To the heart of the castanets

Castanets, also called "palillos", "chacletas" or "tablillas de choque" do have their irrevocable place in flamenco, other spanish folklore and local dances. Its origin dates back to the prehistory and do have ancestors all over the world, but, curiosly, only had a constant evolution on the Iberian Peninsula until modern times. Its great-great grandmother was the “Crusmata” ibérica, formed by two pieces of wood, plain stones or seashells, which were fixed by a cord going through the holes of that pieces in contrast to other instruments of this type. Nowadays there are castanets in all sizes: In the region of León and Zamora you can find tiny "Pitos"  and on the Canary Islands the huge "Chácaras". Each pair of castanets is composed of a male (with a deep sound) and a female (with a higher sound). Castanets have to be played during many hours before they get best sonority. They have to be protected from humidity, extreme temperatures and changes of environments to safe them from breakage using a special case to keep them after each use. 

Parts of a castanet, translation: oreja= ear, puente= bridge, labio= lip, concha= shell, corazón= heart, punto= point

The Flamencodress (I)

...how it developed:

In the nineteenth century, women of the poorer levels went with their husbands to the livestock market in Seville to trade. Therefore they lived in constructions made with length of material, which were the predecessors of the marquees which are used nowadays at the "Feria" of Seville.

These women used to wear working dresses with a flounce and a patterned pinny. This was comfortable and attractive at the same time, because those dresses acentuated feminine figure.

Both reasons were decesive for the spreading of this kind of dress into other social levels and not longer being a garment of poor people.

When the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929 was celebrated  in Seville and not much left from the former livestock market, Flamencodress turned to folk costume. Now even rich ladies weared it and fitted it out with lot of accessories.

Meadow flowers turned to combs and roses, small and large shawls were weared, earrings, necklaces and bangles. On such an important date for the city of Seville, the flamencodress, also called gipsy or sevillian dress, got to the essential garment to take part of the fair of Seville.

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Did you know?

Z A P A T E O

Also known as “zapateado”, zapateo is called the rhythmic percussion of feet using shoes with leather sole and nails under heels and tips. The sound is made by different ways, the most important are:

Golpes =  deep sound banging the floor with the whole sole of the shoe

Planta = sound created banging the floor only with the bottom of the front part of the foot, keeping ist sole very flexed for a clear sound. This is the most difficult movement of Zapateo.

Tacón = high sound made by banging the floor only with the heel, keeping the foot on the floor or up.

Punta = sound done only by the tip of the shoe

These basic movements of Zapateo are combined on different ways to create musicality of percussion. This combinations are used in dance

    ·                   To do a call to the singer to start

·         To finish a singing part

·         To change from a singing part to an footmovement part

·         To begin an „escobilla“

·         To acelerate rhythm

·         To change rhythm

·         To end a dance

Abc of Flamenco

Belén Maya

(New York, 1966). Bailaora, dancer “the filmpostersilhuette of  'Flamenco' from Carlos Saura”

Belén Maya García was born during a tour of her parents Carmen Mora and Mario Maya in New York (USA). She began her training in Madrid where she ever had her home. She acted as soloist dancer and PrimaBallarina at Carmen Cortés and Mario Maya companies. Completing her training in Italy, Germany and Great Britain with classic, hindu and modern dance, her style became exceptional , taking tradition, modernisation and aesthetic to he same level. Belen Maya joins stage with teaching. She is staffmember of the Jerez Festival.

SPAIN´S  Tablaos  flamencos

“El Arenal” Seville

Anno 1975, owner: Curro Vélez, dancer and choreographer

 El Arenal is one of the most important tablaos of Andalusia. In a typical building from the 17th century, completly reformed, El Arenal receives the flamenco-loving guests in one of the most visited places of Seville: between the bullring “La Maestranza” and the river Guadalquivir. The shows and traditional andalusian gastronomy are offered within the so typical decoration of Spain´s south.

 

    www.tablaoelarenal.com

 

 

Did you know?

A L E G R I A S

Also known as “Alegría” or “Cantiñas” are as well flamenco singing and dancing with a very lively music wich belong to he group of „Cantes de Cadíz". Descendants of the „Soleares“, Alegrias are celebration singings, considered one of the most important kinds of Flamenco.

They are played with twelve times,

beating mostly the accent on 1st, 3rd, 8th, 10th and 12th or

1st, 3rd, 7th, 8th and 12th.

The rhythmstructure is very similar to the “Solea”, but with a faster rhythm.

                                      "Alegrías" (Manolo Sanlúcar)

  http://youtu.be/BvzEtFKyYqA

"Alegrías"

(Gala Escuela Baile Flamenco, Fundación Cante de las Minas, La Union)

 

 

 

 

Why black?

¿Who said, that flamencoshoes are black?
Dare with some colour like the "Huelva" model from Ball Pilmar in pink leather and suede. With leather sole and nails for best sound, first class materials and improved insole for better confort ,
                                      this shoes fit your feet like a glove.

http://forflamenco.com/producto/zapato-flamenco-huelva-cordonera/