PUBLISHED JULY 25, 2004

JULY 2004 articles | festival | Practice | Strength | Old and New | Floor

Festival Flamenco de Internacional gives time for friendship, as well as learning. By Rina Menosky

In arid Albuquerque, N.M., last month's ten-day Festival Flamenco de Internacional was an oasis for thirsty flamenco souls. For some, it also had the added feeling of a reunion - as greetings and hugs filled the hallways and studios on the first day. They reflected the happiness over the crossing of flamenco paths once again.

For the Atlanta flamencos in particular, seeing familiar faces like Laura Garrigues of Birmingham, Ala., José G of Greenville, N.C., Juliet Clarke of New Orleans, La., former Perla Flamenca member Patricia Carmelo, who now resides in New Jersey, and former Atlanta resident Debbie Shekhter from Portland, Me., this Festival was like a family reunion - the Flamenco Family reunion.

It was inspiring as ever to see our paths cross and overlap. In a special way, we built a close-knit network, sharing ideas, updates and inspiration all drawn from the magical ten days. Most moving of all, however, was to experience first hand the powerful way in which, as one becomes more deeply involved in flamenco, the deeper one moves into the "circle" of flamenco -a truly world-wide, borderless community. From this perspective, it is easy to see and understand that the more you give of yourself to flamenco, the more flamenco has to give back to you.

Day by day, our flamenco thirst was satisfied in many hours of rewarding classes, then with evening performances by master artists like Manuela Carrasco, Israel Galvan and Mercedes Amaya, just to name few. In this wonderful way, we found ourselves literally "eating and breathing with flamenco" - for ten days straight.

Most of the Atlanta dancers were in four to five dance classes each day. Hour-long classes were full of variety: Soleá by Belen Fernandez, soleá por bulerías by Kelian Jimenez, tarantos by Pastora Galvan, siguiryas by Israel Galvan, bulerías/tangos by Joaquin Encinias, martinetes by Mercedes Amaya and more.

Brazilian native Ana Cordeiro of Atlanta enjoyed a sneak preview of Teo Morca's class on Columbiana. Our semi-annual workshop guru Marija Temo wowed many students in her communications classes by applying all the palos used in the workshop for improvisation, and many among us enjoyed a cante lesson with José Anillo, cantaor for Israel and Pastora Galvan. There, we also had an opportunity to meet some of the multitude of inspired guitar students and cajon players from all over the country.

The festival's grand finale was the performance "Fiesta Flamenca." It was followed by a house party put on by the organizers, with even more dancing - this time with a Caribbean band - eating, drinking, and laughing with everyone, including the artists, until early the next morning, despite the near-dawn flight back to Atlanta for some of us.

But who needed time to pack? We were already packed with flamenco energy! So, the results are in: sore feet, dead toenails, minds full of inspiration, and a strong feeling that next year's Festival is not to be missed.

Festival Flamenco de Internacional en Albuquerque is organized annually by National Institute of Flamenco. Visit www.feelflamenco.com for details.

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Time for Class, Time for Practice

Teachers urge students to do their homework to progress in flamenco class.

So, you've decided to attend flamenco dance lessons this fall. Something about the Spanish art form has caught your eye, and you want to capture it in your body. Whether it's your first time in flamenco shoes or your fifth year studying the dance, these few weeks before classes gear up are a good time to think about how you'll reach your flamenco goals. Teachers agree on one piece of advice: practice!

"If you want it as a hobby or as a profession or whatever goal, it's all the same, the training," says Teo Morca, who has worked as a professional flamenco dancer and teacher for more than 40 years.

"Training" for flamenco is like getting in shape for any sport. It takes a little bit of time in the studio to learn movements and sounds - the technique of flamenco. Then, it takes a lot of time at practice.

"You don't have to have a studio to practice. Ninety percent of that they can do at home," coaches Morca. "I did it for years. Who had the money to go to a studio? I spent a lot of time in my pension in Spain just doing braceo and turning."

Jose Molina, a flamenco instructor at Fazil's Studio in New York, takes a more public approach to practice. "Walk all over with the same step. Don't worry if the people look at you. We're in New York and everybody's a little bit crazy. So we'll be one of them!"

Like most teachers, Molina stresses technique in the learning process. "Without technique, you cannot dance. First, you learn the technique, you learn the hands and you learn the arms," explains Molina. He guides students to master technique, so when the time comes for teachers to put those pieces of technique together, students are ready to dance.

But, even with practice and sharp technique, internalizing flamenco can take a lifetime, says Sara Candela, a Washington, D.C.-based flamenco dancer and teacher. "Some people say if you already have a dance background, then you can learn flamenco more easily. But that's not always true."

She agrees with Morca and Molina, "You learn more the more you practice at home, and if you take more than one class a week."

Candela realizes that most of her students are busy professionals who don't have time to practice outside class. "The majority are there not to have more goals set on them. They're just there to do what they can and enjoy it. Some progress and some don't."

Every student's progression is unique, depending on time spent practicing, listening to flamenco music and being exposed to live flamenco. But, progressing quickly is not always the best way to learn.

"Even though you learn a skill once, if you go back and repeat it, you can perfect it and really get the nuances that second time around," says Candela. "You really can absorb things better when you do it twice."

That's reassuring to those whose work and family schedules don't allow them to attend additional or higher level classes, even when their bodies are ready for it.

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Strong Enough For Flamenco?

Strengthen your abs and legs to improve your dance moves. By Gloriela Rosas

As you experience the power of flamenco dance, you start to realize the physical command it demands of your body. You soon learn that good posture and a strong core, legs, and arms are important to perform a move to its best.

To achieve all this, add these exercises to your regimen to obtain stronger abs, arms, and legs. Do these exercises at least four times a week for 15-20 minutes and soon you will see a difference in your performance and (why not?) your look!

Abdominal:
The little ab curls: Lie on your back on the floor. Make sure your entire back has full contact with the floor (tip: pull your belly bottom down towards your spine). Flexing your knees at 90 degrees and in line with your hips, lift your feet off the ground. If itis helpful, use a flex ball, chair or sofa with this exercise.

Do not arch your back. Keep it flat and in contact with the floor. Place your hands behind your head for support only. Do not push your head or neck. Inhale to prepare.

Keeping the airway (neck) open, slowly start lifting your head, followed by the neck, shoulders and arms while exhaling. Inhale and stay, keep your eyes looking towards your thighs. Hold this position for 25 counts. Exhale to start rolling back, vertebra by vertebra, until your head rests on the floor. Wait a few seconds and repeat the exercise. Repeat eight times, slowly and controlled.

Leg (hamstrings) and abs with exercise ball:
Lie on your back on the floor, with your back in full contact with the floor while holding the ball in your hands. Bend your knees into your chest and slowly try to rest the ball on the soles, not the sides, of your feet, with your feet spread pelvis-width. Bring legs straight up toward the ceiling slowly, keeping the ball balanced on the bottoms of your feet. Breathe normally. Tighten abs and continue to press the spine down against the floor. Stabilize your spine while extending both legs. When your legs are straight, balance for as long as you like. Slowly bend the legs, until you can take the ball into your hands. Do 8 to 15 sets of this exercise.

These exercises not only will help you to straighten your core and legs, but they will also help you correct alignment problems. As you feel stronger, increase the counts and repetitions, and decrease the length of your resting period between sets.

Have fun and continue enjoying flamenco!

Gloriela Rosas is a Pilates and certified aerobics instructor. She is also a member of Perla Flamenca Dance Company and teaches flamenco dance at Athletic Club Northeast.

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Old and New:
Flamenco Is Ever-Changing

Teo Morca gives perspective to flamenco, an ever-evolving art form.

Teo Morca gave students a history lesson, as well as dance direction at his workshop in June. His much anticipated charla included a brief lecture on the roots of flamenco. And, he didn't stop in the past. Morca talked about the current evolution of the art.

He sighted Carmen Amaya's introduction of palmas to the escobilla as just one way dancing has changed in recent decades.

"The accent of 12 is pretty recent, maybe 50 years, in my opinion," explained Morca of palos such as bulerías.

Morca had the fortune of entering flamenco at a transition period in the art. Thus, he is well versed in older elements of flamenco, as well as the new.

"When I went to Spain, I was accepted because I knew what I was doing. I was prepared, because when I started doing this I knew all that old stuff. When I started, they were still doing that old stuff. I was between the old and the new," said Morca.

Morca not only knows 'that old stuff.' He teaches it. In one gazpacho class of his recent Atlanta workshop, Morca gave a brief lesson on the ida, a once-important footwork transition for dancers in alegrías. It's only very rarely used these days.

"I think (things like the ida) are important because of the very fact that someone created them. And a lot of people used them."

And thus, history lives through Morca. It seems fitting for the living art of flamenco. If Carmen Amaya had not clapped her hands while pounding her feet, if someone had not omitted the ida from an alegrías, flamenco would not be the same today. Evolution after all, requires leaving the old to become new again. Thus, Morca keeps an eye out for modern innovators - the next who will make their mark on this dynamic art.

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Hit the Floor

Dancers go to extremes to practice at home.

Flamenco dance students know they've become flamenco geeks when they begin searching for practice floors to use at home. Temporary studios have been constructed from simple plywood placed atop carpet. Students purchase 3/4 inch sheets of plywood from home improvement stores, where employees offer to cut it into car-sized pieces "gratis." Then, dancers duct tape the pieces together at home. The result is a highly portable floor that can be stowed when it's time to get back to non-flamenco life.

Flamenco geeks earn super status when they devote an entire room to the art, lining walls with mirrors and Spanish art, as well as a CD player and metronome. That's when engineers step in. Some students have added wood beams and screws to their plywood to form more permanent and more sturdy dance spaces. Others have gone the easy route and purchased dance floors from professionals, such as www.stagestep.com

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