How to dance flamenco, flamenco travel in Spain, flamenco dance students and their experiences, interviews with flamenco artists, translations of flamenco letras (songs) from Spanish to English
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Hows & Whats
Wow, Friday came and went, - and Saturday as well almost - and I completely forgot the Friday letra. Oops and Ay! Here you go. Today a tangos letra and a video.
It's tangos.
Tangos
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Caballero, caballero
Mi madre fue una gitana
mi padre un caballero
de esos que pelaban borricos
enfrente del matadero
Ok, so there is this one thing I've noticed that really, really, really has a BIG effect on my dancing. Is it the biggest effect? I don't know.
I know how important it is, yet I still refuse to consistently give it the credit it deserves.
I want to remember to do it. Or no, not remember, I want to do it even if I don't want to.
You know how much I like stories, so let us begin with a story.
Un cuento
It was a Wednesday much like today, sunny and hot that is. I was in Jerez. It was the spring of 2011...
The rest of the story comes in the form of but another excerpt from my journal.
I want to talk about sinking in. I want to talk about breaks.
I want to talk about stuff that relates to the wisdom of the body.
I want to talk about productivity.
And how they're all connected.
Connected and overlapping...
Last Wednesday I went to the studio early before class to practice. I felt tired. So tired. I walked in the door and suddenly felt even more tired. I opened the curtains, opened the windows, turned on the fan. Still so sleepy. Sleepy all over. Quite obviously my body was trying to tell me something very important.
Take a break.
So, I did. I had to. There was actually no other choice.
And the third installment of interviews with Mercedes. If you missed our previous conversations, you can find one here and the other one one here.
Today we find out about her family's response to her dancing. She comes from a non-flamenco family. And we learn why she loves to teach. Enjoy.
¿Alguien en tu familia baile o hace algo con el flamenco? No y además no le gusta el baile ningunos de mis hermanos.
¿Does anyone in your family dance or do anything related to flamenco? No and on top of things none of my siblings like flamenco dancing.
¿Pero les gusta el flamenco? No, nada nada nada.
But do they like flamenco? No, not at all.
Head shaking back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, no.
Pero vienen a ver tus espectáculos, sí? Mi hermana solo. Tengo cuatro hermanos que no. No les gusta nada. Y yo creo que no tienen ni idea del nivel, o sea que yo pienso que ellos piensan que yo bailo sevillanas o algo.
But they come to see your shows, right? Just my sister. I have four brothers, and they don't. They don't like it at all. I don't think they have any idea of the level. In other words I think that they think I dance sevillanas or something.
Pero que interesante. ¿Cómo puede ser? ¿Y eso te importa? Bueno hay que respetarlo. Las decisiones. Si ellos no les gusta. Bueno ya estoy acostumbrada. Para mis padres que realmente son los que me han ayudado muchisimo. Mi madre. Cuando era pequeña los dos me apoyaron en lo que quería. Nunca me prohibieron nada. Y ahora estoy intentando pues darles todo lo que ellos me han ofecido. Se los intento dar en el escenario.
How interesting. How is that possible? And does this bother you? Well, I have to respect that. The decisions. If they don't like it. Well, I'm used to it. My parents really are the ones who have helped me so much. My mother. When I was little they both supported me in whatever I wanted. They never prohibited me from doing anything. And now I am trying to give back to them all that they have offered me. I try to give it to them on stage.
Entonces a tus padres tampoco les gusta el flamenco? No, claro. Les gusta ahora que estoy yo pero si yo no hubiera bailado yo creo que en mi casa no habia escuchado la palabra flamenco.
So your parents don't like flamenco either? No, of course. They like it now that I do it, but had I not started dancing I don't think you would ever have heard flamenco in my house.
¿Qué es lo que te gusta de enseñar? Porque tomando tu clase, yo creo que te dije que en Jerez me sentía un poco desorientada, muy diferente que la gente allí pero cuando entré en tu clase me notaba mucho que a tí te gustaba enseñar. Y me sentía muy bien al estar allí. Me encanta enseñar. Me encanta.
What do you like about teaching? Because in taking your classes, I think I told you, in Jerez I felt a bit disoriented. I felt so different from everyone there. And I came to your class and I could tell how much you loved to teach. And I felt so good being there. I love teaching. I love it..
Y quiero saber, por qué te gusta? ¿Qué es lo que te da el enseñar a la gente? Porque aprendo muchísimo. Los alumnos me enseñan también a mí. Me enseñan entonces como aprendo. Me gusta luego que el alumno ver algo que yo he montado que sea capáz de hacerlo. Me llena igual que cuando me subo un escenario. Es como cuando me subo un escenario y me sale bien una coreografía pues igual. Me siento muy orgullosa. Y la verdad que los alumnos me enseñan muchísimo también.
And I want to know, why do you like it? What do you get from teaching people? Because I learn so much. The students teach me as well. They teach me, and I learn. I love to watching a student when they are able to do something I choreographed. It fills me up the same as when I go on stage. It's like when I go on stage, and I perform a piece well; it's the same. I feel proud. And honestly the students teach me so much too.
Aprendo muchísim0 - click here to listen
¿Y Pastora, ella va a bailar? Ahora está bailando un poco. Un pocoquillo, un poquillo. Con el rojo. Y no vea. Todo el tiempo con los tacones.
And Pastora, is she going to dance? Now she's dancing a little bit. A little bit, a little bit. With red. Unbelievable. All of the time with her high heels.
More from Mercedes coming your way this month, so stay tuned.
And on that note. Perhaps you have a question for Mercedes? lf there's something you want to know, tell me. Leave your question(s) in the comments. And, of course, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the interview as well. ¿Tienes una pregunta para Mercedes o algún comentario? Déja un comentario.
The trip. It's coming up, very soon. Mercedes is catering workshops specifically to us. Interested in coming along? Sign up to get the details.
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Yesterday Mercedes Ruíz shared her thoughts on being a soloist, how her life and dancing after becoming a mother, and what it's like for her to work with her husband. Today we learn a bit more. Oh, and that strange thing that absolutely must do each time before getting on stage that I promised to share with you today, you'll find it below. Actually, you can hear Mercedes explain it directly.
Cuándo empezaste a bailar? A los cuatro años. Y a los seís entre en a formar parte de la compañía de Manuel Morao. Un gitano de Jerez, una compañia que se hizo de aquí de flamenco. Estuvimos casi seis años. Y estuvimos en muchas partes de Europa. Y en Nueva York tambien estuvimos dos meses y medio. Entonces pero allí realmente yo bailaba y lo disfrutaba pero me lo tomaba como, era como un juego no? Una niña que quería bailar y como un juego. Y luego con doce o trece años que ya realmente dije quiero dedicar a esto profesionalmente. Quiero seguir aprendiendo y hacer de mi baile pues algo que me llene no?
When did you begin dancing? When I was four years old. And when I was six I started joined Manuel Morao's company. A Roma man from Jerez, a flamenco company from here. We were in it for almost six years. And we were all over Europe. And we were in New York too, for two and a half months. But really there I danced and I had fun, but I treated it like a game. A girl who wanted to dance for fun. And later when I was twelve or thirteen I said that I seriously wanted to do this professionally. I want to keep learning and doing my dancing, something that fills me.
Y en las compañias de niña todavía ibas a la escuela? Sí, a la escuela ibamos. Y cuando nos ibamos mucho tiempo pues nos metían en el colegio español y todo el rollo.
And being in companies as a child, did you still go to school? Yes, we went to school. And when we were gone for a long time they put us in Spanish school and everything.
Hiciste tus estudios principalmente en Jerez antes de entrar en las compañias? Sí en Jerez pero ya luego también mucho en cursillos que venían a Jerez. Javiar LaTorre, Yerbabuena... Y allí aprendía todo lo que podía.
Before joining the companies, did most of your studying take place in Jerez? Yes in Jerez, but after I also learned a lot in workshops with people who came to Jerez. Javiar LaTorre, Yerbabuena... And there I learned all that I could.
Y con quién estudiabas en Jerez?Empecé con Ana María López. Y ya luego con doce años me fui al conservatorio de Sevilla. Estuve en Sevilla un año. Y ya luego estuve con Chiqui de Jerez. Estuve cuatro o cinco años. Y ya de allí también estudié con una profesora que hay en Cadiz que es buenísima que se llama Charo Crúz. Es una profesora genial. Ella me abrió muchas puertas. Me abrió mucho la mente. Y a raíz de ella también estuve en contacto con el Cordobés, un tablao flamenco que hay en Barcelona que es el mejor que hay en España. Y entré en ese tablao y ya a raíz de allí que fue el principio.
And who did you study with in Jerez?I began with Ana María López. Then when I was twelve I went to the conservatory in Seville. I was in Seville for one year. And then I was with Chiqui de Jerez. I was there four or five years. And from there I also studied with a teacher Cadiz who is wonderful named Charo Crúz. She is an amazing teacher. She opened many doors for me. She really opened my mind. And through her I got in contact with El Cordobés, a flamenco tablao in Barcelona, the best tablao in Spain. I started at the tablao, and this was the beginning.
¿Tienes algún costumbre o ritual, algo que haces ántes de subir el escenario? Realmente soy muy supersticiosa. Entonces siempre tengo las mismas cosas en el camerino. ¿Sabes? Las mismas fotos de hace años y
Hay una cosa que no puedo subir el escenario sin lavarmelos dientes. No puedo. Imposible. Hay que ver eh? Como si fuera que voy a una boda.
Risas.
Do you have any rituals? Is there anything you do before going on stage? Really I'm very supersticious. So I always have the same things in the dressing room. You know? The same photos from years ago, and
There's one thing it's that I can't go on stage without having brushed my teeth. I can't. Impossible. Can you believe it? As if I were going to a wedding.
Laughter.
Mercedes and her ritual - Click here to listen
Stick around for tomorrow's installment when Mercedes tells us about her family and their lack of interest in flamenco. How they really have no idea what level she is on. And, she tells us about why she loves to teach.
A side note. Something I didn't mention to Mercedes. She will laugh at me. Reirás de mí Mercedes. But there was this little part of me that didn't believe that I had actually been communicating with her over the past year while planning the upcoming trip to Spain. That all of those emails back and forth were between me and some impostor who'd hacked into her email and was only pretending to be Mercedes. I know. I know. But it all just seemed too good to be true. Anyway, after our chat last Friday, that part of me has calmed down. And recognizes that yes, it really is happening!
And she's excited too!
(That means, How cooool...) Get the details on the Spain trip here.
Ok, your turn. Do you have a question for Mercedes? Leave it below. We'll be doing more interviews in the coming weeks, so tell me what you want to know! Como siempre, other comments are also welcome. I'd love to know what you think.
Déjame saber que piensas abajo. ¿O tal vez tienes una pregunta para Mercedes? Déjala abajo.
An interview with Mercedes Ruíz: From the time I became interested in flamenco I've been curious about the artists. Their lives. And flamenco's role. Hence the interviews on this site. Because I figure you're likely interested as well. So, today we have the first installment of interviews with Mercedes Ruíz. La primera entrevista con Mercedes Ruíz.
She talks about how being a mother has changed her dancing, and her life, what it's like to work with her husband. She talks about when she first knew that she wanted to dedicate her life to flamenco. She shares some thoughts on frustration. And, yes, even she encounters this feeling.
We know that jaleos are words of encouragement to call out to the dancer, singer, guitarist, to anyone participating really.
So, below you'll find a list of a few common ones.
Every now and then this weird thing happens and a jaleo in English sneaks out of my mouth.
What in the world?! I can't help it. English is my first language, and it happens.
Like the time in class when I suddenly heard someone say enthusiastically, "This is!" and quickly realized that someone was me.
Yep. We still laugh about that one.
I guess the question is, Is that still technically a jaleo?
I'm going to say yes because it was heart-felt and encouraging, and
In class I'm often saying that soon the body will just know what to do, without having to think about it so much. Because it's true.
Take the hands for instance. Las manos.
Hand movement is one of those elements of flamenco that seems to get just about everyone. Even professionals who come to flamenco from other dance forms have told me this aspect drives them crazy. Getting them to look good is one thing. Then how much harder steps become when we add hands… and fingers, Ay! Another thing.
Still, there comes a time when they just start moving on their own. Fluidly. Doing things we didn't know they could or would do... It can be surprising when this first happens.
But there is a catch.
Read on for a short glossary of castanet sounds, a video, and a story...
Las castañuelas. Each finger movement has its own sound. And this is good.
With this we have a language for communicating what our fingers are supposed to do. So we can say the combinations (even if we can't do them) something I have found quite helpful to the learning process. Plus, it's fun. Another layer!
So a key needs to exist on this site, a mini-glossary of the sounds we make with our fingers on the castanets. You'll find that below (along with an incredible video.)
Not because I didn't like the sound. Not because I wasn't interested. Mostly because it just seemed like too much. I wasn't ready for the challenge. What with so many other things to figure out. So many other things to work on.
Many great questions keep coming up during teoria class. It is exciting. I love questions. Sooooo, one that came up yesterday evening while looking at different circumstances in a por fiesta setting was …
"What if I just get up and do the clapping and walking part then sit back down?"
In other words,
And the answer is...
No.
Today a video of Belén Maya and Joaquín Grilo from Carlos Saura's movie, Flamenco, along with an explanation of the two main types of flamenco.
Many of us learn and study long choreographies. They are challenging and, as I said, long. Then we learn short snippets. Which, by the way, are also challenging.
I'll get to this soon. But first...
We've been doing a lot of tangos this year. Mostly in a por fiesta setting.
And it's been fun.
Lots of dancing, lots of smiling, lots of attitude. Attitude in a good way, that is.
So last week during teoría we were talking about how the dancer responds to the cante. Well, how everyone responds to the cante, when a really good question came up.
A student wondered how everyone knew to transition in the movie Flamenco when Belén Maya came out to dance. I absolutely love that segment. And not just because my boyfriend is in it. There are so many reasons to love it
As most of you know I went to Albuquerque earlier this month to Flamenco Festival Internacional. Festivals are intense. Intense can be good, but it can also be, well, fuerte. Preparation can help. So...
Artists I admire = inspiration and motivation. Sure, I get a bit nervous at the thought of studying with these most amazing artists, but it usually goes away after awhile.
You may know them before. You may not. You may travel with them. You may meet up there. Either way, having a small community within the bigger festival community offers support. Plus it's just so much more fun with other people. Think laughter, lots of laughter, therapeutic laughter.
There are many available.... An audio recording device to help you recall the sounds. A notebook for notes and reflections on class. Going over the choreography or tricky steps with another student after or before class. Getting centered and staying present.
Here I am at the 25th anniversary of the Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque. Seeing fabulous artists perform every night.
Taking classes from some of them, Pastora Galván and Olga Pericet.
And doing it with friends. The very best way to do it.
I've been wanting to tell you about it all week. I'll definitely tell you more later...
Here is one of the letras we're dancing to and a video of Pastora Galván dancing.
Cantiñas. We danced por cantiñas with Emilio. We've seen the first letra.
And a second one too.
Que me lo tienes que dar,
que me lo tienes que dar
El tacón de la bota,
que para taconear.
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An interview with flamenco dancer Emilio Ochando and a video:
I can't wait to ask Emilio a million things once he gets here. I asked him some questions last year. But I have so many more! Like how did he get to be so good? And who are his favorite dancers? And what are his favorite practice techniques and strategies?
So I warmed him up with a few quick questions the other day. And here is what he had to say.
Qué debe saber la gente que quiere aprender a bailar flamenco? Deben saber que no deja de ser un arte y que ello te lleva a emociones. Tambien le tienes que sumar la constancia y ganas.
What should people who want to learn flamenco know? They should know that it will never stop being an art and that it will bring up your emotions. Also you need to be consistent and approach it with enthusiasm.
Ricardo was here this spring...in case you hadn't heard. He was constantly giving us tips during the workshops. Many great tips. I've shared some of them and I'll surely share more.
He didn't really intend them as tips. They were not things that he carefully considered before sharing with us. They were more just reactions, spoken in the moment.
And, oh, these little comments had a lot to tell me.
So I want to keep hearing them.
A lot of things go through my head around workshop time, which can drive me kind of crazy. So, to help deal with overwhelm that comes about before, during & after a workshop with a fabulously amazing artist I try to remember that there are certain things I can do to make it easier...
Think about what I want to get from it.
Remind myself that the teacher is just a regular person, and, if it's someone I'm bringing, that this person is nice. Being nice...a requirement for giving a workshop here. Phew.
Remind myself that this is an amazing and once in a lifetime experience.
Get in flamenco form. [Go to class, practice, stuff like that...]
Focus on what I'm doing, instead of on how fast others are getting it.
Be there, as fully as I possibly can.
Go through parts that I remember in some way after class. [In my mind, actually doing it, just marking the steps, going over it with a friend...]
Run the steps right before class begins with a friend of by myself. [All, tricky ones, whichever ones I/we can recall]
Jot down notes to help me during the workshop or to serve as reminders afterit is over. [using words, pictures, numbers]
When I get frustrated, remind myself of why I am doing this. And that it is about having fun.
Laugh.
And Breathe.
Reflect on what I learned & notice how I grew, what I got from it.
Hold on to what I want to... [The choreography, the essence, one specific move.]
Practice with a friend.
Practice on my own, perhaps with a video.
Palmas workshop with Ricardo López
I don't necessarily do all of the above. But I know that there are ways to ease the situation. I know that I have options. I know that I can pick and choose.
And you, how do you prepare for a workshop? What do you do afterward? Let's discuss this, leave a comment.
And, speaking of workshops, Emilio is on his way. Oléeeee! And there is still a spot for YOU!
As you know, one of my most favorite things when taking a workshop is the energy it provides. It is what led me to start this business.
Because sure, as students we dance, (A LOT, I know, that's what we're there to do) but we are given little private performances as well. I used to consider these performances a bonus, but now I realize they are part of the deal.
Sometimes I space out. I get caught up watching and forget that I am in class and am supposed to be participating. Because there is this incredible dancer right in front of me doing the most amazing things. Giving mini-performances. Many of them. Like these...
Today's post is about flamenco workshops, the different types and the different skills you can gain from different types.
My friend Shyiang from Vancouver has taken LOTS of workshops (even some here in Portland, from Ricardo López) She told me once that she would usually just learn the choreographies and then let them go. Her friends would wonder what was wrong with her. They would ask her how she could justify spending the money without even bothering to remember the choreography, without actually using it later.
The experience itself made it worth it.
When attending a workshop, you, the student, get to choose. You may choose to go home with a funky new piece, or you may just focus on being there, on the dancing and the learning and the soaking up of that flamenco essence in the moment.
Often times people tend to get a bit nervous around workshop time. This is normal. Workshops can be quite scary. (Especially if you're anything like me.) We are getting ready to study with a professional who tours the world dancing in the most prestigious flamenco festivals. We are just normal people from the United States. Problematic thoughts start going through our minds. Thoughts like
How will I possibly keep up?What if the teacher gets completely frustrated with me?
What if he gets mad at me when I mess up?
I'm not dedicated enough to do this.
How will I get by not being able to speak any Spanish?
Thoughts like that.
