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transitions

Portland Flamenco Events & Experience Flamenco: What's Up?

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Portland Flamenco Events & Experience Flamenco: What's Up?

Curious about the name change you see on our Portland Flamenco Events Facebook page?

(It’s new name is Experience Flamenco Portland)

Four years ago I merged Portland Flamenco Events (my Portland based flamenco education business) with Experience Flamenco (my business focused on creating educational Flamenco Tours to Spain) online.

It has become increasingly confusing operating as both Experience Flamenco and Portland Flamenco Events, so I have switched everything over to the name 'Experience Flamenco…”

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How to Navigate Transitions: Lessons Learned from the Transition That Almost Gave Me a Nervous Breakdown

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How to Navigate Transitions: Lessons Learned from the Transition That Almost Gave Me a Nervous Breakdown

My biggest issue with bulerías when I got to Jerez was transitions. Well, ok, that’s not really true, my biggest issue after fear. But the transitions.

It was like all of a sudden I couldn’t see them.

And I didn’t know what to do.

I've since learned how to approach difficult transitions more gracefully. (I'll tell you how in just a moment.) I'll also explain to you in detail the transition that almost gave me a nervous breakdown along with some things you might like to know about "counting" bulerías de Jerez.

But first, allow me to give you some background ...

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An Interview with Bailaora Mercedes Ruíz

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An Interview with Bailaora Mercedes Ruíz

You've likely read all of the written interviews here with Mercedes Ruíz. You've probably seen the interview with her husband, Santiago Lara.

And now, here's that video interview with Mercedes Ruíz that I've been promising you

We filmed it in Jerez last spring just after the FlamencoTour.

In the video below Mercedes talks about the road to becoming a soloist, how she navigates motherhood and flamenco dance, her thoughts on teaching those of us who are not pros, and some other stuff.

Oh, and by the way, you'll probably love her even more after seeing this video, so get ready...

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Viernes con una Letra | fandangos...again

Today, fandangos de Huelva and a video of Mayte Martín singing.

Here is the first copla Mayte Martín sings in Conquero. You might have seen the second one here last week, and the final one the week before. It's all a bit mixed up but, then, so am I. Hmm, though upon second thought, that's how flamenco is normally sung. The singer mixes and matches verses in the moment, so this makes perfect sense! 

Fandangos de Huelva
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Y los dientes de marfíl
los ojos como las moras
y tu boca es una fuente
donde una noche bebí 
agua con ansias de muerte

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Transitions

So my biggest issue with bulerías when I got to Jerez was the transitions.  Well, ok, that’s not really true, my biggest issue after fear.   But about the transitions, it was like all of a sudden I couldn’t see them. And I didn’t know what to do.

It was my first time in Ana María López’s class after dancing by myself in front of EVERYONE, which is what you have to do EVERY day there and actually NUMEROUS times every day.

And you can’t hide.

You can’t escape by leaving the room because someone calls you, even if you’re outside practicing or just trying to escape all of the smoke.  - Yes, smoking.  Lots of smoking goes on in class, from start to finish - And if you try to pretend you didn’t hear that you were called and still don’t come in, someone comes to get you.

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