Ok, so here's the part two to yesterday's post that I promised you. Where I tell you how to turn any class into an ideal class for you. Because sometimes class feels too easy. And other times it feels too hard.
I've been in both situations.
And here's what I've discovered
When class feels too easy, it's usually because I've got my lazy pants on. No seas floja, Laura.
When class feels too difficult, it's usually because hard-on-myself me has taken over. Tranquila, chiquilla.
We can get a lot or a little out of class
And it's really up to us. I mean it.
Basically there are two main concepts we need to understand, one to make class harder and another to make it easier. But before we get to those, some specific ideas on how to make the most out of whatever class you find yourself in.
Not really. It may be called Beginning. Or Advanced.
And that name might tell me about the pace of the class. Or about the type or amount of information and material that will be given.
But what does it really mean?
Is what I view as beginning the same as what you view as beginning?
Can I expect to find people all at the same skill level because the class is called intermediate?
Does the name of the class tell me where I belong?
No and not necessarily.
I have some thoughts on figuring out which class you "belong" in and some more thoughts about what to do should you find yourself in a class that feels like the wrong level.
This song has been running through my head since Wednesday. A couple of years had passed since I'd listened to it. I don't know why.
It's Potito's De Puntillas with Estrella Morente, Josemi Carmona & Juan Habichuela. Listen here.
Here's the estribillo
De Puntillas
(estribillo)
Perico Navarro.
I've mentioned him before.
Should you ever meet him you'll see what I mean about his eyes.
And you'll see that he's nice, so nice. I mean it, súper simpatico.
I interviewed him last fall in Jerez. That's where he's from. You can read the first segment here where he shares some thoughts on bulerías.
Today we talk about how he first became interested in the cajón, how he learned to play, and when he started getting into flamenco.
Another story from Jerez...
Somehow I convinced everyone to go to bulerías class with me
I told them how it terrified me. I told them I was terrorized by it. But they still wanted to go.
I took them there even before our first class with Mercedes.
I needed for them to see it. I was hoping they would want to take it too. I was worried they might think it was too much on top everything else.
Physically it is not demanding. So, that would be no issue.
But mentally, well...
I had told them about it the night before
They were ready for certain things.
Es oficial. Spring has sprung! And so today an estribillo from the song Primavera from José Mercé's Del Amanacer. One of the very first flamenco albums I ever purchased... the very very first one was Manolo Sanlúcar's Tauromagia...
But anyway, in honor of springtime,
You've heard me talk about Ani and her bulerías class and about bits of wisdom I've learned from her. I want to share another bit today.
It's one of those things she said that sent me scurrying to my notebook. I didn't think much about it when she said it. I just knew it was importante and that I wanted to write it down.
Concepts
In bulerías class you learn steps.
But you don't have to do them.
You can. Or you can do your own. Or someone else’s.
So, yes, you learn steps.
But you're really there to learn concepts.
I can't stop thinking about doing bulerías in Jerez. And with that on my mind, here's a letra for today.
Bulerias
Como revienta un cañón
a fuerza de tantos golpes
así voy a reventar yo
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I wrote and posted this story about two years ago. I was so inspired by Akiko that I wanted to repost it today, with a few adjustments. Today when I am feeling overwhelmed and stressed out about all kinds of things.
Today when I am feeling shut down and scared to perform this weekend, as I so often get.
Today when I need grounding and inspiration.
Today I need to remember Akiko in the springtime in Sanlúcar...
Allow me to tell you a bit about Akiko, one of the many inspiring people I've met during my time here in Jerez.
Not too long ago Akiko began taking classes in Japan from Harumi, an incredibly graceful flamenco dancer from Osaka who básicamente seems to have mastered las bulerías de Jerez. She even co-teaches with Ana María López at la Peña los Cernícalos when she is in town.
But back to Akiko.
A letra and a video of Miguel Poveda and Moraíto Chico and family.
¿No te acuerdas cuando entonces
venías en busca mía?
y ahora tú no me conoces
A video interview with Ricardo López to calm your nerves...
Sometimes we joke around in class about Ricardo
Not behind his back, don't worry. We do it both when he's here and when he's not. We pretend we're him, and we walk around with intense looks on our faces, vigilando.
Other times we just pretend he's there in the room with us, looking like he looks.
It's fun. You should try it.
The thing is, he doesn't usually have an intense look on his face
In the video below, you can see for yourself.
I ask him about getting nervous before a workshop. Because the thought of studying with an out-of-this-world amazing dancer from Spain who is used to dancing with the best of the best can feel a little bit intimidating to some of us around here.
You can’t do flamenco and not do jaleos. You just can’t. It can feel awkward at first, I know. No te preocupes. I have some ideas on how to become more comfortable with this whole jaleos thing.
First, a few and how to pronounce them:
como es eso [coh-moh eh eh-so]
vamos allá [vah-moh ah-yah]
que toma toma toma toma toma [kay toh-mah...]
Here is a list of some common (& simpler) ones, along with some embarrassing admissions of accidentally giving them in English. Oops.
I used to be afraid to give jaleos
I thought I would sound stupid. I thought people would laugh at me. But mostly, it just felt so unnatural.
But not anymore.
It was Mercedes who introduced me to El Londro, (musically that is). Below find a mariana from El Londro's Luna de Enero album along with a video of Mercedes Ruíz dancing in the streets of Jerez.
Yo vengo de Hungria
con mi Mariana…
Pay no attention to what people say
They are jealous, for I love freely
because my love is like a wild bird …
Ven a borrrame los fracasos de mi mente ven a llenarme de caricias diferentes ven a sacarme de este pozo de amargura donde me encuentro yo...
Today a video of Vicente Amigo and Diego el Cigala along with a letra and a discussion. Enjoy!
La Tarde es Caramelo
Vicente Amigo
Cerca del río hay un sendero
donde la tarde es caramelo
cerca del río yo me pierdo
me encontraré cuando me encuentre con tus besos.
Here's a bulerías for you...
Yo tenía una prima hermana
que por irse con el novio
se tiró por la ventana.
I had a first cousin
who in following her boyfriend
jumped out of the window.
Actually, that's not what I think at all, it's just today's letra...
More Tangos del Titi
It was November 2012, and I was in Jerez. My exotic pets had all gone home, except for one that is. And I kept getting messages, important messages... November 7, 2012
I started getting them about a week ago, the messages. Or that's when I started hearing them.
They were sent on various occasions.
But always during class.
And they were all more or less the same.
Occasion #1 | Monday morning at the peña
Things changed in bulerías this week.
Keep Reading
There was a request for the words to the song in this post...
They're rather fuerte.
You can hear Camarón singing it here and again here.
Tientos
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Tienes que derramar más sangre
que un torito bravo en su muerte
no sé como tienes valor
pá hablar de mi malamente.
You have to shed more blood
than a fighting bull at his death
I don't know how you have the courage
to speak badly of me.
