![A Bulerías Step with Contratiempo [Flamenco Dance Steps]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/568079e7bfe873f15c115eee/1784792779109-K3YW48VM6R70X0RX7BMV/Red+and+Blue+Text+Message+Emoji+Rules+Tutorial+Youtube+Thumbnail+1.png)
Here’s a bulerías move for you to try.
Use this flamenco step as an exercise to practice your contratiempo and skirt technique, or add it to your pataíta, your bulerías dance.
We begin this move with a marcaje, a marking step.
And finish with a contratiempo accent.
In a moment I’ll address how you might adjust the step to fit the music, but first,
Follow along with me in the video tutorial below:
A note about the skirt:
Move your skirt in a circular motion, accenting downward every three beats of the marcaje.
(On the 12, 3, 6)
Be sure to keep your elbow up as you circle your skirt.
With your opposite arm, hold the skirt at your waist.
👣 Steps with counts:
12 right golpe (stomp)
1 left tap
2 left step (full foot)
3 right golpe
4 left tap
5 left step
6 right golpe
7 🚫
& right punta (toe)
8 🚫
& right talón (heel from lifted position)
9 🚫
& right brush (crossing)
10 right punta (crossed over left foot)
Applying this step to music:
You can adjust the number of marking steps you do before that to fit with the music.
For example,
You may delay the ending footwork to fit with the caída of the cante.
Perhaps six beats later, perhaps twelve.
You won’t know what will work best until you’re out dancing, and you hear what the singer does.
Something to try:
I recommend putting on some bulerías de Jerez and practicing this step.
Hold the marcaje, the first part of this step, until you hear a resolve in the guitar or a caída in the cante.
Those are great opportunities to do the contratiempo.
Give it a go, and let me know how it goes!
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