No, not like that. I'm talking about rekindling one of my first loves. There are a handful of things I have loved since before I can remember: my family, singing (I starting belting it out before I could talk), horses (when I saw Mustangs in the parking lot I would start squealing "horsie! horsie!"), and dance. I have had a tumultuous relationship with dance. When I was six my parents decided I could start ballet classes, and like many young girls I was convinced I would be a ballerina. That dream was crushed when I realized I wasn't dancing often enough (I wasn't at boarding school), I didn't have the technique, and I was too tall. I took a small break in high school, but started back up again in college. You don't have to be the best in the world at something to love it. There is no prerequisite for having a passion, but it took me a while to realize this. It wasn't until this past year that I started to tell people yes when they asked if I was a dancer (thank you Kelly Silliman for making me realize I could claim that). I am not the best dancer by far, I know that, but I love it. My passion for dance leads me to the love that I've found in Spain. Tonight I took my first flamenco class, and it was like the language barrier disappeared for the first time since I've arrived. Sure, there were some struggles with getting loaner-shoes that fit, and I'm certain I missed some of the asides the instructor made to the class. But in a studio it's like there is a different language. Communication happens primarily through rhythm and motion. I was able watch the instructors feet and count the beats of the music, and finally I was immersed in a language I completely understood. This is not to say I'm an expert at flamenco--I definitely have a lot to learn. The beats of flamenco are vastly different from the ones I'm used to--one TWO one two THREE four five SIX seven EIGHT nine TEN, opposed to a simple one two three four, or a waltz of ONE two three (that will make sense if you play music or dance...if not just skip over it and understand flamenco has a unique rhythm to count). The hands--more specifically the motion of your wrists--are completely different as well. Despite all these differences I am ecstatic to start learning a new style of dance. After all, if it were exactly the same as ballet or modern what would the challenge (and fun) be? Image from Microsoft Office Clip Art. Accessed 19 Sep 2012 http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/images/results.aspx?qu=flamenco&ex=1#ai:MP900430702|
1 Comment
KS
9/19/2012 05:59:08 pm
Oh my gosh, a shout out! Gracias, hermana de mi corazon! I don't even remember talking about that but I totally believe it. Good for you, and yay for flamenco! xoxoxo
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Claire AngelineI am traveling the world from October 2017-October 2018, and the plan is to visit all seven continents. I'm a vegetarian foodie, a baker, a dance enthusiast, a nonprofit co-founder, and a huge travel addict. When I'm not traveling I'm putting my MPH to good use and doing public health research. Archives
September 2016
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