Rehearsal tips anyone? (Full Version)

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sarispe -> Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 24 2009 21:11:21)

I am currently rehearsing for a gig that has alot of coreagraphed dances. I am having a little trouble remembering all the cierres, estribillos, etc. Please any tips on how to tackle all these palos without forgetting the day of the show which ive done once before.[:o]
Thanks, Steve



at_leo_87 -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 24 2009 21:30:16)

can you video tape the dancers and practice at home? a notepad to write things down while you watch the video would help too.



val -> [Deleted] (Nov. 25 2009 12:47:59)

Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Nov. 8 2010 12:22:25



mark indigo -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 25 2009 15:55:20)

just get them to go over the cue for each change a few times so you know what it looks and sounds like, and don't worry, usually you will know when it's a llamada 'cos they will be banging hell out of the floor! stops etc. are a little harder to pick up, so when you think it's coming up, just stop in the right place in the compas and then if the dancer doesn't stop just carry on... sooner or later they will stop for real and you're there!



Ramon Amira -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 27 2009 12:40:05)

I clicked on this link as suggested above –
( )

This stuff is positively dreadful, actually downright laughable. To call this stuff flamenco dancing is an insult to the term and the art.



mark indigo -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 27 2009 23:36:55)

I can't see how this
quote:

This stuff is positively dreadful, actually downright laughable. To call this stuff flamenco dancing is an insult to the term and the art.


is helpful when the original request was this
quote:

I am having a little trouble remembering all the cierres, estribillos, etc. Please any tips on how to tackle all these palos without forgetting the day of the show which ive done once before


if you have experience accompanying dance, maybe you'd like to offer some help to this guy?



Ramon Amira -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 30 2009 12:28:11)

Good point Mark. I do have plenty of experience accompanying dance, so I'll give my thoughts and advice to Sarispe as best I can. If it's ensembles I can't help much there, as I gave that up quickly – your music gets lost, and basically you end up feeling like a phonograph or a tape recorder. So I focused on accompanying one sole dancer, which I think is the best way to present flamenco dance – one dancer – one guitar. In those cases the best thing I think you can do is to consider that you probably are better versed and more comfortable with some cues than with others. So I think you should first put aside everything you are reasonably confident about, you will be all right with those when the time comes, and focus all your attention on what remains. That will reduce what you have to study. Then too, you can eliminate from concern or study certain cues such as a llamada - a guitarist missing a llamada needs to go into some other line of work. Finally, just relax and remember that you will immediately know if you get behind a dancer, because if you miss a cue she will look daggers at you – if she doesn't actually throw a few.



Doitsujin -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 30 2009 13:14:36)

quote:

Please any tips on how to tackle all these palos without forgetting the day of the show which ive done once before.


Write the rough plan of each palo on a small sheet of paper and tape it on the side (=right under your nose) on the guitar. Then you dont have to fear anything. Some people also lay a plan on the ground right in front of them. You are only ****ed if there is not enough light on stage... ah..yes and dont forget... no armrests allowed on stage.[;)]



mark indigo -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 30 2009 14:03:02)

quote:

a small sheet of paper


sheets of paper?! on the stage?! how wimpy is that?! [8D]

maybe you could tape it to your armrest or something?[:D][:D]

seriously tho', IMO you're probably better off watching the dancers and just playing along with them than looking at bits of paper...



XXX -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Nov. 30 2009 14:19:42)

Reading the palo sheet will give you a good reason to stay awake on stage when the choreography and/or dancing is getting boring and/or uninspiring again... [8|]
IMO



mark indigo -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Dec. 1 2009 1:27:51)

quote:

choreography and/or dancing is getting boring and/or uninspiring again...


if this is the case either you aren't watching and/or listening properly[8D].... or you need to find another dancer/class![:)]



John O. -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Dec. 1 2009 3:12:49)

I've worked with dancers who want you to play something EXACTLY NOTE BY NOTE or the dance movements or choreo has nothing to do with the traditional setup, and I've worked with dancers who can take you where they want you to go with their movements and/or just let you be free and do what you feel inspired to do and it works.

You could argue whether the former is really flamenco or about how good the dancer is, but it won't help you get through the performance. If I'm expected to play note for note I'm not ashamed to have a note stand in front of me - at least as a little helper inbetween the songs.

The latter is great once you're experienced enough or know the dancer well enough to feel what's coming and improvize.

In either case recording a video is good - for the former you can memorize and for the latter you can try out falsetas and be a bit more creative. In any case you can train your sense of intuition without bothering anyone.

If she feels weird about the video just ask if you can record the feet.



mark indigo -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Dec. 1 2009 5:14:44)

quote:

recording a video is good

If she feels weird about the video just ask if you can record the feet.


i agree, this is top advice, especially recording a video, because the dancer/s will give you visual cues with their arms for llamada's etc. (which you will miss if you are looking at a sheet of paper [;)])

you can learn a set choreography just the same as if you were learning any other track from a recording, but, and this is important, you can be loose about it, so instead of thinking of the choreography as a "piece", think of it as a collection of sections the way a guitar "solo" could be a collection of falsetas etc.

a lot of the time i will know all the steps/sections of footwork, but i don't learn it as a sequence, so they can do them in any order, miss bits out, make mistakes or, ahem, "improvise" and i just go with it.... and if they do it in the "correct" order, i'm there!

that visual cue thing is important too, if you wait until you can hear something before you accompany it you will probably always be late, but if you watch, most people make small movements of their head and neck, and breath in (creating movement in the face, neck and chest/thorax) before and as they begin nearly all movement or activity, dancers included....



sarispe -> RE: Rehearsal tips anyone? (Jan. 2 2010 22:05:20)

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice. Especially Mark i appreciate your help.



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