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
Don’t tell me you’re too old to dance.
Because Tía Curra, who you’ll see dancing in the video below, was in her late seventies when I filmed it.
I know you’re going to love her signature move at the end where she taps her tummy with the palm of her hand to the compás.
But first, here’s a bulerías letra referencing La Calle Nueva, one of the most, if not the most, historically important flamenco streets located in the Santiago neighborhood of Jerez.
Here’s a bulerías letra followed by a video of Miguel Lavi with Manuel Parrilla on guitar and Los Mellis, Antonio and Manuel Montes Saavedra on palmas.
There is NOTHING like listening to Rancapino Chico singing por tangos. Do yourself a favor and listen to him sing today’s letra in the video that follows.
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…”
Here is a fandangos letra was written by my friend, Alfonso Cid.
Following the letra you can watch him sing it on the street at a demonstration in Sevilla.
Last week in preparation for my show, I practiced improvising more than usual as I wasn’t sure just what Alfonso would be singing for me. I wanted to help myself to feel comfortable in the moment, in the compás, and to increase the chances that I wouldn’t just do the same thing over and over again.
Following today’s bulerías letra and video of Rancapino Chico I’ll guide you through an activity to enhance your improvisation skills and train your ear.
Does the idea of performing scare you to pieces?
You’re not alone.
Here I explore some fear I’ve been experiencing around an upcoming performance and eight steps I’ve taken (that you can take too) to prepare for a show when you don’t have an opportunity to rehearse in advance.
Here is a tangos let and a video of Carmen Ledesma dancing tientos on Canal Sur:
Did you know that you can find one hundred sixty three bulerías letras here on the blog?
Whoa.
As you can see, I really like this palo!
And I’m loving this letra, #163:
Here’s a tangos estribillo and a throwback video of Marina Heredia from 2004 singing Tangos de Granada:
Would you like to learn the castanets sounds to accompany sevillanas? If so, read on.
Today I share the toques (sound patterns) written out for all four sevillanas coplas along with a couple of instructional videos and another for your enjoyment.
A couple of years back on the Flamenco Tour to Jerez we saw Niño de la Fragua perform at Peña Flamenca Buena Gente. You can see video of an alegrías he performed at the show and a letra that he sang
I first heard today’s letra sung by Camarón. I would go back on the recording and listen to this particular letra over and over and over again. Those words! And the way he sang the last two lines especially always got me, and still gets me. (Below you can see a video of him singing it live and another of Pepe de Lucia singing for Pepita Ibarz.)
Here’s an alegrías juguetillo and a video you’ll LOVE of Tatiana Ruíz dancing to it last fall on the Flamenco Tour to Jerez:
Here’s a bulerías letra we heard Miguel Lavi sing (and dance to) during Olga Pericet’s show, La espina que quiso ser flor o la flor que soñó con ser bailaora, last week in Albuquerque.
I heard the following letra this week here at the Festival Flamenco Albuquerque in Lucía “La Piñona’s” show. The words stood out to me, so I scribbled them down in my little book to share with you:
