Ode to 2011

Ok, so it's New Year's Eve 2011. Like many people across the world are doing, I'm looking back and thinking about this year's ups and downs. One of the high points for me has been that I've had more and more opportunities to dance. Tablao shows, theater shows and a run of school shows, for all of which I am immensely grateful. Every time I set foot on stage, it's another chance to gain experience and to do something I really love. There is one show in particular I will never forget.

It was in early April, right after my birthday. The show was up in Monmouth, New Jersey - about 90 miles away. Monica and I had allowed two and a half hours for the drive up, and left early enough to be at the theater an hour before the show was scheduled to start. Between an accident on the turnpike, taking the wrong exit and getting lost finding the theater, we got there about 15 minutes before we had to go on. We met up with the musicians and other dancer in the dressing room and it was a mad dash to do hair and makeup and a quick warm-up before the show. Doing my hair was particularly tricky because I had just gotten my semi-annual haircut and the length was barely enough to make a ponytail. In order to look "traditional," Monica let me borrow her hair extension "fake bun" which I bobby pinned like a pincushion, covered with a hairnet and adorned with a flower. Costume, shoes, first number - boom! I was so relieved to have gotten there with no time to spare, just in time for the show.

But the real fun started during my solo. My Tientos starts with a lyrical salida, followed by a little build into my llamada. As I was snapping my head during the turn in my llamada, my fake bun fell off!!! Oh, no, it didn't just drop - it was dangling down my back still attached by the hairnet. OMG!!!!!!!!! what was I supposed to do? Would it be better to reach back and rip the damn thing off, or should I just keep going? I chose the latter, and danced the entire first letra and escobilla with a fake bun pendulum behind me. Every time I moved my head to the side, I could feel it swinging across my back. Every time I did a turn, the thing smacked me it the face. I just kept going, trying my hardest to keep concentrating and not lose it on stage.

During the second llamada -the hairnet finally came loose and the fake hair dropped to the ground. The musicians and other dancers all shouted "Ole!"

Seriously, that was my favorite moment of 2011.

Take what you like and leave the rest....

For about the past 6 months, I've been a little unsettled with flamenco. Classes didn't quite feel right. Workshops seemed like a lot of stress for little return. I couldn't really explain it, but somehow, what I had been doing just wasn't working for me.

And then it occurred to me, I need to make my own way. No one else is going to make me happy and deliver the perfect class at my feet; I need to go at my own pace, focus on what I enjoy and do what feels right for me. So I decided to revisit a piece of choreography I really love; the Tientos from a few years ago. This time I wanted to include the 2nd letra that la Meira gave us when she came to town for a workshop. It's been a blast. I've been studying privately with my teacher to really nail down the choreography, changing things here and there and the piece is coming along really nicely. She has the patience of a saint and practice has been a place where I can not only learn the steps that were taught, but customize things to make it more personal. Monica has really encouraged my creativity and input; she always teases me that I can do any given step a bajillion different ways but still make it fit the compas. What I lack in memory, I make up for in rhythm I guess...

My friend Behzad is a DC-based musician who sometimes writes CD reviews for the webpage. I often think I wished that we lived closer so I could just hang out and goof around with him. Aside from being a talented musician who knows so much about flamenco, he's hilariously funny. So again, I took it upon myself to get together with him and hash out the Tientos. It was a good excuse to hang out for a while and an even better opportunity to go over things with a fresh set of eyes.

As helpful as it is to practice alone, there is no comparison to practicing with a real live musician. I learned so much just in the 2 hours we practiced together. Another great thing about him is that he's not only a guitarist but a percussionist as well. In addition to practicing the ins and outs of the piece itself, he gave me drills to strengthen the sound of my feet, to individuate beats so that nothing gets lost and the accented beats are clearly distinguished. Man, were my feet sore the next day; I feel sorry for his students....

The icing on the cake was going over his friends' house (the fabulous Boulets, whose freshly baked break and assortment of musical instruments deserve their own blog entry) to record the music (including guitar, palmas and cajon) customized to the choreography. Granted, no two performances are ever alike; even the same guitarist will do things slightly differently each time s/he plays, but having the music gives me the structure and tones of the tientos to use as landmarks as I make my way through the dancing.

When I did practice last night, I had a new way to approach the piece and bring it to the next level. This might not work for everyone, but it works for me. Ultimately, I'm dancing for myself, so I get to take what I like and leave the rest.

This One Time at Flamenco Camp.....

I'm not sure exactly when it was (maybe 2002?), but at some point during the summer following my first flamenco class I had the good fortune to head out west for a week-long flamenco camp hosted by California-based artist "La Tania."

It was held in an old CCC camp outside Mendocino, California, equipped with rustic redwood cabins, a variety of outbuildings and unspoiled nature. The official program included classes in Technique/Choreography (por Solea), palmas and cante (por Tangos). The unofficial educational component included survival skills for camping in the Redwoods, campfire juergas, and an introduction to tribal belly dancing. In addition to La Tania, instructors that year included "Cristobal" (who somehow talked me into paying 20 bucks to have him sing a letra of alegrias into a tape recorder...ok - it was a REALLY pretty letra....), Cadiz born bailaor "el Junco" (who also taught the cajon class) and Huelva-native guitar MONSTER Jose Luiz Rodriguez (who was truly one of the most down to earth people I've ever had the pleasure to meet). I met the greatest people, including LA-based dancer Timo Nunez, Austin, TX based Virginia (who taught me some really bad words in sign-language) as well as a bunch of super-great folks from Chicago whom I ended up visiting the following year.

Every now and then I actually hear myself saying "this one time at Flamenco camp....." and know that it was an experience I'll never forget.