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First a little about me: Have been listening to Flamenco for a few years now and am starting to include it in my routine of study again. It's getting to the point that I am starting to recognize the separate palos and understand a little bit about how they are used.
My queries are regarding getting involved with the Flamenco community in my city. (Ottawa) Recently I have begun to meet some of the dancers and have been invited to the jam.('jam' seems to be perhaps not the best choice of word...is there a more accurate one?) I will not likely bring my guitar until I go to a few of these jams or until I know more of what it is I should do with myself! I am a beginner and will likely be sitting there not really knowing what to do with myself but I firmly believe that there is no way to learn to swim other than jumping into the water.
Not sure what the 'right' questions are at this point but I DO know that I have had a love for Flamenco ever since I saw a video on the local PBS channel 15+ years ago. I knew what it was I was watching because I grew up in a family of dancers and musicians but was quite mesmerized by this bailaor. One day I will discover who this dancer was...
Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to jaggedsphere)
A jam.... probably a juerga? I went to one in Connecticut my teacher helped organize when I was just getting started and it was quite the experience (in fact, it was a guy I met there who told me to come to this foro!). Definitely go with guitar in hand, otherwise how will you learn anything? And try to pick up the rhythms people are clapping out, it will help you better understand the compás. I remember one old lady at that juerga in Connecticut showing me some palmas for soleá over and over and over again, and I couldn't quite pick it up, but it helped. You won't be up there accompanying singers or anything, but if there are enough guitarists around, you'll learn a bunch on the sidelines from people more than happy to help out a newbie.
Oh, and pro tip: don't capitalize "flamenco" any more than you would capitalize "rock" or "classical" or "sci fi." It's a genre, not a proper noun!
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to Adam)
Ah very good! juerga. Could you spell that phonetically for me? Lest I embarrass myself! In Ottawa from what I gather there is a bit of a shortage on males involved with flamenco. I understand that there is just one dancer at the school among dozens of women...He must know something I dont ;) Uncertain if there is a substantial amount of flamenco musicians or not but next month I will have a better understanding.
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to jaggedsphere)
Hey jaggedsphere, sounds like you're in for loads of fun. Ramparts already gave you some great advice, just make sure you enjoy yourself and don't put too much pressure on yourself. This is something that is learned by repetition - lots and lots of it.
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to Adam)
As I see it, there's no harm in a first-timer going to a juerga without a guitar. The point is to learn as much as you can (e.g. about the palos, about palmas, etc.). If you show-up with a guitar, people will reasonably expect that you're going to play something. So, if you don't know enough to play --and I don't mean just strum or pluck but rather play different palos and in compas--, then perhaps leave the guitar at home. You can always bring it later.
Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to machopicasso)
quote:
ORIGINAL: machopicasso If you show-up with a guitar, people will reasonably expect that you're going to play something. So, if you don't know enough to play --and I don't mean just strum or pluck but rather play different palos and in compas--, then perhaps leave the guitar at home. You can always bring it later.
I don't know, I went to my first juerga and no one sat me on a stage saying "quick, play alegrías!" I don't think much good at all comes from leaving the guitar at home. If you're just learning, you won't be "reasonably expected" to do something people know you can't.
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to Adam)
quote:
ORIGINAL: ramparts Oh, and pro tip: don't capitalize "flamenco" any more than you would capitalize "rock" or "classical" or "sci fi." It's a genre, not a proper noun!
in this case i would recommend to switch over to German: we write it Flamenco.
Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to jaggedsphere)
I like Flamenco with a capital F , it makes it look important and so it should be ..even though the Oxford English dictionary may not agree. But if enough people write it like that for 1 hundred years it has to be automatically entered into the dictionary with a capital...or so I was told .........
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to itoprover)
Yeah, I had a great time. It was hard to compare that to the Paco Pena show from the NAC a few months ago! The dancers were amazing! Very much excited to see Paco de Lucia next week! Have had a bronze pass since they could be purchased. But I am considering getting the 75 dollar platinum seating for this show. I have friends who have these and want to get the best view possible.
Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to El Kiko)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Rico_Kiko
I like Flamenco with a capital F , it makes it look important and so it should be ..even though the Oxford English dictionary may not agree. But if enough people write it like that for 1 hundred years it has to be automatically entered into the dictionary with a capital...or so I was told .........
Starting today.........
No, capitalizing it makes it look like some monolithic creature with no diversity or disagreements, with a single definition and ruled by some bureaucratic body in an ugly building somewhere far from Andalucía. But perhaps most importantly, capitalizing it just looks plain Cheesy.
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to Adam)
ramparts: If you don't mind, could you specify where and when you went to a juerga in CT?? I've been trying to find some flamenco in CT for quite some time now, to no avail....
Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to daverod)
quote:
ORIGINAL: daverod
ramparts: If you don't mind, could you specify where and when you went to a juerga in CT?? I've been trying to find some flamenco in CT for quite some time now, to no avail....
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to jaggedsphere)
quote:
ORIGINAL: jaggedsphere
Yeah, I had a great time. It was hard to compare that to the Paco Pena show from the NAC a few months ago! The dancers were amazing! Very much excited to see Paco de Lucia next week! Have had a bronze pass since they could be purchased. But I am considering getting the 75 dollar platinum seating for this show. I have friends who have these and want to get the best view possible.
Cool, who was playing guitar, do you know? I ll be in platinum section there too.
Posts: 2697
Joined: Jun. 7 2010
From: The South Ireland
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to jaggedsphere)
Maybe your right ramparts , but I stiLl reserve to pUt cApitals whereveR I want . it is still better Than deciphering the messy hieroglyphics that are used in SMS text speak ,,, and using numBers As letters .....
C U L8tr M8
P.s
Shouldn't ramparts as a name have a capital letter or are you using it as a type of defensive wall?
Posts: 1156
Joined: Dec. 6 2006
From: Hamilton, ON
RE: Flamenco advice for a newcommer. (in reply to El Kiko)
quote:
ORIGINAL: Rico_Kiko
Maybe your right ramparts , but I stiLl reserve to pUt cApitals whereveR I want . it is still better Than deciphering the messy hieroglyphics that are used in SMS text speak ,,, and using numBers As letters .....
C U L8tr M8
P.s
Shouldn't ramparts as a name have a capital letter or are you using it as a type of defensive wall?
Printable Version
and using numBers As letters ..... 
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