PUBLISHED DECEMBER 31, 2004

DECEMBER 2004 articles | Cooking Improv | Edu-vacation | Compás America

Improvising flamenco can be really delicious!

Here we go again: What do they say? How does it go? "The beauty and the art of flamenco is IMPROVISATION." What a scary, vague word that is, "improvisation". And the sad news is that no one can tell you PRECISELY and SIMPLY how, when, where, or with what, probably. If someone could do so EXACTLY, it would be too easy and, well, it wouldn't be "improvised", would it? But maybe, just maybe, we shouldn't feel so intimidated, and instead think of this art as something really familiar to us, like cooking.

We all know how to use recipes to create an out-of-this-world meal: one tablespoon of olive oil, two cups of flour, one and a half teaspoons of salt, and the list goes on... The same goes for "cooking" a choreographed flamenco: one compas of this llamada here, 6 compas of these marking steps there, this remate at this end of the line of the letra... Everyone can follow it, and sooner or later we will all learn the exact steps and movements in time with the music. Well, how about cooking without the recipes? Surely, you are a pretty good cook!

Let's see what's in the fridge and the pantry. Add some of this, some of that, throw in some spices and, voila! A meal without much effort. Some turn out just great, and some may end your marriage. But certainly, the more you do it, the better you get. You learn to know your ingredients, which goes well with what, how much to put in, how long to cook it, etc., by heart (you wouldn't make a peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich, would you - "PBM"?) Flamenco improvisation is just that, perhaps: you have to know your ingredients (various movements and steps) and learn how to put them together (what goes where).

So how do you do that? You know the answer! You have to taste it, of course, but not just once; Throughout the entire process, we have to see if it's good, bad, or needs more of something. The more you see, listen, and try it for yourself, the more you improve, the better you feel, and in the end, the greater your satisfaction. Yes, it comes with experience, so you have to keep at it!

Students take turns improvising to tangos in flamenco class.

"I don't have enough steps and movements," you might say. So, you have to go shopping. Go to classes and workshops to get the ingredients. See how the master chefs put them all together. Come home with bags full of ingredients. Stock them up in YOU (practice!). Try cooking in your own way with those ingredients every now and then. If you have live musicians to accompany you, great! If not, turn your oven ­ the music ­ on! Eventually, you'll start adding a little spice of your own: Aire (style and attitude).

Enjoy cooking without the recipes; you may discover a delicious dish of your own. Something is starting to smell good... "Bam!"

Pros talk about improv

Martha SidAhmed, dancer: "My mom always said 'Chance favors the prepared mind,' a quote by Louis Pasteur. Some may have the misconception that if you listen to the music and are inspired, the movements and personal expression will just come right out of you from nowhere. But actually, it really doesn't come out of thin air and you have to have your materials and knowledge ready to let out just like in other art forms like jazz or paintings. In flamenco, you have to know the compsás, structure of cante, etc., and you need to be well prepared even in the improvised enironment.    Jerry Fields, Percussionist: "Transcend all censurship and be in the duende which can only happen when the "I" dissolves , the critic leaves and all that is left is the present infinity of true inspiration. Practice, practice, practice at home. Then, get yourself out of the way when you perform. You, as a dancer, have to breath with us, musicians. Feel safe and free in the environment with the live musicians and have some "dialogues" with us.    Esteban Anastasio, guitarist: Jazz improvisation is much like a conversation where all the musicians understand the language well enough to communicate and spontaneously interact with each other, much like people carry and develop a meaningful conversation. Likewise, classical musicians learn each and every note of a composition with the performance becoming the only means of expresssion. So a classical performance is commonly called a 'recital' where the music is recited by the performer. And, in jazz the 'concert' and true jazz is what is created in the moment and may never again be performed in the exact same way.   This relates greatly to the improvisation in flamenco with the guitar, dance, and song. It may be choreographed but then it would have to be performed the same way every time (with little or no room for error). In my opinion this is not the true nature of the art of flamenco. What is created in the moment is the passion of flamenco.

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Festival Vacation

For many, the beginning of the year is the time to plan vacations. For some, that means traveling for flamenco.

	Featured flamenco festivals
	New York Flamenco Festival Jan. 27 - Feb. 13, 2005; Shows in New York, Washington, D.C., and other U.S. cities   Festival de Jerez Feb. 25 - March 9, 2005, Jerez de la Frontera, Spain; Festival devoted to dance; Theater performances nightly, plus free shows at peñas; Workshops with festival performers available   Festival International June 9 - 10, 2005, Albuquerque, New Mexico; Major flamenco festival in the U.S.; Classes for dancers, singers and guitarists, plus theater performances by major artists   Festival de Cante de las Minas August, Murcia, Spain; Pays tribute to the mining history of the city Unión, also known as Murcia; Includes a competition of young artists   Bienal de Flamenco Sept. - Nov., Seville, Spain; At least one major artist appearing at theaters most nights; Happens every two years; Next one in 2006   Festival de Bulerías Sept., Jerez de la Frontera, Spain; All night showcase of music, singing, dancing and crowd antics

Top 10 things to say to your husband/kids/boyfriend /dog/cat when explaining why you should attend the flamenco festival of your dreams in 2005:

10. You're right, it costs a lot of money. I will trade six months of clothes shopping for this edu-vacation.

9. It will break my habit of hitting snooze on the alarm clock for one hour. Instead of pressing that button, I'll spring from bed each morning, knowing I have hours of flamenco class ahead of me!

8. All of the exercise in flamenco class - and walking to and from class - will jump start the fitness program that is part of my New Year's resolutions.

7. Flamenco taught by real Spaniards is the best you can get, even if you can't understand what they're saying because they don't speak English. Hmmm, perhaps I should take a Spanish language class before my trip.

6. I am a responsible adult seven days a week. This trip will be a break from that - a return to the days that were more carefree. I'll room with the 'girls', we'll stay up late chatting, walk to class together, have dinner in the evening, then go out on the town. It'll be like college!

5. Traveling alone in a strange city is not dangerous. It's a test of my self-reliance. I will conquer the map of the city, finding first a reliable phone to call home when I miss you dearly. I will select a safe place to stay, and save some euros to take in local flavor: paella for lunch, a bodega tour, shows at the theater, tapas and sherry after the shows, a peña performance after the tapas and sherry, a cerveza after the peña.

4. Staying out late in Spain is not a bad thing! If I get on Spanish time by going to the theater and peñas until 2 a.m., then I won't have to worry much about jet lag when I come home.

3. I'll get to buy one of those authentic flamenco dresses that make every woman look like a goddess. What's your favorite color on me?

2. I'll make new flamenco friends who are as crazy as I am to travel across a country, or ocean, to study flamenco. We'll bond even more once we're soaked with sweat because the air conditioning can't keep up with the heat. Did I say crazy?

1. Why don't you come with me?

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Compás America

Find out what the flamenco scene is like in other cities across America.

We in the United States have lots of opportunities to see great flamenco without crossing the Atlantic Ocean. When you find yourself on a business trip or vacation, check out the flamenco scene in your destination city. You'll see great shows and meet new friends who share your love for the art. Start your search for flamenco-on-the-road here in Compás America.

Miami
Miami offers a warm weather alternative to the New York Flamenco Festival in 2005. Besides attracting several major performers for its own festival in January, Miami is home to Omayra Amaya's dance company and school, as well as a number of people who teach flamenco dance, perducssion and guitar. It's a popular workshop site for Spanish artists, including Manolete and Belén Maya. And, it's easy to find flamenco performances around town, with several restaurants offering shows on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Begin your flamenco journey to Miami at:
www.claritafilgueiras.com
www.costavascarestaurante.com
www.duendeballet.org
www.floridaflamenco.com
www.macarenaweb.com
www.omayraamaya.com
www.siempreflamenco.com

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