Sevilla in summer!

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Sevilla in summer!

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sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

Sevilla in summer!

Hola fellow flamencos,
It looks like l will be in Spain this coming July and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with Taller Flamenco in Sevilla. I'm planning on taking lessons with them and i'm hoping it will be worth while. I am looking forward to expanding repertoire and hope I can learn something. If nothing else I've never been to Spain and its about time I go!!
Thanks in advance for your help and time...
Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2010 13:20:47

Alonte

Posts: 214
Joined: Dec. 2 2008

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

Hi Sig,
I friend of mind went to Taller Flamenco. He said it was great. The challenge is "Practice Time". Because it is such a beautiful city with a lot of things to offer... practice vs. sight seeing is the dilemma.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 7 2010 13:55:59

Anders Eliasson

Posts: 5780
Joined: Oct. 18 2006

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

An advice. Find a place to live which is cool, evt. with an aircon (carefull with low humidity)
This way, when its to hot for sightseeing, you can practice. In a hot period, this means practizing the whole day and no sightseeing. Sevilla can be extremely hot in july. If you come directly from a cool or tempered climate, it takes quite a while to adjust. The body just says no to activity.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 0:01:15

aarongreen

Posts: 367
Joined: Jan. 16 2004

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

If I was spending July is Southern Spain I would opt for Granada. Much more civilized (heat and humidity wise).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 3:44:15

sean65

Posts: 414
Joined: Jan. 4 2010
From: London

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

Sounds great, yeah it does get hot. Hopefully you'll have lessons in the morning, back to an air con room for some practice followed by a nice stroll round the town in the evening.

Grab a bite to eat and wash it all down with a few drinks at a flamenco show of choice.

Very civilised.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 5:57:58

sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sean65)

Hi Guys,
Thanks for the good suggestions and advices on Taller. I figured it would hot for sure and I really don't mind the heat but I can see how it would be tough to practice all day with such a beautiful city right outside my window!

It may be a small group of us over there in July and we are probably going to share an Apt with a/c and a kitchen. I want to get the most out of this experience and i'm hoping it will turn out well...

Muchas Gracias!
Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 6:30:00

NeZ

Posts: 96
Joined: Feb. 14 2007

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

I was in Sevilla during late June/Early July two years ago. It is hot but definitely manageable if you've got an apartment/hotel with Air Conditioning to cool off in during the hottest part of the day.

Two places my wife and I found and enjoyed for flamenco were La Carboneria and El Tamboril (not sure if I'm spelling those correctly).

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 8:30:09

sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to NeZ)

NeZ,
Thanks for the info and thanks to all who replied!! It is greatly appreciated!
Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 9:02:14

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sean65)

quote:

back to an air con room for some practice

In Spain in the 60's and 70's there was no air-con except for expensive hotels and restaurants.

In the height of summer in Madrid (and Cordoba), you just used to lie in your room in a pool of sweat and discomfort with the odd sip of heavily chlorinated warm tap water until your body finally realized that there was going to be no reprieve and started to behave itself and could fit in with normal Spanish life.

cheers,

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 10:12:49

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to NeZ)

quote:

I was in Sevilla during late June/Early July two years ago. It is hot but definitely manageable

Sevilla (and Cordoba) is unbearable from late July through August and early September - trust me. You won't be going out for anything between 10:00am until 11:00pm, or maybe not at all if it is humid.

We are talking 36C (97F) average for July - and the record for the hottest place in Europe at 52C (126 F) on the streets in 2003 in Sevilla. Death Valley's record is only 6C more.

It hit 45C (113F) inside my house in Granada one Summer and that is up in the mountains - really not funny at all. You couldn't pick a worse place at a worse time (except August) to visit Andalucía.

So get somewhere with air-con (essential). Sleep late and don't go out until 10:00pm. You'll be up until dawn anyway.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 12:08:27

sean65

Posts: 414
Joined: Jan. 4 2010
From: London

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

quote:

In the height of summer in Madrid (and Cordoba), you just used to lie in your room in a pool of sweat and discomfort with the odd sip of heavily chlorinated warm tap water until your body finally realized that there was going to be no reprieve and started to behave itself and could fit in with normal Spanish life.

You should of done what the locals do. Head up to Santander for a break.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 8 2010 14:25:27

sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to Escribano)

Escribano,
Thanks for the reply and yes, i've heard the heat is unbearable. I suppose i'll take refuge in the various drinking establishments in the evenings and stay in during the day and practice!!
Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 9 2010 10:52:39

KMMI77

Posts: 1821
Joined: Jul. 26 2009
From: The land down under

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

I went to taller flamenco for a few months. I enjoyed it as chiquetetes son, Francisco Cortez was teaching there at the time.

It was hot. Here is a photo from the rooftop where i stayed. You can feel the heat. Not as hot as Australia though.

Taller flamenco is just down the end of this street and to the right. The alameda is to the left. There was a lot of dodgy stuff going on in this street, Really dodgy stuff

It was good entertainment. Lol

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 9 2010 19:53:15

Donald

Posts: 101
Joined: Jun. 28 2004

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

Dont worry the street is perfectly safe during the day though I have encountered a strange character on the Almeda. Heard the guitar teachers are good but the compas guy can be offhand. I've been inside the studios on a course with someone else. They are very small but modern and well equipped plus the class sizes are kept small. They have a little social programme for the students as well. I found the Cameron film was on through their leaflet.

Thanks to the other guys for the heat comments. There's a good course on in Jerez in early August but my reservations about the heat have been confirmed.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 10 2010 13:25:13

Andy Culpepper

Posts: 3023
Joined: Mar. 30 2009
From: NY, USA

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

I went to Taller Flamenco for 2 weeks. It was a great experience. I would recommend it. They also hook you up with all the goings on at night including Peñas and whatnot. I studied guitar with Francisco Morales "El Pulga". He's a great player and a really great guy.
We stayed about 4 blocks off the Alameda on Calle Cristo del Buen Fin. This was in winter so cold was actually more of a problem.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 10 2010 13:30:18

Kate

Posts: 1827
Joined: Jul. 8 2003
From: Living in Granada, Andalucía

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to aarongreen)

quote:

ORIGINAL: aarongreen

If I was spending July is Southern Spain I would opt for Granada. Much more civilized (heat and humidity wise).

It's true, at night Granada benefits from a cool breeze coming down from the Sierra Nevada almost like clockwork every night, no matter how hot it gets during the day you know it will cool down. In Sevilla it tends to get hotter at night just when you think it cant get any worse.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 10 2010 13:30:30

fevictor

Posts: 377
Joined: Nov. 22 2005
From: Quepos / Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

I arrived in Sevilla August 1st a few years ago. The third day I was there it hit 50 degrees...just insanely hot. We piled into a small car and went to Peña Buleria in Montilla (Cordoba, I think), anyway, the AC just couldnt do anything and we sweat ourselves silly that day.

I really miss Sevilla, but man is it hot there in the summer! Have a great time and enjoy some serrano ham and manchego cheese!

Vic

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 10 2010 17:37:51

Arturo

Posts: 23
Joined: Jan. 10 2010
From: Eastern Sierra, CA. USA

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

I live a stones throw from Death Valley. They don't call it that for nothing!

I plan on going to Spain next year. What is the best time of year to visit for the tourist thing?

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 10 2010 17:50:32

aloysius

Posts: 233
Joined: Apr. 7 2005
From: Adelaide, Australia

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to sig)

Taller is definitely good, I like the playing of Manolo Veraquero, as far as I know he is still teaching there.

For group classes it's worth considering Miguel Angel Cortes' group classes at the "Centro de Arte y Flamenco". I was there through Christmas and found him to be an awesome teacher and a really nice guy. The class was a 50/50 mix of locals and foreigners. The centre is partly run by Esperanza Fernandez, and her singing students sometimes join in with the guitar class for song accompaniment. If you want contact details for private teachers in Seville (such as Jesus Torres, Tudela etc), pm me and I'll send some phone numbers.

The heat is not necessarily a big deal - coming from Adelaide, Australia summer over there feels completely normal to me - it depends on what your local climate is like.

Your experience there will depend a lot on your level of Spanish so I'd recommend getting in as much language practice as possible before you go.

Good luck,
Aloysius

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 11 2010 22:25:02

sig

Posts: 296
Joined: Nov. 7 2007
From: Wisconsin

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to aloysius)

Hola,
Muchas gracias to all who replied and I greatly appreciated the comments, both pro and con!

I figured it was going to be hot but I really don't mind the heat however after this trip I may change my mind!

I'm in the process of using Fluenz to learn some basic Spanish and I hope i'll be able to figure out what the teachers are trying to teach me. This is really more about connecting to the roots of this great art form as much as it is about practical learning.

One of our dancers who has traveled extensively around the world has said that Sevilla is one of her all time favorite destinations in Europe. I'm greatly looking forward to it heat and all...!!

Gracias otra vey to all who have taken the time to reply...
Sig--

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 12 2010 8:34:54

Escribano

Posts: 6415
Joined: Jul. 6 2003
From: England, living in Italy

RE: Sevilla in summer! (in reply to Arturo)

quote:

What is the best time of year to visit for the tourist thing?

I would say April/May/June or late Sept/Oct. for the weather - local fiestas are generally in late June and through the Summer. Any local Saint's day or any other excuse to be honest