PUBLISHED SEPTEMBER 28, 2004

SEPTEMBER 2004 articles | Two cities | Suerte | Strong | Life

Leaving Mexico behind to pursue their dreams in two different parts of the world: Atlanta and Seville.

They both left their homeland of Mexico about three years ago to pursue their dreams: Karina Martinez to Atlanta to work in the world of international business, and Barbara Breton to Seville to study flamenco. Both had already begun the study of flamenco in Mexico, and it was that art that reunited the women in September as Martinez hosted her friend in Atlanta for a four-day flamenco dance workshop taught by Breton.

Martinez was born and raised in Mexico City; Breton in Puebla. Their families have been close since their grandparents' generation. Both families also maintain close links to their Spanish heritage and culture, sharing passions for bullfighting and family gatherings with food, wine and guitar. With so much in common, it's no surprise that these two young ladies also share a deep interest in flamenco.

Barbara Breton, the guest artist for the September workshop and Juerga Atlanta, completed three years of study in Spain with a Summa Cum Laude at Fundación Crisstina Heeren de Arte Flamenco in Seville earlier this year. She was also awarded a scholarship to begin her fourth year of study at the same institution. Why did she choose the Seville style of flamenco? "I love the authenticity and decorative movements of hands and arms. It's very feminine and elegant. I also like the traditional costumes like bata de cola (a dress with a long ruffled train) and the usage of mantones (shawls)," Breton says.

During the workshop, she taught two palos (types of music): soleá and alegrías. In her soleá, the 12-count music full of jondo (deep, serious, and focused feelings) was challenging for many but very solid with good, basic movements. For the alegrías (similar to soleá, with a 12-count rhythm but with feelings of happiness and joy), she introduced the use of the mantones in the choreography. One of the workshop attendees, Sabrina Rincon says, "I learned so much in just four days. I am not just physically exhausted but also mentally tired, in a good way. She (Breton) really made me think about what we were doing (dancing)."

Karina Martinez, the organizer of the workshop and juerga, has had a successful career in international business through the use of her bilingual skills. An opportunity for her to go to Barcelona during her search for an overseas career three years ago was overtaken by the decision to come to Atlanta. Why? "It's close to home, Mexico. My family is very important to me. I wanted to be as close to them as possible," says Martinez.

Like her friend Barbara, she did not give up on pursuing flamenco, either. She found flamenco in Atlanta and began studying with Ulrika Frank and Martha SidAhmed. She went on to become a member of local dance company Perla Flamenca in 2003.

"Flamenco really helps me when I feel lonely and down. When I feel sad and miss my family and home, I dance flamenco," says Martinez, echoing a thought also voiced by Breton.

For both education and encouragement, Martinez and Breton are continually in touch with each other via e-mail. "I ask all kinds of questions of Barbara regarding flamenco," says Karina. "We communicate and consult on flamenco issues all the time."

Asked about plans for the future, both women agreed, "Someday we definitely would like to go home to Mexico. We miss family and friends too much. And the food! We want it muy picante (very spicy)!"

So, although these two close friends have gone off in separate directions, they have remained close to each other through flamenco, and will eventually journey full circle back to their home, sweet home ­ Mexico.

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Atlanta Latin flamenco guitarist Rouzbeh goes to Spain.

Atlanta flamencos may have noticed the city's nightlife is missing the drive and energy of Latin flamenco guitarist Rouzbeh. After appearing at restaurants, nightclubs and special events in Atlanta for years, the talented young musician headed to Spain earlier this month. He traded a full schedule of well-paying flamenco jobs for life as a student.

"I want to be challenged and meet new people who have more drive than me, more drive for music and life," said Rouzbeh, before he departed for Spain. Thirsty for a deep flamenco experience, the 26-year-old will study with guitar masters at the renowned Christian Heeren Foundation in Seville. He will also be a student of life, learning the daily challenges and joys that influenced flamenco hundreds of years ago - and still today.

Originally from Iran, Rouzbeh moved to the United States many years ago. He picked up the guitar 12 years ago after his brother took a few lessons. Six years later, Rouzbeh's close friend Erica Shantzek introduced him to the Gypsy Kings. And, thus, his flamenco journey began.

Moving to Spain is just the next curve in Rouzbeh's flamenco path. This latest one brings an opportunity for spiritual growth, as well as musical development. "I need to experience life by myself," said Rouzbeh, with hopes of adding more discipline to his life.

We in Atlanta are eager to see just how this enthusiastic musician will grow during his time in Spain. Rouzbeh says perhaps he will return next summer for a couple of months, then head back to Spain. We'll all just have to wait and see.

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Strong Enough For Flamenco?

Use the exercises to strengthen your body for the force of flamenco dance.By Gloriela Rosas

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

To achieve all this, continue with short exercise routines to obtain stronger abs, arms and legs. This month, we focus on the abdominals. Do these exercises at least four times a week for 15-20 minutes and soon you will see a difference in your performance and your look!

Crunch Two Times: Lie on your back on the floor. Make sure your entire back has full contact with the floor (tip: pull your belly button down toward your spine). Extend your legs straight up, placing your hands behind your head for support only. Do not push your head or neck. Inhale to prepare. Keeping the airway (neck) open, simultaneously lift the shoulders and hips off the floor, contracting the abdominal muscles, trying to bring the ribs and pelvis together. Hold the abs during execution to avoid the muscle from bulging out. Repeat the crunches for eight counts. Exhale as your return to starting position on the floor. Wait a few seconds and repeat the exercise. Repeat eight times, slowly and controlled.

Crunch Two Times Combos: Repeat the above, adding a crossover crunch that hits the oblique. As you do the double crunch, start the crossover crunch (opposite shoulder - not the elbow- to opposite knee) alternating sides for eight counts and returning to starting position as you switch sides. Do the motion slow and controlled.

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Flamenco Imitates Life

What is required of us in life, is really what is required of us in flamenco. By Rebecca Money Johnson

I remember very clearly when four years ago, flamenco entered my atmosphere, diving down with a fiery tail and exploding into my life's timeline like a meteor. The result was multiple sparks of rhythm and passion that are still smoldering today and have left me with what can only be described as an elevated fever for
more - more more dance and more life.

In fact, when there are nights I can't sleep (probably because of some marcaje I am trying to confirm in my head), I don't turn to any kind of synthetic antidotes, but to the sensation of laying snuggly in a gypsy wagon, where outside soft rain is falling and Lorca's moon looms large through the window. Almost unawares, I fall into a deep sleep, dreaming of dancing a perfect bulerías within the echo of deep caves, jaleo and orange fire.

But the reality is, I showed up at my first flamenco class in tennis shoes, hardly the choice of a gypsy wannabe; much less someone rarein' to go. But then, I figured I am over a quarter of a million hours behind in listening to gypsy rhythms. If you consider how most gypsies began moving to 12 beats even as masses of cells began to form them (probably swirling into their proper alignment to the beat of an alegrías), we all have some catching up to do. And, practically speaking, I didn't know what approach the teacher was going to take. Would we just do some kind of drill before we got to wear the nailed shoes? I was afraid of coming across as overly confident (mainly because I had nothing yet to be confident about).

Little did I know that it is being overly confident that would be most required of me on this journey. And it is something that has come to me late in the day. Flamenco is a perfect traveling partner on life's road, because it demands that you jump in, that you do not pause too long on the brink, that you know that time is short. Flamenco echoes life's credo, which was described aptly by Omar Khayam. He cautions, "Good friends, beware; the only life we know flies from us like an arrow from the bow. The caravan of life is moving by. Quickly! To your places in the passing show".

Two years ago I found out I had thyroid cancer. It sounds more dramatic than it was, and I'm 100 percent cured, and it certainly won't be the reason I die. But it did leave me shaken, like Jacob, after he wrestled God and was left with a crippled hip. I have been left wrestling and continually contemplating the brevity of life.

...to anyone trying flamenco for the first time, to all who have gone home in tears, shaken and dazed-like all things in life, harness that passion and swirl it into something wonderful, like a soulful soleá.

Even if you believe in heaven, the earth is an old dear friend and it is where I live - with all its questions, joys and heartbreaks. Thankfully, Flamenco has been a welcome gift and gracious conduit for dealing with it all. Flamenco helps me to see life for what it is, and points to the need to extract the passion. And not just to seize the day, but even more importantly, the minutia of the moment; grabbing a rhythm and making it your call to exist, pounding out your thoughts and feelings to the commiserating lament of the cantaor, all before the compáses pass you by.

I am a very confident person in many areas of life, but flamenco is not one of them. But the beauty of being afraid of flamenco is that it will not allow fear. You may laugh at the desplantes I do in my basement studio that look like a newly born colt's first attempts to walk. But, one day, I will succeed in snatching the rhythm and not be afraid that I have a thunderbolt in my hands - and in my feet.

And like life, flamenco has complex yet delightfully simple truths, that make you feel at once that you are dealing with higher math, or maybe just the whim of a traveling blacksmith. I'm talking about waking up one morning, or perhaps being at a gas pump one day, when you finally realize that there is rarely a "1" in your life. Your Flamenco teacher has been saying it over and over, but somewhere, deep down, you have been fighting that, because who skips "1"? It's the first beat! Or, to be more specific, recognizing that most flamenco rhythms begin on twelve and more frequently than not, hop past the one. And there you are at the Exxon realizing it for the first time.

And just when you thought uno was gone, you hear someone count "un dos, un dos." You quickly recover when you realize that it's just another way to count "11, 12, 1, 2...". Then, feeling giddy, it is as though a portal in your brain opens up and an avalanche of seemingly foreign principles become remarkably tangible. Patterns emerge. Standards. And not stagnate standards, but ones susceptible to the passion of an "extra 6"!

And that is what is important, to anyone trying flamenco for the first time, to all who have gone home in tears, shaken and dazed-like all things in life, harness that passion and swirl it into something wonderful, like a soulful soleá. Don't give up. Stay in the eye of the storm and try to decipher out of the howling wind the rhythm that I promise you will be there to carry you, as it has for the gypsies; creating for them, as it will for you, a home despite the roaming-despite the chaos.

What is required of us in life, is really what is required of us in flamenco. As we must "Quick to (our) places fly!", and each day feel the extra six beats that prolong meaning. And in life as in our dance, hit the gate in loud, nailed shoes and not be afraid to use them.

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