Month: February 2016

Wine
I’ve been having at least wine every day I’ve been here, if not two glasses, then one glass, and maybe a sherry instead (or, too). Yesterday was a sherry when I ran into Andrea in Plaza Plateros, immediately followed by the end of a bottle of tinto when I got home. Fun fun. But today in class I was a little dizzier than I should have been, so I’m taking the day off of wine and sherry today. I mean, we did learn a new turn, and had to repeat it, and I’m usually dizzy anyway, but.. let’s see if this helps? I’m not usually a glass-of-wine-a-day drinker so my body could be putting up a mild protest (i.e “WHAT THE EFF RED ALERT TOXIC”)

It’s time to get ready to go to a show. Tonight is Mercedes Ruiz, who taught me last week.

A lovely and happy sleep last night. I was in bed before 10:30, which hasn’t happened since I got here with shows/dinners. I was tired, and it was nice to have a full night’s sleep. We meant to go out to somewhere with flamenco music and drinks, or at least out for dinner, but once all the roommates were back from diverse activities in the evening we all had bread with meat and some red wine and relaxed at home.

New class starts today, but not until this afternoon, so I can lounge for this morning. I’m planning a big early lunch before I go: hopefully I remember too do this in time, and then remember too go to class.

Day Off
We have a day off from dance today. A new session begins tomorrow. I’ll be learning tientos with Isobel Bayon. I’m excited but my feet are still sore.

A day off might seem like a good day to rest but instead we went to market this morning to buy produce, where of course a flamenco mob occurred in the seafood section. We sort of stayed to watch but were also sort of trapped.

Then of course we stopped in at a flamenco store, and then of course it was lunch time and so had to stop for some tapas and fino. And then back home to drop off groceries only to take off again to try and visit the alcazar (closed) and to find the hammam.

It’s sunny and really cold today with the wind. I had to put on both cardigans and a hoodie along with my jacket and scarf. I don’t like the cold and wish for it to go away. Please. BUT the sun is shining in my window and warming my room AND we figured out how to make the heat com on in the apartment, so it’s cozy in here.

🙂 Spain!

P.S. Roommate update! Adam and Rachel and Baby have been replaced by Emma for this week. Emma arrived in Jerez like a miracle late last night and is now learning to navigate the twists and corners of this maze of a medieval city.

It is rainy this afternoon in Jerez. It patters against the window and if feels like home. I hope that unlike home, it stops soon.

Last day of the first week of classes today. Lots of fun finishing the choreo. I got a certificate: 15 hours of class completed.

Thursday
The only evidence I have that is indeed Thursday is the label written on my vitamin pills container, so I may be off.

Thursday means a break to the regular routine. I had class as usual this morning, but the show at the theatre tonight is not included in the pass, so we get the evening off. We have a plan to eat dinner at the regular time of 8:30-9:00 pm. Regular in Spain, anyway. (If you are wondering, I will probably have to have a snack or small second lunch before this.)

I enjoyed th show last night, and only partly because one of the dancers, Leonar Leal, has a short hair cut. There were a few parts where the dancers were doing flamenco with no shoes. My first thought was “Ya! No Shoes!;” my second thought was that I hope the dancers are careful because I’ve practiced flamenco with no shoes and my ankles started to hurt after a while. Most of the piece with no shoes was modern-ish movement, and not so much stomping, so they are probably fine. Hopefully you can see portions of the show by clicking this sentence.

(I critiqued myself yesterday for being vague and general when writing about the shows I’ve seen already. I’ll do better. I could go back and fix yesterday’s entry and add links and names and things, but I probably won’t).

Sunny and warm today. Me and Rachel and Baby went out for lunch and sat in the sun and I had to take my jacket off… And then drape my scarf over my head so my ears didn’t burn. Mmmm: little bits of salmon and bacon roasted on a stick with dates and olive oil. And vino tinto.

Tomorrow is the last day of class for the first week of the festival. Hopefully the dance will be finished – we haven’t gotten there yet. I’m not worried because what we’ve done already is fun and I like to dance it. (Goal for class tomorrow: try to move fan around in choreography like a flamenco dancer and not like a robot-clown).

Some notes about my class this week:
1)My teacher this week, Mercedes Ruiz, is doing a show next week and I get to watch it.
2)We do a good substantial warm-up every morning. The favorite exercise includes stretching our arms out to the side and holding them there. Then we flex our hands up, lower them down into fists and roll them back up again. Both hands go at the same time. Ten times repeated, then a little break where we shake out our wrists and groan, then ten time more.
3) Some of my classmates are really good: they inadvertently help me learn footwork and timing. Thank you, Good Classmates.

Hanging Out with Baby
One of my roomies this week is a baby. I can classify him as a roomie as I don’t have too much to do with him, as he is constantly in the care of either his mom or dad (Rachel and Adam). Other than the occasional squawk in the middle of the night he isn’t bad as far as roommates go. Of course, he has two well-trained caretakers cleaning up after him.

Yesterday I learned that the noise that he makes during nap time* that sounds like flamenco singing indicates that he’s about to go to sleep. Good to know!

*Coincidentally, his afternoon nap time very often coincides with my nap time.

Flamenco Shows
Our tuition for classes in the festival includes a pass for many of the nine-o’clock flamenco shows. These are almost nightly shows, and range from super traditional flamenco dance (polka-dotted costumes, shawls, and castanets) to super contemporary offerings (which still may include castanets, but play with the flamenco form just like contemporary ballet plays with traditional ballet). Both forms are good to watch to get a sense of what’s possible in flamenco. Of course, not everyone likes everything. I’ve seen five shows so far. Two were traditional, and three more modern. I like the modern works best, but traditional works are good education, and can be amazing. Several times, for both types, I have sat up in my seat, eyes wide wide I don’t miss anything, saying “wow.” Or “whoa.” Or, “ole,” which I should use more often, since I am in Spain.

Tonight there will be a flamenco dancer with short hair (at least she had short hair the last time I checked). So I am keen to see her.

Fun Fact
I have a wee blister on the top of my pinky toe from my new flamenco shoes. It doesn’t hurt but I have placed a small band aid upon it.

Rachel and Adam found a craft beer place called Gorila not far from the apartment. It is where Adam send me to find free WiFi and to try the freshest beer ever. It tastes like beer to me, but not the grossest beer, which the beer drinkers have taken as a bit of a compliment. I am here again now but have chosen to have fino this time (sherry). I like it better than beer. Also, there are jasmine trees in front of me:

Agenda complete so far today (Monday): flamenco class, lunch, bath, lie in sunbeam.

Flamenco class
The week started well, with us learning footwork for two days and I was happy and comfortable with this (mostly – I keep doing the wrong footwork at the wrong times, and one section I just can’t learn). Today we started arms and *fan.* This is my first go at using a fan in flamenco and it’s OK. It’s an extension of florea, so I am picking it up. Good idea to have a smaller fan though because the room is crowded. I’m learning to say “sorry” and “nonono it’s ok!” in several languages (the latter is mostly me just flapping my hands in front of me and shaking my head).

Lunch
I eat lunch alone this week, just with the others being out and about or in class at the time I get back and want to eat lunch. I sit at the little table in the kitchen with my back to the window: the sun shines in and is warm.

Bath
Feet sore: needed soak and exfoliant scrub. Much happy now.

Sunbeam
The sun shines in my bedroom window on to my bed. Obviously I take advantage. A nap may result.

Yesterday was Sunday so Christina and I went to several churches. We wanted to see inside some of the many churches that are here in Jerez. They aren’t all open all the time and so figured Sunday was a good time to see some. We got dressed up: we’d seen dressed-up people all day long going to church so it seemed right to do.

The first church we looked at is right across the way from our apartment.

It was full of people and incense. The people were lined up to kiss a statue of Jesus or a saint. I didn’t get too close. I didn’t last long inside this one because the incense was making my eyes itchy.

The next church we visited was about 16 or 19 steps away or so – there’s a lot of churches here. It was quiet, with just a few people praying inside. We walked along the side part – not the main aisle, but the corridor to the side (at history vocabulary, where are you?..) to look up at the inside of the dome. There were electronic candles that would light up with a donation. Christina tried 10 cents but that didn’t work: we thought maybe one needed to be Catholic to light a candle. We then noticed that a minimum 20 cent donation is required. I donated a euro and a candle lit up. Then Christina tried a euro, too, and a candle went out. We thought it best that we leave after that. Quickly.

Just before we left for the churches, we had noticed a big group of people having dinner in the window across from our kitchen. We thought: Sunday dinner, massive family, sure. But a bit later we heard singing, and through the same window we saw a group of children dressed in churchy choir gowns. We later saw them filing across the street to the church, so we must have overheard their practice. (Oddly, the flamenco show we went to last night included another children’s chorus. We are inundated by delightful children’s singing.)

The weather was chilly on our first days here and I was glad I had knit myself a new scarf for the trip. Yesterday and today it has warmed up considerably during the day, which is what I expected, nay, demanded for my stay in Jerez. Warm days and cool nights- this was what it was like during the last trip. The change came during siesta yesterday afternoon: I went outside and was impressed by the warm air. In contrast, I had to wear my woolly socks on the walk to class in the morning.

I have bought new flamenco shoes. They are neither black nor an audacious colour, both of which I was promising to purchase before my trip. They are navy blue and of the Senovilla brand. I thought I didn’t like Senovilla, because last trip I tried on many pairs and they always felt too wide in the toe. The trick, however, was that I was only trying the styles with straps and buckles, not lace-ups. The lace-ups fit fine in the toe: nice and snug. And in beautiful navy blue. Now as I think of it, they are probably fading in the sun as I have put them out on my little veranda to air out.

Today I did something I’ve never done before: drunk a beer in Spain. I still don’t like beer. I only bought it so I could sit down while I connected to free wi-fi. €1.50.

The weather was chilly on our first days here and I was glad I had knit myself a new scarf for the trip. Yesterday and today it has warmed up considerably during the day, which is what I expected, nay, demanded for my stay in Jerez. Warm days and cool nights- this was what it was like during the last trip. The change came during siesta yesterday afternoon: I went outside and was impressed by the warm air. In contrast, I had to wear my woolly socks on the walk to class in the morning.

I have bought new flamenco shoes. They are neither black nor an audacious colour, both of which I was promising to purchase before my trip. They are navy blue and of the Senovilla brand. I thought I didn’t like Senovilla, because last trip I tried on many pairs and they always felt too wide in the toe. The trick, however, was that I was only trying the styles with straps and buckles, not lace-ups. The lace-ups fit fine in the toe: nice and snug. And in beautiful navy blue. Now as I think of it, they are probably fading in the sun as I have put them out on my little veranda to air out.

Today I did something I’ve never done before: drunk a beer in Spain. I still don’t like beer. I only bought it so I could sit down while I connected to free wi-fi. €1.50.