How to dance flamenco, flamenco travel in Spain, flamenco dance students and their experiences, interviews with flamenco artists, translations of flamenco letras (songs) from Spanish to English
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Letras
Today, this beautiful song, and a video of Buika performing it.
Mi Niña Lola
Andrés Molina Molés / José Torres Garzón / Luís Rivas Gómez
Dime porqué tienes carita de pena.
¿Qué tiene mi niña siendo santa y buena?
Cuéntale a tu padre lo que a ti te pasa.
Dime lo que tienes reina de mi casa.
The other day a friend of mine shared with me the video you see below of Niña Pastori and her husband Chaboli. She is singing a letra written by her father in law, El Jeros, and it is SO beautiful. So, I share it with you today. Enjoy!
From 'Somos Dos’
In honor of Valentine's Day I have some love related things to share with you today. A collection of love letras, an idea for you if you're looking for an unconventional valentine, and a gift...
So, let's celebrate, shall we?
Today find a peteneras letra and a video of Mercedes Ruíz interpreting it.
Petenera
Yo no creo ni en mi madre
Aunque de mí hable la gente
Que todo en este mundo es mentira
Madre de mi corazón
No hay más verdad que la muerte
No hay quién me lo contradiga
I just love malagueñas, so here you go:
Malagueñas
Popular
Serían las dos de la noche.
Vino mi hermano a llamarme,
Levántate.
¿Por qué no te levantas hermano mío?
Que se ha muerto nuestra madre
y nos quedamos solitos.
Today, this first day of February, a letra from Manuel Machado along with a video of Paco de Lucía, La Tana, Duquende, Montse Cortés, Niño Josele, Antonio Serrano, Alain Perez, and El Piraña.
Malagueñas
Manuel Machado
Las penas que tú me das
son penas y no son penas;
que tienen cositas malas,
y tienen cositas buenas.
Today a video of Emilio Ochando (who will be in Portland next month for workshops!) dancing alegrías and a letra.
Alegrías de Cádiz
Popular
A Cai no le llaman Cai,
que le llaman relicario,
porque por patrona tiene
a la Virgen del Rosario.
One year comes to an end, another begins. Which means ... It's time to party! Read Manuel Machado's words on how we might do this flamenco style, and watch a video of Montse Cortés and Chonchi Heredia singing it live with Paco de Lucia below.
Then check out the end of this post where I share four flamenco events I'm looking forward to in the coming year.
(Bulerías)
Manuel Machado
Una fiesta se hace
con tres personas:
Uno baila, otro canta
y el otro toca.
Ya me olvidaba
de los que dicen ¡Olé!
y tocan palmas.
Today a villancico along with two interpretations. One is a video of La Macanita singing in Carlos Saura's Flamenco and the other is Manuel Lombo performing live at the cathedral in Sevilla.
Villancicos de Gloria
Los caminos se hicieron,
con agua, viento y frío.
Caminaba un anciano,
muy triste y afligido ¡A la Gloria!
A su bendita madre, victoria!
Gloria al recién nacido, ¡Gloria!
Today a bulerías by Luis de la Pica along with a video and a rhythm and coordination activity for you to do from home.
Bulerías
Luis de la Pica
One Saturday during the last Flamenco Tour to Jerez, after finishing class with Mercedes Ruíz, we showered and headed over to El Porrón for a lunchtime fiesta. José Luís had gotten us some delicious merluza fish from El Puerto de Santa María which Maribel prepared along with lots of aliños (marinated salads), a guiso (stew), and other goodies.
During the fiesta Zorri sang this song, originally a milonga, but he sang it his way, por bulerías.
Today, a beautiful letra and a difficult translation ...
From Tonás y livianas
by Manuel Machado
Quita una pena otra pena…
I used to listen to Niña Pastori's, María album all. of. the. time. (And it has the scratches to prove it.) Here's an excerpt from the song Dime Quién Soy Yo along with two video interpretations.
Enjoy, and thank you for being here.
Gracias por estar aquí.
We heard El Almendro sing the following at Peña La Bulería on the last Flamenco Tour to Jerez. It was written by El Torta who, though illiterate, wrote many (very beautiful) letras. At the end of this post you'll find a video of him singing this, which I absolutely promise you you'll want to watch.
We studied bamberas with abanico with Mercedes during the Flamenco Tour.
Now that. was. fun.
After the letra you'll find a quick fan activity from our class that you can try at home.
Bamberas
Popular
Vamos niña pa la bamba
que te voy a columpiar
yo te daré despacito
no te vaya a marear
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...
Below find a video of Melchora Ortega performing her signature bulerías - standing, high heels off, interacting with the audience, and dancing throughout - accompanied by Fernando Moreno.
Here’s one of the letras she sings, which she also sang to us last week at our private show on the Flamenco Tour to Jerez.
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,
