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Learning from Clara Ramona

 

Learning from Clara Ramona

 

After watching The Flamenco Show

 I missed the premier, so I went to see at the second evening. 
The Flamenco Show.
The new show of Compas Company.
Dancers: Mijal Natan,  Ayelet Shachar, Moran Ron, Yaeli Zeituni and Maya Shani Palenbaum.
Guitars/singers (yeah, they both do both things): Shuky Shveiky and Ofir Atar
Palmas: Yael Tuchfeld

Also on stage: Goodwolf on keyboard + effects by Talya Yona Kliger

The show starts with a moment from the poster of it - all the dancers with the back to the audience with red fabrics from them on a big part of stage. It was a mix between farruca and rumba. A part of farruca, a part of rumba, back to farruca and back to rumba. The fabrics are fabrics that conacted to waist of dancers, not skirts. There is a lot of playing with it until they leave it on stage. They have pants under it, so a big part of it is dancing with pants. It goes very well with farruca, even if the dancers (like in this case) are women. 

After this part was a short musical thing. All dancers changed very fast their clothes and got back. Dresses with many colors that remind (but not the same) like a show they had before of Clasico Español. The flamenco shoes has been changed for ballet shoes. They had castanets this time. Alegria de Cadiz. The music was flamenco with effect, the dancing was more for Escuela Bolera. My eyes over the points of Yaeli.... 

Third part - once again a short musical part. All dancers came back to stage, flamenco shoes and dresses which are more traditional to flamenco. I loved the designs and colors as much as I loved the dance. This time it was a mix of siguiryia and guajira. After a while it was a dance for trio - Mijal, Ayelet and Moran. They had three matching fans to dance with at the guajira parts. 

One more short musical part. All dancers got back to the short finale with some different dresses. They started on chairs. Got up later on. 

It was very impressive at every visual thing. They danced like it's easy, but it wasn;t easy at all. And I have no idea how did they change their clothes so fast....

February with Pablo Egea

 

Learning from Luisa Serrano

Upcoming with Angela Carbajo

Angela Carbajo
Flamenco and flamenco lessons:

Technique and compass
Friday 17.00-18.30
Saturday 10.30-12.00
Sunday 10.30-12.00

Body and variations
Friday 18.30-20.00
Saturday 12.00-13.30
Sunday 12.00-13.30

Castanets
Friday 20.00-21.00
Saturday 13.30-14.30
Sunday 13.30-14.30

Ángela CARBAJO
Cours de flamenco et castagnettes :

TÉCNICA Y COMPÁS
vendredi 17.00-18.30
samedi 10.30-12.00
dimanche 10.30-12.00

CUERPO Y VARIACIONES
vendredi 18.30-20.00
samedi 12.00-13.30
dimanche 12.00-13.30

CASTAÑUELAS
vendredi 20.00-21.00
samedi 13.30-14.30
dimanche 13.30-14.30

... very soon with us...
Angela Carbajo
Flamenco and flamenco lessons:

Technique and compass
Friday 17.00-18.30
Saturday 10.30-12.00
Sunday 10.30-12.00

Body and variations
Friday 18.30-20.00
Saturday 12.00-13.30
Sunday 12.00-13.30

Castanets
Friday 20.00-21.00
Saturday 13.30-14.30
Sunday 13.30-14.30

Learning from Teresa Laiz at Madrid

Sundays at Jerusalem

Summer party at the studio of Mijal Natan

Most of flamenco studios at Israel start the year at September, near to the start of the Jewish year. Most of flamenco studios at Israel has end of year shows at June or July and go out for summer vacation. At the last few years I learn at the studio of Mijal Natan, a studio that became my flamenco home with time (with Suzanne Dellal, the place where I watch most of flamenco shows). The studio of Mijal works a little different than the other studios. At the studio of Mijal there are no summer vacations. The only vacations that the students have are those the students takes for their owns or nights that Compas Company (the flamenco group of Mijal Natan) has shows. At the past, before I started at this studio were some end of year shows, but Mijal decided it doesn't fit. She wants to teach instead of telling the students where do they have to stand on stage. There for since I started at this studio has been few "open classes", almost ordinary classes that the biggest difference that we could bring our families to see us. And one party for the studio students and families at the studio itself. Now we had a party with non official show at the studio.  So, it went this way:
All of us could invite few people for a show that doesn't cost them money. At noon. All of the students needed to come early  with something to eat or drink. I brought some chocolates (how typical) and some cups. We needed to help organize the chairs for the guests sit. I had four official guests: my sister and her daughter, my friend Maya and her husband. Ilan learn at the same studio even longer time that I am, but recently he can't come to the studio. He's a pro dancer and soon he will take a part at a production of the Israeli opera. And he still have a day job that recently he needs to be there for a longer time. He probably will be back after that opera production. He was a a gust of the studio, but it wasn't enough for me. I asked him to come even before. All came. Sadly my sister and her daughter couldn't stay till the end (my niece didn't feel well or something like that). Ilan came at the last moment. My friend Maya and her husband came when Mijal started to tell the guests what will gonna happen at the show and why do we do it this way. At fin la fiesta Maya and her husband needed to go. They stayed one more moment for photo. 

I came even earlier than needed. I had on mind like coming for a class and be sure that I come relaxed on time, so it came out too early. I saw the end of a rehearsal of the company. At the start I was watching. After few more came - I changed to my flamenco dress and shoes. I went to help with the chairs. Although I take over than one class a week - I wasn't sure how much would I dance. I knew that I will have for sure a caña that we finished recently. We have some new stuff that we only started recently, improvisation over martinete and a new dance with castanets - a palo that I didn't know before and I still not sure that I call it correct. I still brought my castanets just in case. Mijal said that we are about to have the show by the list, but maybe will be some changes. What list????? I didn't have any! One of the girls sent me the list at WhatsApp, Ayelet gave me the list at her hand's write for I will take a photo of it with my phone. Mijal said that the caña that I knew that I'm about to have will be third instead of a colombiana. I took this list up to the second floor, my stuff were there. I was looking for a place with a good light for the photo. It was on another chair. At the moment that I finished it and anted to take back the things - came behind me a grown up woman who was angry that she can't get into the place with this chair. I said that she doesn't have to be angry. She found out who am I and started to call my name. Only then I understood who she is. I won't say her name, but she's a flamenco teacher from another city. Between her studio and Mijal's studio there is some collaboration. She's a Facebook friend, but it's something like first time that I see her live. Now Enough for me to figure out that I don't like her. She wanted a program. I said that we have a list, but it's for the dancers. She wanted to know when is the colombiana. It meant to be third, but it changed, don't know. I came down and told Mijal that the other teacher is there and want to know when is the colombiana. They talked. I started to be busy with my guests. One of the girls asked me to take videos of her dances that she have without me. She gave me her camera for it.

Our show has started a little late. At the end it worked out well for half of my guests. At the studio there are also shows of the company in a tablao style from time to time. We used the lights of those shows. I was running between the floors. So the colombiana stayed a third dance. Gurau from Compas Company was teaching it at the studio of the other teacher's studio. Thenwas the caña. One of the girls who meant to dance with us couldn't come. Moran from the company learned this dance but wasn't suppose to dance it at the show took the place of the other girl. And Moran is pregnant, almost at the end of it. The caña itself - there was a moment that I made a mistake but moved on like nothing happened. This dance including two circles in a row that I used to do in front of a mirror till this week. For me it's my favorite circle which is very easy for me. Last class of the caña was first time that I tried it without a mirror. I lost the focus and it became harder. I wasn't sure how would I do it on show. Luckily I was too afraid to mess it up and found the way to think like I do it in a front of a mirror. That moment went smooth. Maya and her husband sat on the second floor to watch. Maya took those photos with her fone at the caña:

Two more dances. I was busy to look for my stuff. The other teacher and her students moved it the floor and one even sat on it. It was difficult to take it. The camera of the other girl was there and my castanets. Because of the mess, the stress and dark - some things fell down. One of the girls who learn with me once a week helped me to find out all the thing. My time to come back to stage with the  castanets. I noticed that my sister and her daughter were missing. I didn't have a time take care for it. It's only a start of dance. I was sure that I was the only one who has a problem to remember it. I've been told before the show it will be fine. we Were 4-5 girls (can't remember from stress). After a short while all of us stopped and looked one at another.... Ayelet was one of the girls. That was weird. She's a professional dancer and she have a great memory for those things, even for a dancer. Mijal stopped the music and said that it's luck it isn't a real show. We will start again. Not ALL the show, only this dance. We started again. We made it for few more steps. One of the girls made it look like we finished and started to go out proud. All of us went out after her. Oh no.....

I came up. I was putting my castanets at their bag. My phone was on silent. I was checking out if there is a message. My sister sent me a message that it was difficult for her daughter, my niece doesn't feel well so they went. OK, breath.... You have here some other people who came just for you.

My last part was improvisation over martinete. All the group was together on stage and each one of us made anything she wanted by rules and some steps we learned. Some new materials and lots of stress. I hardly remember a thing. I found myself just o something without being sure what did I do.
One of the girls from this group uploaded Facebook couple of phone photos from this moment:

The show has finished a bit after that. I hoped to have a photo with Maya and Ilan together. I couldn't find Ilan, Maya was hurry, so I hgot a fast phone photo with Maya alone:

 I changed to days clothes. I stayed a bit longer. I ate, drank and was talking with some people I know. I found Ilan. He was talking with someone who dance in another studio and I know a bit. The man from the other studio asked me if I still have this group at Facebook. Yeah, I still have. Oh, not the group. He meant to La Reina De LA Luna. Yeah, I still have it, no, it isn't a group at Facebook. I asked Ilan to have a photo with him. He asked to get in also the other man. Not sure which photos is better:

When I was about to go - I was talking with Ayelet and another girl from the studio. Ayelet also had the martinete, the other girl watched from the side. I told them it was difficult for me cause I wasn't sure. The girl that watched said that she was looking at me and I looked that I'm very sure in anything I did at the martinete. I didn't feel this way.... They both said at least I looked sure at myself. That's the most important thing

After watching Clasico Español of Compas Company

OK, this time I won't get into who I met before the show has started. Too weird. 

The show itself is the 21 official counting of Compas Company. Usually they are pure flamenco company from Israel. This time all show dedicated to Clasico Español - a dance which has started before flamenco and gave one of the influences to flamenco. It reminds ballet with castanets. Not all with castanets, but many of the dances do includes castanets. The show's name simply called "Clasico Español". It comes at two version - one with live music of an orchestra and one with recorded music. The live music depend at the hall where the show takes a part. So, I watched it at Suzanne Dellal. It's the best hall at Tel Aviv for flamenco and modern style dances, but it isn't a place for orchestras. I saw it with recorded music. This time - three new dancers from "outside" the company with classic ballet past. At the man part - Kobi Moshe and Omri Mashil (I hope that I write their names correct at Engllish). The woman dancer is  Einat Schacham who started as a ballet dancer and moved to flamenco. I saw her many times at the past on stage and I know her personally. She's one of the people who I based on my theory that most of times - the most talented flamenco artists are the nicest. 

As I wrote - all show is the Clasico Español. It isn't something which is easy to see here in Israel. Sometimes it gets into flamenco shows as small parts, but it's rare. So it was refreshing to something which is different but so close. The show made out of parts. At the show where three women dancers who gave kind of ballerinas and where leading a part at the show. At some short parts it was Mijal Natan - the manager of Compas Company and the choreographer of most of parts at the show. At many parts it was Ayelet Shachar. Ayelet was the first to do it on stage at this show. The first part was a version to the story "El Amor Brujo" with music of Manuel De Falla. At the last part of the show - the leading dancer was Einat Schacham. The last part was a bit comic at intent. Mijal had a part in a bigger dance, another time it was in a dance as a nun with bata de cola. 

Well. Mijal Natan is the choreographer of most of the show. The second part at the show was given from a bit outside. The dancer and choreographer Miguel Angel isn't at Compas Company but works a lot with them (for my pleasure, one more person at my theory of talent worth nice). This time the work together is a dance called "Ben Amor" with music of Pablo Luna. Miguel is the choreographer. The dancers are the regular dancers of Compas Company, all accept Mijal Natan. No leading dancers. 

By saying about all together - different, refreshing and unique. All made in a high level of dancing. 

After the show - me and some others who knows the dancers personally got into the backstage. This time I didn't ask for having a photo with anyone, but I did take couple of photos of Einat with Ilan at his phone. I've been given this job as a friend and as someone that Ilan trust with photos. I asked them to look if they are pleased, they didn't try to... Another person (no names - it was with a little weird conversation) asked me if it true that I always come with a camera. I do when I can, there it's a little problem accept some photography workshops... So, as far as still I didn't take photos of this show - I will give here one of the publicity photos (sorry, I'm not sure about who's the photographer)

Last tablao for 2017

So I went for another tablo of Compas Company, last one for 2017. 
The dancers were Mijal Natan, Ayelet Shachar, Moran Ron and Lia Sheinfeld. It was the first time that Lia Sheinfeld was dancing at a tablao and she did it well. 
On the guitar: Itamar Shapira
Singer: Ofir Atar

At the show itself: 
Ayelet was dancing a siguiryia with castanets. There was a musical part after that. Lia was dancing solea por buleria. There was a brake. Second part - Moran was dancing a solea with manton. Mijal was dancing a taranto. Ayelet, Moran and Lia were dancing romera-mirabra, Mijal was joining them. As fin la fiesta - sevillanas. Nijal was calling people from the audience who knows it to join them. She was asking me too, but I don't remember the steps, I start to practice again but it isn't enough yet. Many others did join. 

I was at the first row and took some photos. Here is a little bit of it: