Final Lesson

 

 

A Strong Constitution...

Lo siento, another later than advertised post. Been taking in a bit of Catalunyan culture today on a very much deserved day off.

OK, I say day off in a very lose way. I've also been shopping for costume requirements and seem to have got everything I need for Monday. Just!

Also saw a bit of a display of nationalism in Plaza Catalunya. This was all to do with Spain's constitution etc. and people wanting Catalunya to be part of Spain, the reverse opinion of what some people said the other day. Reminds me a bit of the Northern Ireland situation about belonging etc. Of course I realise that there's more politics and social reasoning behind this....

No practice today, but worked out the steps in a shop today as I waited for an order. Obviously, I must have looked a bit strange.

Also talked to people about engaging young people in creative activity. They said that the important thing is to make them feel connected. So I have a few ideas about that.

A shorter post than normal.

Estoy Cansada. But again, happy, nervous, excited about Monday. It will be fantastico! x

Penultimate Lesson

On my last legs?

Estupendo 3 hour final flamenco session with Toni today. It was so hard going, even he was shattered. He is definitely Sant Antoni!

Firstly I had to perfect some rhythmic concerns that were still troubling me in regard to the timing of the music. Particularly after the llamada step when it goes into the paso with golpe golpe golpe, planta tacon etc. as the rhythm in the music we're using changes velocity quite subtlely and quickly from very fast to slow, I'm trying to rush into this paso step unnecessarily.

Its good that I have to slow down at this point as thats the step I really struggle with, and the step that I know Toni is most concerned about in terms of my technique. It just doesn't go in when he tells me the rhythm and apparently I've been doing one less golpe stamp than I should have done, so the fact that I have to slow down at this point in the routine is good, as I may have mentioned in previous posts, because it means that I can focus on thinking with the planta and getting this technique right too.

Also the golpe stamps and accompanying arm movements need to be more forceful and have more security. Toni was clear on that! Despite being so encouraging and so patient, he's probably thinking, 'This English woman cannot dance!' I can see the frustration sometimes on his face.

After overcoming that obstacle of the timing, for creative and time constraint reasons, we agreed that we would plan the choreography to just over 2 minutes, when there's a clear break in the music. So more steps to be learned and taken in today.

It was brilliant though because we worked on my posture and how I should hold myself when doing the walking steps, worked out some beautiful braceo marcages moves, introduced more classic golpe steps and then worked on some dramatic finales!

So it felt like I had to take in loads today, and by the end of the 3 hours, I was confused by the ending of the routine I had no choice but to walk away and finalise the routine through practicing. The techniques have to be right and I want them to be right for me to produce a great performance, but mostly to save Toni's reputation!

I did feel more confident today in suggesting moves to do that could be adapted to my level and the music, and these ideas were really taken on by Toni. So its been an interesting collaboration where my confidence has grown in something that I've only been a part of for 3 weeks.

It was a shame that because of time I couldn't do the walking braceo marcages move, but there's so much to still learn and remember ow anyway. Its going to be a mad few days.

Later on in my own practice session, I was getting slightly confused with the music but as almost getting there with the timings. The thing I need is the passion and conviction still. I need to move like Amaya did in how she swayed her hips while doing the marcages moves. More studying of the video footage of her is what I'll be doing tomorrow!

Still, I'm so proud of what I've achieved today. I've worked so hard and need to keep the cold that's been going around these parts at bay so that I'm well and rest for more practice this weekend and the actual filming on Monday.

So I'm happy with the progress and where I've got to over these past few weeks, but still can't believe that today was the last day that I walked that daily weekday route from the apartment (in Sant Antoni, no less) to Carrer de Aribau for my flamenco lessons. Its been a great journey, one that's not over yet, for, and that part of it I'll always have treasured memories of, but I'll also miss.

Onto the last leg, the final furlong of this stretch of the project.

Venga!

Soy Preoccupada...

Today was good and bad, but ultimately its all good.

I'm so tired at the moment and can't really afford to be. Starting to get worried there's not enough choreography to fill the amount of filming time I want or work with most of the music I'm using, largely because of the time its taking to learn and also the short time I gave myself for this project.

Shared my worry with Toni and he said we can fill 2 minutes of the music with choreography, its just that what Amaya did in this dance was so complex and so fast, I couldn't realistically learn all of this in the little time we have / have had.

But today I was at least learning to put the moves to the music better. Just getting confused again with the timings a bit and of course, I think Toni is still giving up on me in terms of my rhythm.

He said a lovely thing the other day. In the final step, I am to find the light in that step in arriving at that position. I have to bring light to it. Bonita!

I will try to remember that as well as everything else I have to remember in terms of the timing. Its so difficult but in my extra practice today, I did manage to get the timing right so far.

So....we added a few marcages today, some paseo / walking elements and lots of lovely Amaya style arm movements and pitos (finger clicks!).

It really feels now like what Amaya was saying was about a celebration of strength in femininity rather than challenging the masculine. That's my interpretation.

So new steps added, including a funny little intro of me walking onto set, time to sort the location for filming. I'm so pleased to say that Sala de Carmen Amaya in Barceloneta Civic Centre is confirmed for the filming of this little homage to Ms Amaya on Monday afternoon. Feels like everything is fitting into place, and I actually can't think of anywhere else other than right by the place where Amaya grew up to pay tribute to her. Excited and nervous at the same time.

Now all I need is to find the right wardrobe / clothes etc. A task for the weekend I think when I can think straight a bit more.

In the meantime, I'm still sad to think that tomorrow is my last lesson at the school. I will miss it and Toni laughing at my lack of rhythm. Its certainly something you can't buy.

I saw something really amazing today as well, as I went to practice there this morning. I caught sight of a group of very advanced students warming up for their class and saw them kind of doing very low, flexible lunges and thought, what an amazing life to be a great dancer? It made me think will I continue flamenco back in Liverpool. a strong maybe is the answer. I think its probably the hardest dance to learn, but definitely one of the most potent, strong, enduring, passionate and expressive.

I just can't believe this part of the project will be over so soon. Its gone by in the blink of an eye and I've tried to savour every drop of this experience. At times its been stressful with having to plan and organise other things when alls I've wanted to do is practice. Days have been long here, but very much enjoyed and there are so many things I have learned and would do differently in the future, particularly with regard to learning the language here. It opens up another world which I have sadly been closed to.

Anyway, Estoy cansada, so I'll sum up another time.

I may not be at the stage I really need to be in terms of my dance, but no soy preoccupada now.

Soy muy feliz.

October 9th Session

I've got the moves like Amaya. Well, nearly...

Amazing how much we can achieve in a small space of time.

Three weeks ago, I had arrived in Barcelona and was nervously awaiting my first ever flamenco lesson with Toni Moniz at Escuela de Baile Flamenco Jose de la Vega.

Did I think that 3 weeks later I would be nervously preparing to film the choreography that Toni had come up with to adapt to the flamenco style of Carmen Amaya? Well, yes and no. Did I think I would be further on in my progress? Maybe...

I don't think I really knew what to expect, just that I was passionate about the subject matter of gender roles and I obviously knew I had to have an outcome for this project, but I never anticipated the adventure in learning that I've had.

I anticipated that it would be full of ups and downs and laughter (mostly Toni laughing at my inability to keep in time to the music or having two left feet!), but its been such an amazing journey, which isn't over yet, of course. I'm so proud of myself for developing the strength to even try this at my age.

Flamenco is a hard dance to master, and I certainly don't think I've mastered it in 3 weeks. Could anyone?

What I know is that this is my homage to Amaya, who had so much self-belief, grit and displayed such sheer strength, happiness and joy in performing her art.

But, as I mentioned, the journey isn't over. I'm still not feeling 100% string enough in terms of 'force', stature and grounded steps during the choreography practice sessions, so there is a huge amount of work to be done between now and Monday afternoon.

Things took a turn for the better today in terms of practicing to music. The original plan, where music was concerned, was that the original music I had from the first ever Amaya dance I saw, the one we're adapting, was just too fast and complex for me to follow. So Toni and I had agreed that we would get someone to record a slower version of something for me to dance to. But I couldn't really justify the money I might need to record a slower version, so we just decided we would go for the original music and use that as our foundation for the choreography, which made me very happy indeed.

This rhythm is so complex that even Toni found it difficult to follow, but was brilliant in timing whatever steps we had done, so that they fitted together with the music.

This music in the first half, you see, changes in speed a lot, which was good actually when it came to some of the stamps that I struggle with - as they can now be done a lot slower.

We tried the moves to the music, and yep, its fast. But I am so determined to do this, and I'm not giving in until its done, really.

Even though its only really been a rough practice to the music today, I felt great satisfaction in what I'd achieved this week.

OK, my technique on a lot of the moves and steps needs a lot of work, but Carmen's spirit is there. It just needs to be there more. I'm not trying to be her, but trying to understand what she was trying to get across, so I need to toughen up more, but still be a woman.

Its great though how this process is bringing out more confidence and strength in my femininity and how much untapped potential we all do have, male or female.

Good news also in that the camera operator is also sorted for the shoot now too. Just a recce to do tomorrow. I want this to be a tribute to Amaya in a contemporary way, so we'll see what the recce of the location gives us to work with. Then its just 'wardrobe' research / buying etc which is good.

Bien.