Tuesday, March 31, 2015

April 2015 at Madrid with Amelia Vega


Flamenco on fire


Upcoming with Francine La Rubi at Huston, Texas


July 2015 at Itlay


Travelling Spain for the flamenco




Kids at Suzanne Dellal, Tel Aviv. April 2015



מופעי פסח לילדים במרכז סוזן דלל!
5.4 עננוצה – קבוצת מחול נעה דר - http://bit.ly/Noa_Dar (קוד 'נוצה' לקבלת הטבה)
7-8.4 דקה'לה - אנסמבל בת-שבע - http://bit.ly/1x06bYo
7.4 - כתם, כתר, קטשופ – אהבה - מאיה לוי - http://bit.ly/1yLFZft
8.4 – יואל אמר – תיאטרון הקרון - http://bit.ly/1Eji9j5 (קוד 'יואל' לקבלת הטבה)
11.4 - שלגיה ושבעת הגמדים - להקת הפלמנקו הישראלית COMPAS –http://bit.ly/1qRhy1O
11.4 – דגי זהב - להקת המחול ענבל פינטו ואבשלום פולק - http://bit.ly/Gold_Fish
ובנוסף: ארוחת ילדים ב Cafe cafe | קפה קפה ב-35 ₪.

Happy birthday Eti Guri


A photo by Natasha Shakhnes

Monday, March 30, 2015

Adrián Santana en Las Carboneras, Madrid


Manuel Liñán


Esperanza Fernandez at Miami, Florida


Igaely Yehuda and Sharon Saguy


A photo by Natasha Shakhnes

Sharon Saguy


A photo by Natasha Shakhnes

This May - Concha Jareño at Amor De Dios (Madrid, Spain)


Saturday, March 28, 2015

María José León


A photo by José Ramón Zacha

"El Baúl de los Flamencos" en el Festival de Jerez





Taking a part at Snow White and 7 Dwarfs (Compas Company)

It took me almost a week to start writing about it. The reason it took so long is a mix of few things: I'm still shocked it really happened (looks like a dream), I had few crazy days with more activity and less sleeping than the usual (not all around flamenco) and I needed to finish to tell other stories first. There is an order to anything. 

Compas Company has their own version to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It's half play, half flamenco show. It's a show made for kids, probably that's the reason I still never went to see it myself although my love to this flamenco company. They are running with this show for years. Probably I will take my niece to see it one day - unless I will find myself once again at this amazing/crazy situation. This flamenco group has started as a company 15 years ago by the dancer Mijal Natan. She's still takes a part by dancing at their shows, still takes a part as their artistic manager, still manage the company itself and choose dancers when the human composition is changing. For a year and a half I'm a proud student of Mijal. Hopefully to stay at her studio and learn from her for much longer. 

So, coming to the studio for a class that I take on Mondays. A moment before the class has started Mijal asked to talk with me alone. She asked me if I have anything to do next Monday afternoon. I said no. Only after I was thinking about a volunteering thing that I started recently. Never mind, I will tell her if I will have a problem to change the day for once. Mijal told me that next Monday they will perform with Snow White and Seven Dwarfs at Ma'alot Tarshiha (it's a city at the north that includes a community of Jewish and Muslims that lives together). Do I mind to come with them? No problem. I thought at the first moment that she wants me to help at the backstage - as I did with Concha at Días de Flamenco this year. Wrong thought. She said that they have a missing dwarf, so she wants me to perform with them. WHAT? But I don't know this show.... And I didn't think that I'm good enough to perform in a show at a level of professionals. Mijal told me that she will give me the sleepy dwarf (in case that I accept to perform with them). It means not much dancing, more getting into stage and "sleep" on stage. One of the dancers (probably Moran) will show me the entrances. OK, no problem. Mijal said that Keren will be in touch with me for a bit before - just to "close the edges" By the way - this time the text will go on at Arabic. Not anything that I needed to worry for - I had nothing to say at this show.

At the day of the show... I didn't need to go alone. We've been given a transportation for us. Car and a driver for us. Two stops at Tel Aviv. The closest to my house was the first stop - at the studio. Early noon to be there. All has started wrong for me that day, I was too close for coming late. I came at the last moment. Ayelet who made Snow White this time was there. She was the person who's responsible that all comes. She was too close to look for my phone number for she could check out when do I really come. I was too close for a heart attack. We picked up one more girl. The other girl came with a car and didn't find parking. When she finally did - the parking place was on the way, so we started the ride and took her at a place that wasn't at the first plan. She and another girl we picked up when we came out from Tel Aviv are girls that I learn with at regular classes, but they also take classes of destine. At second stop at Tel Aviv Hadas was there just to say hello. A woman that I dodn't know came up. No one told me who is she, I was wondering how could I ask without to sound weird. I found out at the end that although she isn't a part of the group/studio - she's been taken as the show manager, and not for the first time. The girls from the company dislike her. Go on outside Tel Aviv. The stop we took the second girl from destine, a girl I used to call her "the nice one" when I used to write about every regular class. Her name is Yael. There are many girls this name at Israel. Later on when we got near the north was the next stop. We picked up Mijal and her daughter Lia. Lia became a pro dancer as well and has been taken for the company. And for this show. And.... Now I found out that Yael Tuchfeld came back for a visit at Israel. Her professional career has started at this company. Now she lives most of time at Seville, since she was winning first place at a contest of Adi Foundation. She's there and taken for this time. Kisses for all. For me she didn't need to explain a thing, we know each other for a long time. She told the show manager that she got used for kisses. 

We got the place after a long ride. Two and half hours of ride or so. I didn't have my hand watch (story by itself), the battery of my phone has gone before we got there. I have a clue about time. I was glad that that brought the charger of my phone. Backstage of this hall there are many dressing rooms, all spacious and comfortable. Next to each mirror there is a place to charge phones (or use power for other things). First thing I did was to put my phone to charge. I shared the room with Vlada, Lia and Mijal. We could have there some other girls as well if we needed. We started to manage the stage. I just helped a bit. I didn't really know how and the girls already knew the job. They made it fast without a big help of mine. Now I knew that there is a part of woods and I don't have it. Coming back to dressing rooms. Moran came to bring me clothes for the show. She showed me about most how to wear it. When most was ready on me - a bit of battery at my battery let me the option to make a selfie:



I've been asked a moment after to join the girls for stage. A little rehearsal of the dwarfs. Just to tell me how to make my part, by the way that all could see how to manage the stage. Less than an hour to start the show. The girls has started to teach me some steps of the dwarfs. Mijal stopped it. She said it's impossible to teach this way. Few changes has been done at the last moment. It meant by the way more freedom for me to make it as improvisation (or in other words - more to sleep, wake up and back to sleep). Go back to dressing rooms for being ready for the show. I finished to dress up. Whatever I wasn't sure about the dressing - Vlada and Lia told how to make it. I had a bonnet. It covered my ears to the end, a lot of because it needed to be this way, a bit to cover my earrings.  Go next to stage. The other girls has warmed up. the knowledge finally got into my head. I'm about to perform with professional dancers at a show that meant to be professional, I never saw this show before and the only rehearsal I had took less than an hour before the show has started...  Ayelet and Yael from the destine noticed that I'm stressed. They made a try to relax me. Sweet of them, but it didn't work out to the end. I did hope it will be fine, but I wasn't sure that they really mean it. 

The show has started. The prince was made by a man that I didn't seen before. I don't know who is. No one has introduce between us. I didn't have time to try talking with him. Ayelet was Snow White. Her part was including dancing and talking. The "prince" didn't dance. Mijal was the witch, so she was talkingand dancing. All talking were at Arabic as I've been told. After a while the kids has started to respond in a way kids do (made a try to answer the characters on stage). Vlada was the hunter accept being a dwarf. Her part included in both cases dancing without talking. I understood after a while what did the woods mean. The other girls who made the dwarfs got into the "woods" at the Scenery while on them special parts of fabric. That part showed the running of Snow White into the woods when the hunter leaved her there. The fear of it. A bit after - the girls got into back stage stayed as "dwarfs". We made our first entrance as dwarfs. I wasn't in a mood to check out the audience. I "fell to sleep" not much after. I just made a try to be aware to the other girls who were dancing. I think I missed something cause I needed someone to call me. I joined them. Our entrance was with little chairs we were putting on stage. At this moment the chairs were in a half circle. The other girls were dancing by sitting on it. One of the parts they wanted to teach me. I was sitting on the stage next to my chair. My head over my chair. I was pretending that I'm sleeping. Yael Tuchfeld was the closest to me. After a while she was shaking me. I "woke up" and got my head up. She push my head back to chair after a little moment. It didn't hurt, but I was surprised. After a while they "woke me up" to get down of the stage. 

Second entrance. Go on pretending that I'm sleeping, getting awake and back to sleep while the other girls dance around. By this time I started to notice the audience. The hall wasn't full. Although my stress I was sorry for the chairs that left empty at the hall. Although the community is mixed there  - all the audience was build on Muslim women wearing Hijab who came with their kids. That's an interesting audience to start with when it isn't build on people that I know. At this part I noticed that there was a photographer who took some photos of us. I mean a photorapher with a professional camera. 

At the third and last entrance of the dwarfs I needed to sleep next to the dead body of Snow White. It was the moment after the poisoned apple. At the start I fel to sleep pretty near Ayelet, but I noticed that not enough. I dragged myself to another part next to her. I made a try to look like I woke up and try to get up. The girls were dancing a farruca next to her that they called "the farruca of death". I needed to move a bit more for not disturbing and for they won;t need to worry if they step on me. This time I could do it more gentle. After this farruca they set around Ayelet. This time the closest to me was Vlada. After a while the "prince" came to wake Snow White. Vlada was shaking me. She said "Orna, get up! Be happy because Ayelet woke up, but you're getting back to sleep!". Oh dear, the thing that I wanted to do the most is laughing out loud. I just a made a face and got back sleeping. 

End of show. Bow down. The kids has been invited to stand next to the stage. Mijal, the "prince" and the girls from the company were standing in one row at the front, me and the girls from the destine took few steps behind them. The kids has been told that the boys will look at Mijal and the "prince", the girls will look at the others. We showed them a bit how to make some hands' work. After that - few basic steps. After we played with them a bit. Mothers asked to take some photos of their kids with the characters. Two mothers got "stuck" on me. They asked each one in her turn to take a photo of her kid with me. I hate to say it, but one of the kids was a bit afraid of me at the start. It took him a little time to accept sitting next to me for  a photo. 

At the dressing room. I asked Vlada and Lia if any of them accept to take a photo of mine before I change. Lia took my phone. She took few photos. Again - I think that last one was the best


After I started to change Mijal got back. The girls asked me how did it feel to me. I said that I hope I didn't screw it up. Vlada said that I didn't have what to screw. She's maybe right, but I was too stress to think this way. Mijal said that she looked from the side and I made it cute. By the way she's been told that finally the audience of this place enjoy the show that they see. They started to talk about the photographer. Mijal said he's been sent by the hall's management. I asked her if some photos will be sending. Vlada liked the idea. She said that there are no new photos from this show for too long. Mijal said that she will tell Keren to ask if they mind to send us some photos. 

Taking off the scenery. Taking all. Coming back home late, tired, but happy. I hope that soon I will have some photos from the show itself


Friday, March 27, 2015

Adi Movdat (La Piconera)


April 2015 at Amsterdam


July 2015 at Italy


Here it comes at Italy


Ana Calí


Sharon Saguy







Photos by Shmulik Balmas

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Adi Akiva, photos by Serge Sluyts










Adi Akiva


Farruquito


Trae en Abril : Belén Maya


Escuela De Flamenco Mari Paz Lucena
Trae en Abril : Belén Maya 
Informaciones adicionales tel 958.20.61.72

Arcangel


Second day as a dresser

OK, finally I write about it (after  not enough spare time, not enough sleeping but with lots of guilty feelings). As I wrote before - the festival Días de Flamenco just happened. This time the main show was Flamenco Toolbox of Concha Jareño. She isn't the only one on stage, but it her show. And she gave the workshop. That festival always at Suzanne Dellal, Tel Aviv. Normally happens at mid March, always Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Last year they made it on April for once, probably because they made a try to make it special for the 20 year it happened.  I got my ticket to see her show at Friday night for the main show as I do for years. I made my choice to take again the workshop of the festival. I had a feeling it will be a good idea to try to learn a bit from Concha. I can't say that I'm sorry for that. I'm not always take the workshops, but the first ever that I took was through this festival (when the main artist was Farruquito). I gave a little time and still somehow it's fourth year in a row that I take it. Probably I got addicted a bit too much to flamenco (if it's possible to have "too much flamenco), maybe the idea that I start to feel that I must show myself and see others from the Israeli community of Israel, maybe for having one more story to tell here. Maybe all. Again - nothing to be sorry for. She's amazing and I did my part for having all. I was sure it ends by that. Mistake. I was her dresser for the show at Thursday and Saturday night. Till last moment it wasn't sure who will replace me at Friday night as the dresser. By the way I had so many things since - with or without connection to flamenco. There for it took me so long to finish writing all. Now about the festival of this year and about Concha it's the last story. Hopefully nothing will go wrong for I will have some more stories of next years of this festival, and hopfeully I will have some more stories about Concha. 

So, the thing itself:

Saturday night. It includes a gala. I never went to it before. I know, a shame for a blogger who's crazy for flamenco till she writes about it. Anyway, I don't get my tickets for free and the gala costs more. I can't afford myself to take it every year - mostly with all the other shows that I take and all the workshop. And it took me few years between getting into flamenco as I do now and between the moment I understood what does it mean. And no, I still take more than I can. The gala means having the main show. But before it starts there is the final part of the contest that Adi Foundation makes as a part of the festival. Sometimes one more thing. And all at the same crazy price. I guess I can;t blame them, they need the money as I do. This year accept the contest - Adva Yermiyahu was dancing before the main show. Two parts of a project she made which is a mix of flamenco and performance (she finished a school of theatre that goes a bit different). I was meeting her at Friday morning at the workshop. After the workshop she asked who will come I told her that I do, but I will come for dressing Concha. That little thing and what happened between us at the backstage look a bit weird to my eyes. 

Saturday night. I came before time for my happiness. Already a mess.  a fast hello to Idit who came. I knew that Ilan suppose to be there. I was looking for him first (I had time for that). I noticed the woman who I know through Neta's studio and used see as my friend. I ignored her. I started to wonder that it probably drives her crazy that I got myself the entrance to the backstage in case she already heard about it. It drove me crazy that now she will try to control Ilan. She looked at me as I was walking next to her. I ignored one more that thinks herself too much. I noticed Ilan after a while. He was talking with someone I don't know. With them was the one who used to be my friend, I tapped Ilan's hand. He looked at me and responded like he's surprised to see me. I made a try to laugh about it. Oh really, didn't you know you'll see me here? Ilan asked me how does that I'm not in yet. I'm about to get in. My ex friend looked at us. Although we didn't talk between us she was smiling and almost looked like she enjoy the situation. They got into the hall, I was looking for David for he will let me enter the backstage. He was close to the door of backstage, so it wasn't a problem. He was sure that I know the code. He said something about it. Well, I really don't. He told me the code and let me enter alone this time. 

The first part of the evening has started not much after I got in. Concha was at her room and the door was closed. This time I knew that my help starts a moment before she get up to perform. I didn't want to disturb her with no reason, better let her say when she start to need my help. By the way I had the chance to talk a bit with David el Galli who's one of the singers of this show. I told him that at the night before I saw the show and loved it. It's a unique one. He smiled and thanked me. The first part for the audience has started. Concha called Silvia (the manger of the show) for help. I heard her ask Silvia if I already came. Silvia answered that I did. I didn't hear what was the exact respond of Concha, but it sounded like a relief. Although Eva told me that I could see the contest - at this moment I knew that I did the right thing that I was choosing to miss it for being there for Concha before time. By the way Adva came to backstage to change after one part of hers. I asked her how did it go on. She said "fine, why didn't you come to see?". She made a try to sound like she's unsulted by me. Oh dear, I already saw many shows of her before, she knows that this time I came to work. What does she have to get insult? Later on Concha got out from her room for a moment, still wearing T-shirt and jeans. I came to say hello and tell her as well. She knew that I wasn't there at the night before for I could see the show, so I could just say that I loved this unique show. She smiled and thanked me me too, but looked a bit surprised. She got in to get ready. 

Yarden Amir was winning at the contest. She got in the back stage with the flowers. I started with to help Concha. I was ready to do my best. I already asked her about the next dress. This time instead of asking her which - I was pointing a dress and asked if it's the next one. She had a face of trying to think if being surprised or pleased that I remembered well. Silvia started to rush the artists from Spain to be ready. I heard her say too many times about the number of minutes to start. I wasn't sure for real when do they are about to start. Adrián was standing there next to the door that leads to stage. Some of his clothes were hanged there. He was dressed up. I was sure that in a moment he will get into stage. So, if I'm there anyway and I saw how amazing he dance - includes live at the night before - I wanted to make a positive connection. I said "muhca mierda". He looked at me. He looked a bit surprised that I talk to him. He did get through the doorm but got back. After all went to perform. I missed my chance to say all "mucha mierda". this time only surprised Adrián got it. 

 The show has started. I prepared next dress for it will take faster to Concha wearing it. I heard the music. I finally understood how much do I love this job. Now I knew how to help, I spent some time backstage with some talented flamenco artists (and I mean it - all of the artists of this show have a great talent for their part of flamenco), and hell - now I knew how does the show looks like! I could see at my head what happens those moments on stage. No, it wasn't a vision or anything close to it. I didn't remember all steps of all dances (of course) and my thoughts weren't clear enough to listen THAT hard. I mean that it was enough for me that moment to know how did Concha and Adrián were dressed up, to hear the music that comes from the stage and to know the main idea. I couldn't ask for more. 

Concha got back to change. Adrián made his first solo at this show. This time it seemed like all goes well. Concha looked more relaxed than the first night I dressed her. I was ready with help. This time I was more relaxed as well and it took me faster to help her change. Once again I was pointing a dress and asked her if it's the next one. Once again she had this face of she doesn't know if she should be surprised or pleased. Once again I remember well the order of dresses. OK, I will let go about it. That time I remembered the correct order of all dresses. If to tell the truth - I was surprised no less than Concha, but I was very proud of myself at the same time. . And from moment to moment I was more convinced that I enjoy doing it. The moments from the show still ran at my head through watching the clothes and hear the music. Sweet memories of the night before, some new sweet memories are happening now. 

And it didn't over by that. Although it took me some time to communicate with Adrián - now I'm sure that it isn't because he's a bad person, snobbish or whatever. He needs a little time. After the show has started it was clear that he received all the time he needed with me. First time he got back to change that evening... He knew I'm there, he knew that I could see. He didn't go to his room as a start. He just took off the performing clothes next to the door for the stage. He stayed this way at his underwear and just stood there. He leaned on the hokder of clothes, his side. No, I didn't take a photo. I didn't have bravery for it. Even if I took - no way that I would upload this photo to prove you anything. I was trying to think that I should stop staring at his ass, it isn't professional of me to do so. I guess that I asked myself to do something which is too big for me. Adva made a try to make me guilty feelings for not coming to see her instead of my job. My guilty feeling has started when I could stop staring at the private pip show that I received. After that I got guilty feelings that I didn't dare to take a photo, just for I could know for sure I wasn't dreaming. And because he has nothing to be shame about his body. Anyway, he had a luck that he got in his room to dress up for his next part. Not because of my dirty mind. A moment later a strange man found his way in to back stage with his daughter. I was wondering how did they get in. No one that I know and I didn't let them in. That man asked if I speak English. I do. He asked me how long would it take till the show will go on. It still at the middle....Next time that Concha came to change - he took off his camera and really wanted to take a photo of his daughter with Concha. NOW! Concha signed him "no" with the head. I was wondering how did crazy got in. I went after Concha to her room. I helped her to wear her bata de cola. She ran back to stage. One of stage workers (or something like this) came in. Oh, the crazy man knows him! And he speaks Hebrew! I didn't say a word. I found it less disturbing that he doesn't know that I understand and speak Hebrew as well than the fact he's there. And can't wait for the end of show for asking about a photo. After a while he gave up. He and his daughter went away. I was sorry for the kid, but I felt relief that they are gone. 

Later on Adrián was talking with me. He checked out that one of his shirts from the show started to dry from the sweat. Now, it's OK and he wanted me to know. That evening he asked more of my help than the first evening. He wanted me to hang more on the first costume he was wearing and with it he stripped me, later on he asked me to hang on some other costumes parts he was wearing. 

Last part of the show. One more man that I don't know. He started talking with me. He's the person that has been called every year to build and take off the stage at the festival. He asked me about when would the show finish for he could know when do he finish his work. By the way we were talking like we're friends or at least about to be. 

Before Concha took off her last dress of this show - I asked to have a photo with her. She accepted. I gave Silvia my phone (these days some people less afraid to use smartphones than cameras, and with no connection - in case Concha accept that I will publish the photo - I wanted a fast way to send it to Facebook). Silvia took three photos. I think that the last one is the best. I asked Concha. She doesn;t mind if I will upload the photo to Facebook (has been sent to Facebook before I got back home). I hoped to get a photo also with Adrián, mostly now when we're some kind of friends. I don't know if I wasn't calling loud enough or that he was too tired to give attention. He went with Ana Salazar to their rooms to change. I asked Concha and Silvia if there is anything else that I can help. Silvia gave me some more costumes from the show. Silvia told how does some of it meant to be hanged. 

OK, looked like I finished. I got out. I was sure I'll meet Ilan outside again. I wanted to tell him here and now about some of the things that just happened, by the way to ask him if he enjoyed the show. I didn't see him. I didn't see many people at all outside. Only few of the community. Adva was busy with others. After the scene at the start - maybe I should give her some space for a while. I saw Adar and wanted to throw up. Not many accept them. Ilan wasn't there (never mind that at the day after he told me he stayed there for drinking some wine). Eva and David weren't there. I would accept doing this job for free, but Eva told me that she will pay me for it, because of it I didn't like the fact that I don't see her. Fine, if she won;t make a contact with me - I will remind her that she made a promise.