Showing posts with label Bulerias. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bulerias. Show all posts

Friday, October 26, 2018

NEVER MIND...JUST DANCE.

WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST BULERIAS CLASS, HERE IN SEVILLA, I did the typical Canadian thing and apologized to Ramon Martinez, my teacher, because my Spanish was poor. 'Lo siento,' I said, 'mi espanol no es muy bueno.' He smiled and replied to me in English, 'Never mind! Just dance!' He actually said a bit more than that, but this was the core of his advice. So now, 'Never mind, just...' has become my motto for every artistic endeavour I do. I think it's a good one.

Not sure what to do with your bulerias improvization? Never mind, just dance.
You flubbed that last llamada? Never mind, just keep going.
Where does this all end? Never mind. It's not about some far-off goal you may never reach. It's about the journey. Just go! Enjoy!

How many of us waste our time obsessing over small details or never allowing ourselves to make mistakes? I'm guilty of this in dance, which is why, for me, improvisation is so difficult. Ramon told me not to be afraid to fail, to make those mistakes. So flamenco is not just about understanding its physical technicality. It's also a battle with one's pride, never an easy thing to do. Furthermore, it's also about looking so confident that when you make a mistake, you hide it, as if to say, 'Oh, yes? I meant to do that.'

I find this motto so helpful. How about using, 'Never mind, just...(then fill in the blank with whatever your goal is at the moment)? For example:

Ticked off, because the short story you submitted wasn't accepted? Never mind, just write.
Not sure where to start that novel? Never mind, just start. Anywhere. You're going to edit the damn thing to death anyway.
Frustrated because that painting isn't working? Never mind, sometimes it's the mistake that makes the piece shine.

One of my fellow bulerias students is deaf. As Ramon sings, she watches his lips carefully, so she'll know what to do and when to do it. (Bulerias is tricky this way. There are places in the cante where you can do certain moves, and other places where you shouldn't. Thus, my confusion, especially when the cante, or singing, is constantly changing.) In spite of her handicap, she's been dancing with Ramon long enough that her improvization is amazing. She is, by far, one of his best students.

I have one more class with Ramon on Monday, and then I leave Seville for Canada. I've enjoyed my time here very much. I've learned a great deal, and I can't thank Ramon enough for that. He's changed how I see myself as a dancer. I am more confident, yes. Perhaps also confident enough not to worry so much about future mistakes. :-)

Will I return to Seville next year? I can't say. But I can say this: 'Never mind. Just dance.'
(Thank you, Ramon.)

- Susan.








Friday, September 21, 2018

MONDAY to FRIDAY, THE DANCE WEEK

A tile display, outside one of the bars in Seville
IT'S FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS I WRITE THIS, and it's been a good dance week. It didn't particularly start off that way. This is how it went:

Day One (morning): great bulerias class with Ramon. First tangos class this afternoon at 4:00 with Joaquin Grilo. I wonder what it will be like?
Day One (afternoon): Oh my god. I am in over my head with this tangos class. Everything is going by in a blur. This was supposed to be 'basico/medio' which I took to mean basic to intermediate (or beginner+) level. Did someone not send Grilo the memo? This was supposed to be easy. I'll decide after tomorrow if I'm going on Wednesday. AND NO WAY AM I STANDING IN FRONT AGAIN! That was downright embarrassing.

Day Two (morning): another great class with Ramon. The bulerias is challenging, but I feel as if I'm getting it. Lots of chances to 'tweak' where I have to.
Day Two (afternoon): Okay...I'm still missing some of the steps because it's going by so fast, but Grilo went over yesterday's choreo, and I'm basically getting it. Who knew my feet could move that fast? Nobody told me. Will definitely go tomorrow. Tried to take a spot in the back row, AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO STAND IN THE BACK ROW!!! Forced to remain in the front! Grrr!

Day Three (morning): I think I've developed a new blister on my little toe. Notice lots of other girls are sporting band-aids on theirs. Still love Ramon's class, and it's still challenging. I'm finally getting that remate.
Day Three (afternoon): More choreo, still waving my arms about like a gorilla, but AT LEAST I'M IN THE BACK ROW!

Day Four (morning): The dreaded bulerias 'circle' in Ramon's class, where we dance solo, but I did all right. Go me. :-)
Day four (afternoon): Where the hell was my head? I should have practised the choreo, but there were some new cool moves. The annoying girl who kept cutting me off from the mirror yesterday is actually a REALLY GOOD DANCER. I took Jane's advice and managed to get a video of us dancing, so now I have it and I can take it home to finally get those pieces I am missing. Really like Grilo - he has an awesome style.

Day Five (morning): Ramon divided the class in half and let us take a video of each other. It's so great to have a record to recall later. Apparently, his class in October is designated 'medio' or intermediate instead of  'all levels' so I may have to up my game. On the other hand, one of his longer term students told me it shouldn't change too much, so that's good to know. Mind you, she told me in Spanish, and I may have missed her meaning. Whatever...
Day Five (afternoon): Didn't go to Grilo's class, as we are going out tonight to see Ramon dance in his show at La Casa del Flamenco. I didn't want to look like a drowned flamenco rat from the week (had to do my hair and get cleaned up. And yes, I can guess what you're thinking - she pooped out. Give me a break. I've been dancing all week in 32+ C weather, both morning and afternoon.) Plus I have the video, and it will be practice, practice, practice until I perfect it. This tangos was the first exposure I've had to fast footwork for the majority of the dance and to mark the time. In other words, the taconeo was the marking. Very cool to be pushed (kicking and screaming) to the next level. :-) (And yes, I'm joking.)

I still love being here. I've definitely entered new flamenco territory. Must keep it up, once I'm back.

Ole!

Sunday, September 16, 2018

`SAL` or `SALT`...WHO YOU ARE.

WHEN I TOOK MY FIRST BULERIAS CLASS, HERE IN SEVILLA, I did the typical Canadian thing and apologized to Ramon Martinez, my teacher, because my Spanish was poor. 'Lo siento,' I said, 'mi espanol no es muy bueno.' He smiled and replied to me in English, 'Never mind! Just dance!' He actually said a bit more than that, but this was the core of his advice. So now, 'Never mind, just...' has become my motto for every artistic endeavour I do. I think it's a good one.

Not sure what to do with your bulerias improvization? Never mind, just dance.
You flubbed that last llamada? Never mind, just keep going.
Where does this all end? Never mind. It's not about some far-off goal you may never reach. It's about the journey. Just go! Enjoy!

How many of us waste our time obsessing over small details or never allowing ourselves to make mistakes? I'm guilty of this in dance, which is why, for me, improvisation is so difficult. Ramon told me not to be afraid to fail, to make those mistakes. So flamenco is not just about understanding its physical technicality. It's also a battle with one's pride, never an easy thing to win. It's also about looking so confident that when you make a mistake, you hide it, as if to say, 'Oh, yes? I meant to do that!'

I find this motto so helpful. You might, too. How about using, 'Never mind, just...(then fill in the blank with whatever your goal is at the moment). For example:

Ticked off, because the short story you submitted wasn't accepted? Never mind, just write.
Not sure where to start that novel? Never mind, just start. Anywhere. You're going to edit the damn thing to death anyway.
Frustrated because that painting isn't working? Never mind, sometimes it's the mistake that makes the piece shine.

One of my fellow bulerias students is deaf. As Ramon sings, she watches his lips carefully, so she'll know what to do and when to do it. (Bulerias is tricky this way. There are places in the cante where you can do certain moves, and other places where you shouldn't. Thus, my confusion at times.) In spite of her handicap, she's been dancing with Ramon long enough that her improvization is amazing. She is, by far, one of his best students. It's clear she lives by that motto - 'Never mind, just dance.'

I have one more class with Ramon on Monday, and then I leave Seville for Canada. I've enjoyed my time here very much. I've learned a great deal, and I can't thank Ramon enough for that. He's changed how I see myself as a dancer.

Will I return to Seville and his class next year? I can't say. But I can say this: 'Never mind. Just dance.' (Thanks, Ramon.)

- Susan.








Wednesday, September 05, 2018

AN HOUR OF BRUISED EGO or LIVING THE LIFE?

I HAVE A 10:00 BULERIAS CLASS EVERY MORNING THIS WEEK, with Ramon Martínez at the Alicia Marquez' School of Flamenco Baile. Yesterday was great, but difficult - first days always are. You're faced with learning combinations of steps you've never done before (or have never put together in quite the same way). In a class full of regular students, you're going to stand out because you're making mistakes and trying to catch on as fast as you can. As I headed for my class this morning, it was with some worry. I'd been thinking about what I'd learned the day before, I'd gone over it all night in my head, knowing I hadn't retained everything (but then, I rarely do). No one had taken videos of the class yesterday, so I felt awkward about doing that. I hoped today would be better. There was no guarantee it would.

It takes me about fifteen minutes to walk from our apartment to the school. As I went, I considered - what's an hour of bruised ego? No one's really paying attention to you, or if they are, it's only fleetingly. Everybody's focused on their own growth. So really, Susan, you're lucky to be here, even if it means dealing with a bit of embarrassment and wearing a silly grimace when you mess up. You're living the life.

I suppose I am. But pride has a way of pooping on the experience. (Yes, I joke. But what else can you do, when you mess up? You may as well laugh at yourself.) It's best to take yourself seriously, and at the same time, not so seriously. There's irony in that.

Today was better, thank God. I did get lost on the way to the school once, so thank heaven for on-line maps, because they got me turned around. Luckily, I wasn't late, and we went over the same choreography, with minor changes. I'm getting it. I've always considered myself a bit of a slow learner when it comes to flamenco, mostly because I don't grab it immediately, but perhaps that's too much to expect. I need a lot of repetition, with lots of practice. And once the steps come without thinking, then it's about laying on the style. But maybe I'm not so different from anybody else who dances. Maybe that's just the way it is for most of us. My advice to any beginner out there? Keep at it, have faith in yourself, and eventually you'll get it. Keep going, don't give up, and don't let pride get in your way.  I suppose you could apply that advice to any creative endeavour. It certainly applies to writing.

And speaking of beginners, Ramon's class is advertised as for 'all levels'. Um, no. Not in the least. If you're a beginner, this class would be way over your head. I'm not a beginner, and I'm just keeping up.

But I do love it. I'm hoping tomorrow will be even better than today. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

Until then, olé! - Susan.