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Letras

Serranas | The Weekly Letra (from Prado del Rey)

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Serranas | The Weekly Letra (from Prado del Rey)

I'm currently in Prado del Rey in the Sierra de Cádiz where I've been walking and hiking and exploring like crazy. I came after the Flamenco Tour ended, and it is magnificent! (A perfect place to be to nurse Flamenco Tour withdrawals. In fact, I'm dreaming of a Flamenco Tour add-on trip, or just a tour of its own, to visit these white hill towns and walk in the Sierra de Cádiz...

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What Goes On During The Flamenco Tour & A Fandangos | The Weekly Letra

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What Goes On During The Flamenco Tour & A Fandangos | The Weekly Letra

Five days in, and the Flamenco Tour is well underway. I'll tell you a bit about that (and share photos) in a moment, but first, a fandangos letra for you...

There have been all kinds of shows going on here in Jerez. Below is a letra that we heard Alberto Sánchez, 'El Almendro' sing yesterday at the Peña La Bulería with José Manuel Alconchel accompanying him on guitar. They came straight from playing at Tabanco el Pasaje and were well warmed up. It was an intimate afternoon show in the front salon of the peña. We arrived early and got seats and drinks. It was a small but enthusiastic crowd, and everyone was there to enjoy and listen, except for one guy who kept talking who the guitarist stopped to lecture mid-show. 

And now for that letra,

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Mirabrás | The Weekly Letra

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Mirabrás | The Weekly Letra

Today, as promised, a mirabrás and a video of Juan Valderrama.

Mirabrás                          
(Popular)

Venga usted a mi puesto Hermosa,                           
y no se ponga usted salero
castañas de Galarosa
yo vendo camuesas y peros
Ay Marina,
yo traigo naranjas                           
y son de la China
batatitas borondas* 
melocotones de Ronda
agua de la nevería
suspiritos de canela

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Impossible For Me To Believe | The Weekly Letra

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Impossible For Me To Believe | The Weekly Letra

I'm still in a bulerías mood as I prepare to head to Jerez for the Flamenco Tour in a couple of weeks.

And so, today I have a video clip to share with you of a little girl from Jerez named Triana dancing bulerías (her signature dance of course) for Rafael Amargo. She starts off by singing the following letra then dances while her dad sings and plays guitar for her. You're going to love it.

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Practice Bulerías With This (Video) | The Weekly Letra

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Practice Bulerías With This (Video) | The Weekly Letra

If you like exploring how letras can vary, if you're looking to practice bulerías to cante at a comfortable speed, or if you just want to get better at bulerías, then consider today's post a treat. You'll find a video with examples of one letra interpreted in two different ways along with a short activity to help you train your ear and get better at improvising.

First, the letra:

Bulerías
Popular

El sitio donde te hablé
ganas me dan de volverme
y sentarme un ratito en él

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Dance Bulerías With Greater Ease (One Important Concept to Help You)  | The Weekly Letra

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Dance Bulerías With Greater Ease (One Important Concept to Help You) | The Weekly Letra

After today's letra you'll find that video I promised you of Mercedes Ruíz dancing at this year's Fiesta de la Bulería (and really getting into it) followed by an explanation of what's happening at the end between the dancer (Mercedes) and the singer (David Carpio) along with an important concept to understand that can help you when dancing bulerías por fiesta by yourself. (I've also included a short activity for you to do at the end.)

Bulerías
Popular

No sé por qué será
me duelen más que las mías
las penas de los demás

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Tangos, a Video & an Activity | The Weekly Letra

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Tangos, a Video & an Activity | The Weekly Letra

I'm still on a high from last weekend's tangos workshops. Por eso, a tangos letra for you today along with a video of Rocío Segura singing all kinds of letras, and an activity to improve your tangos dancing from home.

Tangos de la Repompa

Mamá, mamá no quiero eso,
Mamá, mamá no quiero na,
Quiero que vengas a verme
de tu propia voluntad

Mom, Mom I don't want that,
Mom, Mom, I don't want anything,
I want you to come to see me
of your own accord

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Fandangos Naturales | The Weekly Letra

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Fandangos Naturales | The Weekly Letra

Ever experienced pain and sorrow and struggled to truly feel into it even though you knew you needed to? Today's letra and video might be able to help with that. Below find a fandangos letra and a video of Rocío Márquez.

Fandangos

La pena grande que se llora
con las lágrimas se va;
la pena grande es la pena
que no se puede llorar;
esa no se va, se queda.

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Bulerías Inspiration (a video) | The Weekly Letra

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Bulerías Inspiration (a video) | The Weekly Letra

Lately I've had bulerías on my mind . . . I've been watching bulerías, listening to bulerías, dancing bulerías (in class, at home, in my head).

Naturally, the moves I'm currently working with during the 10-Day Dance Like You're In Class With Mercedes Ruíz Home Challenge are por bulerías.

So, today I offer you some bulerías inspiration via a video of Manuel Liñan dancing and a letra that David Carpio sings to him. There's also a quick activity for you at the end of the post. (I know, I'm big on activities this week.)

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How to Improve Your Bulerías Without Moving Your Body | The Weekly Letra

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How to Improve Your Bulerías Without Moving Your Body | The Weekly Letra

Last week I wrote about some challenges I experienced while dancing bulerías and eight lessons I learned in the process. I'm not about to let those lessons go to waste, so I'm holding myself accountable by reporting back to you: Below I share one simple way I've been actively applying those lessons. It's something you too can do, today, to improve your bulerías. (You'll also find a letra at the end of the post.)

So as you know, I learned that I needed to practice more and listen more. One thing I've been doing that addresses both at the same time is to squeeze them in while driving in the car. 

How?

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How I Messed Up Dancing Bulerías, What I Learned & How it Can Help You | The Weekly Letra

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How I Messed Up Dancing Bulerías, What I Learned & How it Can Help You | The Weekly Letra

I want to share a story with you about how I messed up dancing bulerías last weekend, how it left me feeling not so happy about my dancing, eight important lessons about flamenco (and life) I learned in the process, and how those lessons served me when I applied them to a sticky situation in my life.

So last weekend I took a workshop with Alfonso Cid. He shared bunches of bulerías letras with us (you'll find one below) and gave a very informative introduction to flamenco, with a focus on cante. He had us all singing and doing palmas and even got some of us up dancing.

Toward the end of the workshop someone asked Alfonso to address how to dance bulerías por fiesta, how to dance to the cante. (As you know, this is one of my favorite things.)

Yay! (and Olé).

Some people got up to dance, mess up or not mess up, and learn along the way. 

I was one of those people.

And here is what I learned:

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To Juan Carmona Habichuela | The Weekly Letra

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To Juan Carmona Habichuela | The Weekly Letra

The great flamenco guitarist Juan Habichuela, 'Tío Juan,' known as the best cante accompanist, passed away last week

You can see a video of him playing below along with an interview where he talks about his life as a flamenco guitarist. He says he is a guitarist who plays for cante, who loves accompanying cante, who loves cante, who loves flamenco, and that he'll die with all of that.

But first, a poem. 

I saw this on Facebook, written and posted by guitarist Paco Cepero, and I wanted to share it with you:

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Eres Como Los Judíos | The Weekly Letra

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Eres Como Los Judíos | The Weekly Letra

I just returned home from Jerez, and naturally, I'm missing bulerías.

I have a letra to share with you today. It's one that David Lagos sang during our private show there, but before I do, I want to tell you a quick story.

It's one that Julie, a student on the Flamenco Tour, shared with me just before she departed Jerez.

On her last morning there, Julie took a final stroll around the city before she caught her train to Granada. On her way back to the apartments she found herself behind an older couple walking down the street. T

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