This is Real, This is Me

Dear Reader, 

There are some things in life that are just unattainable in a lifetime. The culture of Flamenco dancing/music is one of those things. There are so many influences from different areas of the world that no one knows where it started really. It is kind of like milking a cow; no one really knows who the first person was to look at a cow’s utters and think, “Let’s drink what comes out of those!” It is something that is amazing but has little known about its origin. Anyway, that was a random tangent. Allow me to return to this week’s trip.

The three dancers for the show (See below)

We took a trip to Córdoba, Sevilla and Granada this week. Wednesday night was the highlight, possibly the best night of the entire program (There is still another month, so we will see if that holds true). The night consisted of a trip to the only Flamenco Museum in the world, which resides in Sevilla. It was kind of an adventure getting there because the building is on a small, alley-like street that is behind several other side streets. Upon arriving, we took a tour of the evolution of Flamenco from classical, Indian and other influences. That was just a warm-up for what came next!

                

Kaiser loves to dance Flamenco!

Rosa, an employee at the museum and a professional Flamenco dancer, gave our group a private class. It turns out our group is talented, because she said she had to move on to moves she does not normally teach to groups like ours. In other words, BYU can be proud of their students who can move. We learned a short routine and she taught us about improvising in Flamenco. She taught us the Tango style of Flamenco, which is one of dozens of styles. Then we each got a chance to show off our stuff in an improvisation circle, again with just our group. We bonded on a whole new level with that activity. I really loved it.

                

To top off the evening, there was a Flamenco show featuring several of the styles we learned about in the museum and in the class Rosa gave. She was in the show, too! Man, she can really move. She was one of three dancers, accompanied by a singer and a guitarist. There is only one way to describe the performance: these five people on stage are true artists. People with experience, talent, passion, and dedication like them are few and very far between. One of the things we talked about in the class and the museum tour was the communication between flamenco performers. While on stage, the guitarist was so focused on the feet of the dancers and could read their movements perfectly. For the ballroom dancers reading this, it is similar to the connection you feel with your partner on the floor, especially during the waltz or blues dancing.

The Artists; Rosa, our teacher, is on the right next to the guitarist. 

Another thing I love about real artists such as these dancers is the idea suggested by today’s song, “This is Me.” Demi Lovato sings about showing her true self, despite what the world may think. That song came to mind while sharing the night with Rosa and her colleagues because that is what they were saying through dance. The different styles covered almost, if not the entire spectrum of human emotion. Rosa showed us passion in one of her solos. Dani, the male dancer, showed flirtation and seduction with one dance and then switched to discipline and tradition in another. All the performers showed pure joy at one point or another, while the singer showed sadness and pain. Long story short, we all felt every human emotion sometime during the show. That is art.

                

To finish off for today, I exhort you to visit this museum of Flamenco if you are ever in Spain for any reason. You will not regret it. It is in Seville, about 6 hours driving from Madrid. 

P.S. Isabell and Natalie loved it. They wanted a shout-out. Also, love is in the air here in Spain. More details to come!