PUBLISHED NOVEMBER, 2008

NOVEMBER 2008 articles | Fitness | Karina | Mining |

The health benefits of flamenco as exercise By Erica Poole

A demonstration and one-day workshop encouraged physical fitness through flamenco dance at the Roswell Public Library in October. The library presents the program again this Saturday, Nov. 8 at 10:30 a.m. Details >>.

Jazzercise studios are franchised internationally. According to the official webpage, "Jazzercise is a 60-minute class incorporating cardio, strength, and stretch moves for a total body workout. We've taken moves from hip-hop, yoga, Pilates, kick-boxing, and resistance training and bundled them into one hour." Although flamenco classes are not locally marketed in this manner, learning, practicing and performing consistently sustain physical and mental wellness. The dictonary.com website defines exercise as "bodily or mental exertion, especially for the sake of training or improvement of health." As such, a conscious decision should be made to carve out time in our day for exercise no matter how busy we are. The kind of exercise we choose is a very personal decision. Once we taste flamenco and realize that we would like to savor it as a bailador/-a versus strictly an aficionado/-a, there has to be an ongoing willingness to immerse ourselves in the compás, to labor with the steps longer than class lasts, and to put forth the sweat equity to match the benefits we seek.

Flamenco & A Healthy Lifestyle If flamenco were strictly an exercise class, you would choose how often to show up, listen passively to the music, sweat for the length of the class, then leave it until your next workout. Flamenco is never "left" ---which is why many say that "flamenco is a way of life." You cannot leave what you live. Flamenco is not strictly cardio exercise either, because there are many moments where a dancer must stop, watch, listen, or play palmas while performing or practicing.Subsequently, the heart rate is not constantly pushed unless the cardio lasts at least 20-30 minutes without ceasing. Still, flamenco is very demanding on the body, and with that comes the need for proper care, including a balanced diet and limits.In his latest book Becoming the Dance Flamenco Spirit, flamenco dancer and choreographer Teo Morca summarizes, "a good diet should include the basic balance of fruits and vegetables, a minimum of red meats, a good balance of grains and pasta-type foods, lots of water along with balanced variety using good common sense and moderation. These priorities will help maintain a body and mind that dance better."

Flamenco involves many "mental dichotomies," which results in true exercise for your head. At times when we dance, it seems as if our bodies have three brains: one to communicate with the feet, one for the upper body & arms, and a third to signal the hands. Imagine being on a "flamenco treadmill" and having to set separate speeds for each of these three areas of the body. On a scale of 1-10, feet may be on a setting of 10, upper body and arms may be set to 5, and hands may have an ultra-slow speed of 2 --- while the entire body is in motion all at once! Learning to isolate the body without each area affecting another requires aptitude.

Additional dichotomies are digging the plantas down through the floor while pulling up from the abdominals, raising the arms all the way up with shoulders pushed down into the blades, lifting the tacón before landing a planta or golpe, cornering the body on a diagonal while still facing forward, engaging the upper body without tension while loosening the hips, contracting the abdominals in a hip turn while throwing your hip around to arrive before your upper body, executing redobles without bouncing, trusting each part of the body to carry out its duties without overseeing them in the mirror, playing palmas like a metronome without them sounding mechanical, dancing while waiting, becoming wild when seconds ago you were tame, jumping down, traveling while keeping the footwork underneath you, wringing your own body, quickening the footwork without sinking, and communicating non-verbally without eye or bodily contact. Flamenco is multi-tasking at its finest!

With sustained practice, dancers will benefit both the brain and the body with improved stamina, endurance, posture, muscle memory, cognitive skills, coordination, speed control, flexibility, core stability, upper-body strength, and heart rate. With heightened endorphins, flamenco provides a "feel-good factor" combining expression, passion, and rhythm. The stamping movements and higher frequency of traveling steps boost preventative benefits for beating osteoporosis as these steps increase the load on the bones.

With all that goes into - and comes out of flamenco, it can be easy to overlook the parts of the body that are at the core of moving in the flamenco way: muscles. Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, Laura DeLaNoy of Snellville, Ga., observed professional flamenco dancers from Spain, of varied ages, gender, and body types, and noted the muscle groups that are used the most in this dance form.

Muscles worked by flamenco dance are highlighted, including the 'glutes,' 'quads,' and 'abs.'.

Collectively, DeLaNoy noted the building of the hamstrings, quadriceps, gluteus maximus, gluteus minimus, gluteal medius, quadratus lumborum ("hip-hiker muscle"), gastrocnemius and soleus (both of which are calf muscles) in the lower body. Erector muscles, the anterior partner, and abdominals aid with a strong back. In the upper body, latissimus dorsi (lats) and levator scapula assist with raising the arms. Strong knees are recommended, as they are the hinges in our footwork. Therefore, strong popliteal and plantaris muscles tie in with strong upper legs.

The only gender difference she noted is that "if a lady has a large bustline - carrying the additional weight would potentially make the dancer tire more quickly, as breast tissue is fat rather than muscle and men tend to have more muscular physiques [than] women."

An Unfit Cliché In the movie "The Devil's Advocate," there is a tablao scene of a smoke filled room where a performing flamenca, Elena Andujar, is dancing a bulería. Morca reminds us not to "think it is un-flamenco if you do not drink or smoke. It is only a bad cliché that says it is more flamenco to do these things." Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, Laura DeLaNoy of Snellville, Ga., reiterates, "Given the aerobic element, the dancer who smokes will not have the lung capacity of a non-smoker. Also, smoking tends to be drying on the body and dehydration sets in more quickly. Remaining hydrated is imperative. Sweat cools the body and the more you perspire, the more water you need. The dancer who perspires less will be more apt to have greater longevity in a routine. Excessive alcohol can affect body temperature, which can impede endurance and lead to quicker dehydration." Make conscious strides not to curtail your performer's edge.

In terms of energy release, DeLaNoy goes on to say, "The dancer who is really throwing caution to the wind will tire less in the short run because there is no tightness in holding back the energy. However in the long run, they will tire more quickly since there is all of the energy out there with nothing being retained for later in the show. Furthermore, slow, languid, sensual motions are more tiresome than giving wild, loose, free-for-all movements."

Given all the intensity, dancers need the restorative processes as well. In the Autumn/Winter 2008 edition of Body Sense: Massage, Bodywork & Healthy Living, Nancy Alfaro wrote an article titled "Deep Relief: How Massage Helps You Dance." Alfaro writes that Michael Leslie, massage therapist for the San Francisco Ballet, finds deep-tissue work in greatest demand, because it helps dancers to use their bodies better because by aiding alignment. Alfaro goes on to write that deep-tissue massage "also softens tissue and helps muscles release so they 'fall back into place'…and [deep-tissue massage] also helps normalize muscle tone, allowing dancers to perform better at the next rehearsal or performance." Treating yourself to some form of restorative downtime is the ultimate gratitude to the body for all the demands we place on it.

So remember --- at your next flamenco gathering when you toast "¡Salud!", think of just how much is encased in that solitary word!

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A letter to Ulrika Frank, founder of Perla Flamenca Dance Company. By Julie Baggenstoss

Karina Martinez performed on October 11, 2008 at Ibiza Restaurant and Lounge. She invited her friends from the former Perla Flamenca Dance Company to perform with her.

Dear Ulrika,

Saturday night, October 18, 2008, was special. It was the last public performance of Karina Martinez in Atlanta. She has enriched Atlanta for seven years with her performance and instruction in flamenco dance. As you know her style, Karina was not the star of Saturday night's show at Ibiza Restaurant and Lounge. While she performed, she shared the stage with friends whom she met years ago when she joined the Perla Flamenca Dance Company. Karina made them the stars of the evening, each dancing solo to reflect their artistic development over the years since they all first stepped together onto the rocket ship named "Perla."

As the show began with two of your choreographies, the person next to me whispered, "It's too bad Ulrika isn't here." Yes, but what would she appreciate? Ladies dancing her choreography? Sure. That would make you smile. But, it would warm your heart to see the ladies whom you had once hand-picked to dance together, working together again. It might even delight you to see - again - Karina shine in ways that she doesn't realize.

Saturday night was our opportunity to bid Karina "good luck" in this latest turn in her journey. She is returning to Mexico City to work. Yes, she'll dance flamenco after her move. Word is she'll even work in Mexico City, with the Seville-based Cristina Heeren Flamenco Foundation. She's going to "do" flamenco in Mexico.

However, as we all looked through this new door of Karina's, I couldn't help but to look behind us, reflecting on the window that you opened for so many people in Atlanta. You taught us about flamenco. You showed us how to dance. Most of all, you built a community and showed a lucky few of us the strength that comes from working together. It is no surprise that Karina probably shines brightest as the one who has kept this community spirit alive since you first inspired it.

Since you've left Atlanta, our flamenco scene has changed. During a presentation to Karina on Saturday, Kim Nolte said it best, when she noted how Karina's flamenco friends had changed over the years. Children, new careers, pregnancies, marriages, moves to new cities, to cite a few life changes, have taken us away from flamenco. Changes have also taken us away from each other. Don't get me wrong, the separation has come as a byproduct of great things in life, not as a malicious tear. Saturday, Karina's night brought dancers out of retirement, back to Atlanta, and simply back together.

Old friends danced a rumba, sevillanas, with lyrics written especially for Karina, then tangos, all sung by Willie Ziavino. One look around the room, and you would have realized that a new generation of flamenco friends is in effect, including dancers, musicians, friends, and those beloved husbands. We arrived at Ibiza individually or in cliques to support Karina. By the end of the evening, we were all on our feet, sharing and laughing together.

We've each been touched by Karina's grace. As she leaves Atlanta, I hope we celebrate her legacy as we have yours, remembering the strength we find in community. For this, I wish you too could have been there at Ibiza. For this, I am grateful to Karina... for nostalgia and a bridge between now and so many places.

Big Hug,
Julie

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Measure for measure, Antonio Hidalgo's "Flamenclorico: Lore of the Miners" is the uncommon music of the common man By Wanda Baker

Rebeca Tomás brings to Atlanta the hopes of miners in Huelva, Spain, in "Flamenclorico: Lore of the Miners."

We jump to our feet and roar! The primal sound of the audience's collective appreciation rushes towards the flamencos who bare their hearts and souls for us ... who exhaust their stores of energy for us. We wrap them in our gratitude and love.

Rising together, we acknowledge the enormous skill and effort these distinguished artists bring to their craft. We appreciate the sophistication of their individual talents, their complete dedication, and the innovation resulting from their collaboration, intellectual vigor, and curiosity.

The performance of "Flamenclorico: Lore of the Miners" stands apart from the caprice of most flamenco performances made to entertain us. Through music, movement, song, poetry, and ambient textures, Antonio Hidalgo's company, Pasión Flamenco, offers a story about universal suffering and the moral prerogative to acknowledge and transcend it.

About the Performers

Antonio Hidalgo   Alfonso Cid

Much has been expertly written on this website and elsewhere about the esteemed accomplishments of the company's founding directors and its international cast of performers. I recently had the privilege of speaking with Pasión Flamenco's founder and choreographic director Hidalgo who, having learned from many influential masters, including the legendary Antonio Gades, is sculpting his own voice and ideas. His primary aspiration is to keep the traditions of flamenco alive, and he succeeds in "Flamenclorico," with a complex work exploring humanitarian themes.

It was also my great pleasure to speak with one of the performing musicians, cantaor/composer/flautist Alfonso Cid, born and raised in Seville, Spain. Cid tours with his flamenco-fusion group, Gazpacho Andalú, throughout the United States, Spain, and Great Britain. Having great respect for the aesthetics and subtleties of traditional flamenco letras, Cid aspires to imbue them with unconventional melodies and instrumentation. The flamenco arts, passed largely between the generations through oral tradition, continue their evolution in the capable hands of people like these and Pedro Cortes.

Cortes, the musical director for Pasión Flamenca, has solid roots in a family of gypsy guitarists and was sought after by Hidalgo to compose an original score with traditional music from Andalucía for use in "Flamenclorico." Cortes and guitarist Raphael Brunn surpass expectations in this performance, effectively blending the incidental music to Hidalgo's evocative choreography.

According to Cid, the young people of Andalucía often search for a life-purpose by joining various peñas, which are social clubs related to sports, culture, and the arts, including flamenco. Hidalgo and Cid are counted among the adolescents whose futures were shaped by such affiliations, often gaining entrée through close friends or family members.

Both men are proud Spaniards with remarkable pedigrees, yet their performances are delivered without arrogance or pretense. As teachers, they are generous with their knowledge and repertoire, patiently guiding and encouraging us. As students, we are compelled to learn as much as we can, to work hard together, and to enjoy the numerous opportunities we are given to participate in the living traditions and new developments of the flamenco arts.

The Show

On performance night at the Rialto Theatre, we settle into our seats. The plush red curtains part and the colors of Rio Tinto appear. They are the earth-colored clothing of miners, the ephemeral blue of the miner's restless dreams, the blue-black shadows of the mine caves, and the white, holy poetic light of solace and deliverance.

If a song could beckon the sun to rise, it would come from singer Barbara Martinez, whose voice is as clear and pure as the peal of a church bell. It is the alboreá, the morning song, which rouses the family from sleep. Abuelo, the patriarch of the family centrally portrayed in "Flamenclorico," climbs arthritically to his feet and is tenderly helped into his clothes by his wife.

Abuelo's son and granddaughter, though young and strong, bear the same reluctance to repeat this ill-fated ritual. Rebeca Tomás, in the character of Nieta, demonstrates an optimism that ultimately surrenders to anxiety; her riveting turns become increasingly more frenetic as her hopes spin into the ground.

The men bid farewell to their anxious families and trudge a familiar road to the local bar. There, they meet with other miners to drink manzanilla, a salty sherry, which warms their bodies. They sing and dance, summoning strength and courage from the poetic expression of the fandangos de Huelva, to descend into the cold, dark earth.

The traditional songs of the miners are performed ad libitum --- without compás or structure --- and are replete with themes of sorrow and pain. These songs are counterbalanced with soleá de bulería and alegría de Cadiz, which tend to be revelatory while also illuminating the struggles and realities of life.

The province of Huelva is the focus of our attention, though we could find similar places in Appalachia, the mining towns of Pennsylvania, or even Russia. The harsh working conditions and despicable exploitations of Rio Tinto still exist around the world in the 21st century. This is, according to Hidalgo, a story about anywhere.

Another Flamenco Song of the Miners: Minera - Traditional "En la mina se escucho El cante de una minera, Por lo triste que sonó... Qué grande es la pena ¡Ay! Del hombre que la canta..." "In the mine, I hear The song of the miner, And it sounds so sad... How great is the sorrow Of the man who sings it..."

In the first act of "Flamenclorico," the songs are related to the miners; the alboreá, the canastera (a bulería related to cottage industries), the fandango (the cornerstone of flamenco of which, Cid tells me, there are hundreds of styles in Huelva alone), the cartagenero, the taranto, the lament of levantico, and the martinete, inspired by the blacksmiths who use anvils to pound out rhythms similar to those of the mining picks and hammers.

Using these traditional songs, an Andalucían family tells the story of Rio Tinto's miners. Simple men must risk their lives and bend their backs into the work day and night to break apart the vast wealth of mineral ores compressed by tectonic energy into the bedrock.

Abuelo, played by Jorge Navarro, shows us how difficult the life of an aging miner can be. His face and physical demeanor betray the agony of decades-long hard labor and the loss of his dreams --- the final defeat. He is reminiscent of Willy Loman in of "Death of a Salesman," whose dream vanishes into obscurity. The swing of Abuelo's pick becomes all efficiency, the energy conserved as much as possible shift upon endless shift.

At one point Abuela, played by Puy Navarro, recites a particularly disturbing fragment of a poem by Andy Young: "...it's suffocating he told me, the tunnels are so small you have to crawl in some places, as if the mines were birth canals bearing coal and dusty men." The miner's wife shares her husband's defeat.

The second act of "Flamenclorico" presents a series of soleá, bulería, alegría, farruca, and rondeña to celebrate the miners' safe return to their families and homes. While these happier palos demonstrate the joy eclipsed in the lives of the miners, they are but temporary suspensions of heartache and trauma.

To illustrate this point, an alarm sounds in the midst of the celebration. Out of the darkness comes a flash of light, incinerating their hopes and joys. A bell tolls. Some drift numbly towards their beds. Others succumb to the gravity of despair and will not find sleep. Too soon, they forget the revelry that took place only moments ago...yet they will look for this relief again tomorrow.

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