The great thing about learning flamenco in this day and age is that you don’t have to travel to Spain to do so. Heck, you don’t even have to leave your living room. I mean, a trip to the mother land is preferable, but not always feasible. I’m lucky that I’ve made it there twice (before I took up the dance) and I hope to go back someday to take classes, but until then, I seek inspiration on YouTube.
Here’s what I watched today at lunch. First, it’s an old-school clip of a lovely long-haired woman performing bulerias. How I long to be a lovely long-haired woman who can dance like this. There’s something about these old clips I love; black-and-white ladies always look so elegant:
Next is a modern clip. Notice the long arms and how beautifully she moves them, unlike me — my long arms could be mistaken for two waving party streamers or stiff tree branches, depending on what I’m trying to do. I guarantee my solea por buleria does not look like this:
Nothing replaces in-person learning from a master teacher (like mine!) but it’s beneficial to see various performances from dancers past and present. It gives you a better understanding of how the art has evolved or stayed the same, and what qualities you want to bring to your own personal style. I have a clear vision of what I want my style to be. Now I just need to work on it …
Married to the Dance 