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Antonio Vargas in AtlantaMark your calendars now for a workshop, show and more!Internationally renowned flamenco dancer, choreographer and teacher Antonio Vargas will be in Atlanta in September. A workshop is scheduled from September 13 through 17. Details will be announced soon, but mark your calendar now and don't miss this chance to learn from his mystical footwork, body and arm usage, angle of focus, knowledge - total duende. Maestro Vargas will also be performing during his stay in Atlanta. Stay tuned for more details! Flamenco Flavor!Sara Baras brings "Sabores" to the Spoleto Festival By Dawne Dawson Thus begins "Sabores", the third in a trilogy of productions (beginning with "Sensaciones" in 1998, and "Sueños" in 1999) created by Baras for her dance company, Ballet Flamenco. "Sabores" is an artistic spectacle that engages all of the audience's senses in order to provide a delectable taste of several different flamenco palos. The show moves along seamlessly, without a unifying storyline and without an intermission for about one and a half hours, leaving the audience, of which I was fortunate enough to be a part, palpably spellbound the entire time. Baras dedicates "Sabores" to her mother, Concha Calero, who was her first maestra during her dance training and upbringing in Cadiz, Spain. Sara's devotion and gratitude to Calero is felt throughout this production, from the director's note in the Spoleto theater programs to a stunning moment following a performance piece titled "La Noche Oscura," in which Baras and several other dancers gather center stage with red roses held skyward as they speak commingled affirmations of gratitude - with the words"...siempre dan gracias" being most audible. Of the many unforgettable moments during the performance of "Sabores" at the South Carolina Spoleto Festival, some were particularly captivating: A seguiriya danced by Luis Ortega, with the only accompaniment being the resonance of his taconeo and castanets; A stirring performance by Baras, Ortega, and Serrano titled "A Fuego Lento," which conveyed the tempestuous emotion of a love triangle; The breathtaking virtuosity of Sara's martinete, in which Baras, dressed dramatically in a fitted black tank and black tooled-leather chaps, appeared momentarily aloft from the sheer frenetic power of her taconeo. Also of note were the costumes: all were definitively flamenco, but with nary a polka dot - and barely a ruffle in sight. Muted earth tones were the predominant colors, and the silky fabric of the flamencas' dresses flowed like liquid with their every movement. Sara's skirts were an art form of their own. One was extra-long, flared, and made of material in a spectrum of soft grays that progressed like watercolors into lighter shades. Baras artfully knotted some of her skirts in front while dancing to allow freedom of movement, then would later wrap and drape the fabric cloak-like around her shoulders to convey deeper drama. Although this was a production without a plot, costume colors were fully employed to create both atmosphere and unity --- most notably when a cobalt blue handkerchief worn around Baras' wrist during the martinete blended into similarly-colored skirts and mantones worn by the flamencas who joined Baras on stage during the transition from martinete into zambra. "Sabores" came to a close with the Bulería de Concha, followed by a rousing fin de fiesta, which brought all in the audience to their feet. One evening of Sara Baras and Ballet Flamenco was simply not enough Now that we have had a "taste" of their artistry, we are left yearning for even more sensational flamenco "sabores!" Ulrika Frank ReturnsFormer Atlanta flamenco dance teacher gives workshop
Light and lovely Guajiras Guajiras is one of the flamenco styles called "cante de ida y vuelta." These palos were created in Spain, then traveled to the Americas via Spanish migrants in the 1800s. The songs were influenced by Hispanic American folk music in Latin America and the Carribean. The new versions of these songs then returned to Spain to be influenced by flamenco music. Guajiras in particular traveled to Cuba. Its lyrics reflect Havana and its inhabitants and its rhythm reflects the Cuban punto. The rhythmical structure is similar to that of soleá, with the accentuated notes distributed differently across the 12-count compás. Guajiras was very fashionable in the 1920s - 40s and reached its height during the golden age of opera flamenco. Its highly rhythmical cante and melody are very danceable, often with props such as shawls or fans. Strong and somber seguiriyas Seguiriyas is considered by many to be the most jondo of flamenco palos. One of the elemental forms, seguiriyas has very few lyrics and lots of wailing. It is performed by all with great feeing. Seguiriyas requires dancers to use very a very strict, minimalist style. Seguiriya appeared in the late 1700s in Cadiz, Los Puertos, Jerez and Triana, Sevilla. It is derived from the tonás, one of the primitive flamenco songs. The rhythm of seguiriyas has 12 counts, but many people only count it in a pattern of five, based on the accents of the compás. These accents make seguiriyas one of the most difficult to study.
Ulrika's workshop in Atlanta is set for June 23-25.
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The
curtain rises slowly to reveal a soft-focus yet arresting
tableau at
the Gaillard Municipal Auditorium in Charleston, S.C. Dancers
clad solely
in black and white costumes stroll onto the stage, gently
stretching
their muscles, the men adjusting their hats, the women
securing white
roses in each other's hair. Violins swell into an achingly
beautiful
melody as a sinuous flamenco balletically pushes a rail of
costumes
on hangers straight across the stage, disappearing into the
wings as
quickly as he materialized. A huge painting of the
mantilla-adorned
Tía Juana la del Pipa is gently moved center-stage, causing
several
of the dancers to gather in front of the portrait in quiet
reverence
and contemplation. Then, the painting is slowly moved again
into the
darkness of the wings. A few dancers gather closer together
on stage
in the portrait's wake, fluidly spinning their hands in the
air and
adjusting aire in preparation for the show that is to begin.
The lights
dim briefly as this study in black & white dissipates. An
audible intake
of breath is heard from all in attendance as Sara Baras, six
musicians,
and the entire Corps de Ballet, joined by masterful guest
dancers José
Serrano and Luis Ortega, fill the stage, and the string
melody segues
into a majestic bolero. 
Ulrika Frank's summer workshop in Atlanta is hitting the extremes of
flamenco expression. Guajiras will take dance students through the
flirty, fun, happy side of Cuban-inspired flamenco, while seguiriyas delves
into the dark side of sadness.