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PUBLISHED MARCH 2006 |
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Attention flamenco shoppers!Create your own flamenco style with convenience and for less. "Putting an outfit together for a flamenco performance is great fun, but can also be nerve wracking," says Farrero. "I have definitely looked into my empty closet like an empty fridge and felt hungry for something new to wear. Since money is an issue for most of us, buying nice ready-made outfits can cost you a bundle. I usually shop at thrift stores, second-hand shops, or I watch out for sales." Farrero assures that it's worth the time to shop at thrift stores and to look in the very back in your closet for long forgotten pieces of clothing that could be mixed and matched to create something new.
There is another smart and creative flamenco shopper in town with good eyes and ears. Check out the great ideas of Sabrina Murner, who walked into one of her weekly classes with variety of skirts purchased from regional clothing store, SteinMart. She learned from her fellow dance student that there are lots of flamenco inspired clothing at the store. "I am adding some ruffles to this skirt (holding up one of the skirts from SteinMart) to give better movement in this skirt." How creative but no surprise!
"I have been sketching lately to create jewelry to go with flamenco costumes. It's time consuming but fun to think of the shapes and color to create flamenco inspired goodies." Then there's Rebecca Lutz who recently started creating her own practice skirts which are in demand by fellow students. "I've altered my own clothes for years. I just started flamenco skirt making recently," Lutz states. "My inspiration (for making flamenco skirts) is really just class itself and my own experiences as a dancer. I feel so much better when I wear something to class that flatters my shape and gives me the look or the feeling that I'm trying to convey. But at the same time, I want it to be very functional," she says.
Flamenco aficionados can look forward to seeing Lutz' creation in action at Fronteras 2006, as she is making skirts for every student in one of her classes. Polkadots and ruffles are still flamencas' all time favorite. However, the originality and creativity are called for (or demanded) in the 21st century flamenco attire selections - perhaps in the same way as in flamenco performances. So, shop till you drop or look around wisely and creatively! Really doing itA March workshop with Juan de Valle gets dancers on the road to truly dancing tangos."To say, 'Oh I know how to dance a tangos' does not mean you know how to dance a tangos choreography that you learned in class." - Karina Martinez, Perla Flamenca Dance Company So what does it mean to know how to dance a tangos? According to Martinez, it means you've spent enough time with the palo and you have a deep enough understanding of its rhythm, melody and movement that you can create your own dance on the spot with aire and grace whenever anyone plays any tangos music.
"This will enhance what the students took away from the (workshop with Lali). It will reinforce that four count compás," says Martinez, workshop organizer and member of Perla Flamenca Dance company. Reinforcing the rhythm and adding new steps to repertoire is the only way to reach the goal of truly understanding any palo, according to Martinez. This process adds comfort and confidence to dancers - two things that have little to do with the process of remembering steps. "Maybe you are the best at repeating choreography, but that's repeating the choreography. If they change the music, let's see if you really can do it," challenges Martinez. To "really do it" according to Martinez, dancers will spend much time gathering steps from different teachers. "If you want to really enjoy your dance, you need to create your own style. You need to try different styles to see what fits better with you," says Martinez, who has been trying out different teachers during her seven years of flamenco dance education. Students who attended Calix's January workshop on tangos will be able to contrast her very feminine, flirty style with the masculine style of Valle. Darbi Abramson, who first suggested bringing Valle to teach in Atlanta, remembers his very rhythmical approach in his Santa Fe, N.M., classes. "We were kind of doing the basic rhythm and then he changed it up to do this other kind of rhythm," she says. The step changed further when Valle slowed it down and then doubled the tempo. It's a lesson that even one teacher can give several ways of approaching a step - or compás. But, it takes a dancer who has studied with several teachers to recognize the approaches are all connected. In addition to tangos, Valle will teach an alegrías choreography and a technique class during his workshop in Atlanta. Early registration for the March 24-26 workshop ends this Saturday, February 25. Visit jaleolé.com's events page for more information about the classes. Date set for FronterasPlans are underway for Atlanta's flamenco student expo.
In 2005, over 70 performers showcased their talent in Fronteras, with over 400 people in the audience. What a show! This year, friends and family will have the choice of two shows: one matinee and one evening presentation. Both will be held in St. Pius' beautiful, state of the art theater. Visit jaleolé.com again soon or ask your flamenco teacher for more information about Fronteras 2006.
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Don't
click the "order" button YET if you are browsing for a flamenco dress
or skirt for Fronteras 2006 or any other performances you may be participating
in. While there's nothing wrong with online shopping, paying for shipping
and waiting for 4 to 6 weeks for arrival of something you have never
tried on nor actually seen before, it may be a good idea to look around
in your neck of the woods instead of trusting a tiny photo in cyberspace
as it could not possibly guarantee the perfect fit nor the accuracy
in color represented. You may find the task easier and thriftier than
you thought in the first place. Ask Myriam Farrero who has performed
in Atlanta Ballet's Spring Concert 2004 and Fronteras 2005 for example.
She has always looked stunning and original. What's her secret?
Murner's creativity for altering store bought clothing comes from her jewelry making talent and skill. "I design, sketch and make the jewelry," says Murner, who periodically sells her original necklaces and earrings. 
"Another
goal of mine is to make flamenco clothes that can have multiple functions
and don't cost an arm and a leg," says Lutz. "The skirts I've made so
far I've found look good alone or layered over a longer skirt. And by
using a variety of fabrics I think they can function in a lot of different
ways." 
Juan
de Valle's upcoming workshop in Atlanta aims to help local dancers achieve
that goal of "dancing a tangos." He was asked to teach tangos in his
upcoming flamenco dance workshop even though the palo was just covered
in January by visiting workshop teacher Solangel "Lali" Calix. It will
be repeated less than two months later for the sake of reinforcement.
