Bar was rather taken with the idea that they could see themselves in photos as soon as the picture had been taken so; one day last week, I spent the hours between Compas and Technique lessons taking photos of people in the bar and showing them to the subjects on my laptop. They have been friendly and generous so it was the least I could do. It was also fun, taught me some more rather interesting colloquial Spanish and I’ve got a couple of shots I’m really pleased with.
Today some of the regulars got into a deep debate about whether or not flamenco was a good thing or not, how they learned it and whether they dance it still:
“My father taught me to dance with my two brothers. My mother stayed at home and when she did come out she’d sit in the doorway, hiding and doing light palmas like a cissy. But I loved dancing with my father. His paso doble was excellent and I told my mother too! But she never joined in”
“I went to dance school for two years and learned flamenco but I don’t like dancing. Why should I have to dance Sevillanas just because I’m from Seville! People in Chicago don’t say you have to like jazz just because they do good jazz there and people in England don’t have to do that funny dance with the bells and sticks. I can’t dance because I choose not to. I won’t dance”
I’m sure I’ll be able to use the conversation in some kind of future feature.
It is still desperately hot; apparently 45 or 46, and it was as high as 49 in Cordoboa down the road! Eukene; the Manageress from Taller Flamenco, pointed out that problem isn’t the temperature in the day, but when it doesn’t cool down in the night. When this happens, she says “your body is already empty for the next day”. And it’s still cloudy…
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 08, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Ten
In our Bulerias lessons we’ve so far concentrated on the steps and the shape of our arms. We seem to start with the most difficult phrase of a section and work backwards, first putting the feet to the music, then arms, body, face and head.
We have also developed various remate. They’re different to the ones I’ve learned before, clap, move, kick – and the clap and move are contra tiempo. They are maddeningly difficult moves. I can hear the compas and clap it but dancing the clap-move kick combination is quite a challenge and adding the hand movements on top even more so.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 07, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, The Weekend
I’ve taken to frequenting 'Willy’s Bar' in the big breaks between lessons. It’s only a couple of doors down from Taller Flamenco. The students are all lovely but talking to them isn’t going to help my Spanish or help me learn more about Seville, whereas the locals at Willy’s are friendly and patient and … Spanish... Yesterday one of the regulars gave me a Spanish lesson on a paper napkin and everyone is so nice that I posted the bar on my photoblog. You have no idea how many Willy jokes ensued!
I spent most of the weekend working in my room. There came a point around 18:30 yesterday evening where using the electric fan seemed pointless as it was only moving around the already too-hot air. Until, that is, I turned it off..... when I realised just how hot it was outside....
It turns out that the buzzy feeling in my head wasn't too much Spanish coffee but Wireless Broadband! It's great to have it in the flat, but less great not to be able to turn it off.. It's also a shame it took me from Wednesday to Saturday to find out.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 05, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Seven
I have unwittingly become so accustomed to the quiet drabness of London that the scorching Sevillan streets seem larger and louder than life. As I wander around savouring the differences in sights, noise and smells, I hear men using fingers and thumbs to click a rhythmic greeting. Others join in or answer, modifying the rhythm, By doing so, they're changing the message; making jokes without words based on rhythms with which they’re so familiar that they’ve become an intuitive means of self expression.
I wish I found compás easier. David Moran “El Gamba de Jerez” teaches us Compás and Palmas on Wednesdays and Fridays. As ‘improvers’ we’re whizzing through the forms at a rate of knots and have already done Alegrias, Solea por Bulerias, and Soleare. He points out the similarities and differences of the different Compás as we climb the Flamenco Tree. It’s not as easy as you might think. Once the group gets the hang of a palos, he gets us clapping individual phrases on a rotating basis or even single claps (it's the emphases and silences that get you) while he sings and claps contratiempo. A professional singer, he has a great voice and a real passion for the music.
We learned some useful words in the Spanish class today. Bochorno is wet heat and sequia is drought. Nube means clouds. I’ve forgotten the word for dry heat which is what we were getting, it’s about 45 degrees and a cloudy day, which we learn is bad. When the clouds stay into the night it doesn’t cool down.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 04, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Six
It’s a lucky coincidence that we’re working on Bulerías in both technique and choreography. I'm normally not a fast learner, but right now I’m going even slower than normal because I’m taking notes and photos for my feature as well as trying to do the course. That means it's a relief to be learning similar rhythms even if the moves and choreographies are different
I don’t think it’s possible to learn too much Bulerías. It’s performed at private parties and is the dance that’s normally performed as an impromptu ending to shows, and sometimes in the Peña Flamenca de Londres (in London, surprisingly enough). Improvisation is expected and the more background I have to draw on for my improve the more confident I will be if called to perform.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 03, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Five
That was my last night at the glorious Alfonso XIII. Experiences included a bed-time treat of what was possibly the nicest chocolate I’ve ever eaten, a mattress I could sleep on (that’s rare – I usually end up on the floor), great service and; while with a friend who lives here, getting questioned by the hotel security about whether or not I was a guest…
Got up early this morning to prepare for a telephone interview I’m doing only to find out that I should have called yesterday. Oops! He was really important to the story too.
I moved to lodgings that are closer the school and then had to walk all the way to the hotel to collect my bath stuff (I got lost, it took an hour and a half) and then back to the school for my first Taller Flamenco Staff interview (I’m planning a series of ‘how to..’ pieces from their feedback).
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 02, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Four
Because we’re all different abilities we don’t all do the same classes. There are different sets of people in each of my classes. René from New York and Ivana from Austria are in both choreography and Spanish.
At the end of every day is our Spanish lesson. David Sola teaches Spanish at school level and is also contracted to provide support to a local gypsy family, where he acts on their behalf for what seems like anything. Ivana is a fantastic linguist but since lessons are laid back and quite unstructured, learning Spanish is still fun. It’s nice to meet other students too, and our national differences make the lessons even more interesting. David is very patient and our lessons are mostly verbal due to overwhelming request from the students. Also in the class are Sabine and Deborah from Italy and Salome from America.
After class I got seriously lost on the way back to the room but saw a lot of a very interesting area, then took a wrong turn on the way between the school and the hotel. I have no idea how I managed it, I only need to follow one straight line, but it was very useful because I stumbled on Plaza de Alfalfa which is near Don Quijote Seville, the language school I visited in June.
Rob at Don Quijote had very generously arranged for me to use their internet while I’m here. I’m going to need it, because Explorer is the only programme enabled at the single available Taller internet enabled machine. I can’t even cut and paste from word document and certainly can’t Skype anyone.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
August 01, 2005
Taller Flamenco Seville, Day Three
After not getting lost on the walk to the school (another achievement as I usually even get lost walking a straight line), I met the front office staff and they introduced me to the people in my choreography lesson. My timetable is busy; it is after all an intensive course, but pleasant enough and my fellow students are from all over the world.
Spanish is the only language we all have in common and although we speak it to varying degrees of fluency we manage to communicate quite well! Taller flamenco is really friendly and by the end of the day we all know each other by name.
Every day we get technique with Esther Velez, choreography with Lidia Chamero and David Sola teaches us Spanish lessons. David Moran “El Gamba de Jerez” will be teaching us Compás and Palmas (rhythm and clapping) on Wednesdays and Fridays. Our choreography is Bulerías and the class of just eight of us means that Lidia has lots of time to work with each of us individually. We are learning the choreography to taped music, paso by paso; taconeo (footwork) first, arms and hands later. Then, whenever she thinks we are ready, Lidia gets us to speed up the dance (Bulerías is a very fast dance) and then we try dancing what we have learned to the music.
Photo log starts here: Seville August 2005 and ends here
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