From: wells@cs.hw.ac.uk (Francis Wells)
Newsgroups: soc.motss
Subject: Bailar el Flamenco (was Different Cultures)
Date: 13 Apr 92 11:26:23 GMT
Organization: Dept of Computer Science, Heriot-Watt University, Scotland


In article <1992Apr13.060205.21765@schaefer.math.wisc.edu> you write:
>Now, what color dress should I get? I like blue more than red, but
>all the flamenco dancers I remember seeing (movies, dolls etc)
>wore red with a red rose between their lips. And, of course the shoes
>and the castanets must be color coordinated with the dress....
>This is going to be a project of monumental complexity. 
Querida Jari,
	colours worn include: peach,amber,yellow,scarlet,blood-red,Black &
white, mauve,magenta,lilac, cream... hell, I've even seen turquoise!!
...it's only a tourist tradition that dictates the colour is always red; that
and the fact that in those days of yore red dye was the most common.  Pick a
colour that suits you and then colour the underside with a complementary colour
(something opposite eg scarlet/gold, b&w/scarlet, powder blue/magenta...)

Another fallacy is the one about the rose.  Why would people want to put a 
(nevertheless beautiful) thorny stem in their mouth ?? No, the flower of trad
Spanish dance is the *Carnation* La flor del amor...
red for love and passion;white for innocence and devotion;pink for joy and 
carefree celebration;yellow for malice and intent.

Shoes? Black or white (or any combination thereof).

Castanets are traditionally made from darkwoods (eg ebony) so theonly colour 
to worry about is that of the binding which should complement your dress.  
Ideally the colour of the underside of your garment is the colour chosen for
the castanet bindings.  The lace head veils can be either black or white or 
the colour of the dress.  Black veils (for me at any rate) are synonymous 
with death and widowhood - so I wouldn't recommend them.

The shawls I've seen have always been white or black.  Again the black ones 
were worn by the older women and suggested that they mourned (Mourning dress
is still abig thing among the older Spanish - but I digress).  

Now onto technique... 

Hands:
stand with your feet between 1-1.5 feet apart both hands holding your dress at
the hip. Eres la mujer de la tierra, so keep your head up in arrogant 
indignance of the land that the men call their own.  As the music starts sway
gently from side to side turning your hips but keeping your head still. 
Then as the main theme get underway raise your leading hand above your head 
and "reach out and grasp that apple".  "Once you have taken hold of the apple,
twist and pull it off the tree.  Bring it to your face; take a bite and then
throw it behind you in a jerky movement of superiority" turning your head at
the same time to the other side to give an indication of your total disregard 
for that supposed male domination.  Now you can repeat this motion with the
other hand.

Dress:
If the music is fast, then you might wish to pick up the skirts and shuggle
them from side to side as you tap your heels or sway your head.

Head movement:
Normally your head is posed in arrogant defiance - purposely avoiding the 
look of your partner; or staring into those dark eyes with vehemence!

If you dance on your own then you are lost in the world of the music so you 
can just shake your head in wide circles, as though you are in a frenzy of 
emotion. 

!Haz lo Jari! 

Tapping:

Depends on the music.  You can either tap the rhythm of the tune or just tap
getting progressively faster an louder (a Killer!).  The only real way to tap
in those high heels is to lift your whole foot off the ground...

Steps:

You know that four-step square (left foot to top right,swing right foot round
to the top left corner with a ducking motion of your body, left foot to bottom 
left corner, right foot to bottom right corner, repeat...) ?? That's basically
it; though if you are dancing with others there are the slide pasts and turns 
to consider.

Castanets are difficult to master (I can't) but are operated by the fingers 
while the arms are moved in intricate arcs.

Espero que llegues a bailar como una verdadera gitana... :-)

Paco , El hijo de su madre - !Claro! :-) :-)
____________________________________________________________________________
        This pink triangle was drawn \bi/ Francis Joseph Wells
B4 f t g++ k+(+) s+ p                 \/                    wells@hci.hw.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.motss