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Just started accompanying!!
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Jon Boyes
Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
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 Just started accompanying!!
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Well guys one of my goals for a while has been to try accompanying baile, and last night I got there. I am so excited about this.
Here's the story..
There is only one pro flamenco dance instructor in our city, called Mercedes Romero, who runs dance classes, teaches privately and puts on shows. For some time I've been thinking of going along to her dance class and just seeing if she'd let me hang out and play along with the music (she uses CDs in her class). I thought about leaving this until I was more experienced, but last night I suddenly had a window (cancelled gig) and I thought what the heck, I am just dying to try this out, now or never..
So I turned up with guitar in hand, just as Mercedes (the dancer) is about to start her class. I went straight up to her and asked if she minded me playing along a little. She looks at me and my guitar case dubiously and says something like ..".. well I don't know what you can play..."
I said I could play along to Tangos and Rumba (I checked out the advert for the classes beforehand to see what she palos was doing this term), and I explained that although I had no experience accompanying I was sure I could pick it up and play along with her CD.
She still looks dubious (understandably!  ) and says.. "..well I don't know what kind of guitar you have.."
..so I assure her its a flamenco guitar (and not a Fender strat  ) in my case, and whip out the guitar to show her. I play through a few bars of Tangos, and suddenly she dashes off to get a chair, puts it in the corner of the dancefloor and announces to the dance class that I will be helping to accompany them.
Gulp! We're on! 
She goes thru palmas and basic steps with the class unaccompanied, then asks me to provide music.
I stick to the basics - straightforward, loud tangos compas with minimum fuss and no falsetas. After a while she asks me what else I can play - Farruca maybe? I'm not on safe ground here, so I suggest I play por rumba. She asks me to show her, so I demonstrate a quick rumba with slapping on the guitar etc. She corrects my accenting (..note to self, must remind Juan Martin about THAT one... ) , I revise the pattern and we're off again, with the class doing their thing.
She asks me if I know Tientos, but again I have to say 'not well enough'. She sticks a Solo Compas CD on for the class to dance to, I listen closely what the guitarist is doing, then start playing along. She suddenly comes over, impressed by the fact that I could work out quickly what was happening on the CD and play along to it, and tells me I have a very good ear. Now she is rather more interested!
What can I say? An I had an hour of pure fun! I loved it. It was so nice to take a back seat from playing as a soloist, and so nice to be part of something bigger, and more flamenco.
At the end of the class I thanked Mercedes for letting me bumble along to her class and asked if I could come regularly (nothing like pushing your luck, eh?). She said yes, and (amazingly) wants to meet up to discuss things further, so I gave her my card.
Next week she is lending me some of the Solo compas material she is using so I can go away and prepare it better, and play some more variations.
Wow! I am still buzzing over this. 
Jon
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Sep. 30 2004 12:22:20
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Jon Boyes
Posts: 1377
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
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RE: Just started accompanying!! (in reply to Kate)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Kate
Emilio suggested that he could do a master class in accopanying baile and cante, after all he will have his dancer and singer with him and I wondered what you all thought. I know a lot of you are not in UK but am still interested to know if it is something that would be of interest and more importantly how much you would be prepared to pay for say a 3 hour master class, with guitarist, singer, dancer and percussionist.
Well Kate it sounds like a fantastic opportunity, but I just couldn't afford to pay for something like that at the moment. Marriage + Baby + house extension means things are on a very tight budget for the forseeable future. I couldn't afford Raphael's workshop at Bath this year, which is only a couple of hours away, for the same reason
As for venues Kate, here is where they do the flamenco dance classes:
http://www.barbicantheatre.co.uk/
Although I doubt there would be much take up for a workshop aimed at guitarists in this area.
Obviously if you are planning any approach to the theatre it should be done via Mercedes, as its her class and her livelyhood.
Hope thats of some use - thanks for the supportive comments Kate, and everyone else
Jon
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 4 2004 12:45:57
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Jim Opfer
Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.
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RE: Just started accompanying!! (in reply to Kate)
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quote:
more importantly how much you would be prepared to pay for say a 3 hour master class, with guitarist, singer, dancer and percussionist.
Hi Kate,
I have the Cd so a master class sounds very good.
This however, could be like a 10 course meal with not much time to digest before the pudding course 
The problem's going to be that quite often workshops arranged around a show, tend to be a bit of a waste of time, full of good intentions but either there's too much material being covered in a general way or they focus on limited material but the level is too basic because students turn up with a big difference in playing ability. It's a dilemma. One other point is that if it takes place before the concert, the master has his mind on the show, so it's better the following day, however, my experience is that by this time he just wants to chill out, he turns up late or has a hangover from the party.
It would have to be tied down a lot and offer players at different levels different things and probably at different times.
I'd happily travel 300 hundred miles each way from Glasgow with an overnight stay in some hotel somewhere and then pay £100 for a good 3 hour guitar session with a player like Emilio.
If it's a class of mixed ability? mmm! I'd have to wait and hear how it goes but don't count me out.
Jim.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Oct. 4 2004 16:22:30
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Thanks for the info Jon and good luck with accompanying. 