How good are you at giving jaleos?
Whether you dance, sing play guitar, or play cajón, you must also give jaleos. In fact, even if you prefer only to watch flamenco, you’ll want to give some jaleos. It’s almost disrespectful not to.
Below find three activities to help you strengthen your ability to give these calls of encouragement along with ten straight minutes of bulerías to practice to.
Bulerías
Traditional
Yo quisiera volar
como una gaviota
en medio del mar
I’d like to fly
like a seagull
in the midst of the sea
You can see El Mono sing and dance this one about 4:30 in the video below.
He doesn’t sing the last line, as often is the case, and I was unable to track this one down, so I filled in the blank with what I imagined the missing word would have been, the sea. What would be your guess?
And Now, Those Activities:
Because palmas and jaleos are essential to flamenco, especially bulerías, here are a few ideas to help you up your jaleos game:
Activity 1. Watch the video, and count the number of jaleos you hear.
(I don’t mean the number of different jaleos. That’s coming next.)
Every time you hear somebody say a jaleo, make a tally. Add up your tallies at the end to reveal the final count.
Share your number in the comments.
OBJECTIVE: To notice just how prevalent and important jaleos are to bulerías.
Activity 2. Watch the video, and write down every jaleo you hear.
If you’re not sure of what they’re saying, just give it your best guess.
Share the different jaleos you heard below.
OBJECTIVE: To learn some new jaleos to use.
Activity 3. Watch the video again (or part of it), and join in the fun.
Now that you have a list of jaleos and a feel for how and how often they are given, it’s your turn to try!
One reason people shy away from giving jaleos is because it can feel uncomfortable. The only way to get around this feeling is by doing the thing that makes you feel uneasy. The more you do it, the less awkward it feels, the better you get at it, and the more confidence you gain. And what better way to practice than alongside models of expert flamencos giving jaleos in the most natural way. Think of this as a low risk place to practice.
So go accompany the singers with palmas, and give them plenty of jaleos!
Then let me know how it felt in the comments.
OBJECTIVE: To become more comfortable giving jaleos.
Let’s Share
Don’t forget to share your results in the comments below!
And once you’ve done that, play the video again and practice. This one is great for practicing with. How many different pataítas can you do? And if you’re not a dancer or don’t feel like dancing, can you accompany with palmas, practice singing with them, or playing guitar?
