I am in awe of the graceful sashaying of hips, the dramatic music and expression, the ubiquitous rose on the dancer's hair, the fascinating castanets, and the figure-flattering costume.
Getting to know flamenco
They say, "If music is the "language of the soul, then perhaps flamenco is its most expressive verbiage."
One of the great European nonacademic genres, which embody a complex musical and cultural tradition, flamenco originated from the southern part of Spain, growing out of a mix of native Andalusian, Islamic, Sephardic and Gypsy cultures.
Flamenco is basically composed of three forms: el cante (the song), el baile (the dance) and el toque (the guitar playing).
Its songs have two main styles: the jondo and the chico. The former is insightful and serious; the latter is joyful, light and often amusing.
The rhythmical patterns of flamenco are produced by sophisticated footwork technique, elegant arm and hand movements with upper body grace and posture.
While dancers project the mood of the song within rigid timelines, there are no standard gestures to interpret the essence of the song. Hence, flamenco is not only a dance of feelings but of unadulterated passion!
Flamenco Intimo
If you have been following the lives of high-profile celebrities like Lucy Torres-Gomez and Tessa Prieto-Valdes, you would know that they are avid flamenco dancers.
Fast becoming the exercise of choice by health-conscious mothers, flamenco allows women to look ultra glamorous while efficiently shedding a few unwanted pounds.
However, there is one amazing dancer-choreographer who, aside from promoting this complex art form as a recreational activity, is likewise dedicated to honing students into flamenco dancers capable of commanding global recognition.
Recently, Dabawenyos were treated to a magnificent show, co-presented by the LCB-Performing Arts Center Foundation, dubbed as "Flamenco Intimo" by world-renowned flamenco artist Clara Ramona at the Davao Central High School auditorium.
For her opening act, Clara stylishly performed Classica Español which uses movements from different Spanish dance forms. This was followed by Clara enthusiastically explaining the colorful history and various methods of flamenco, including the proper use of castanets.
Clara was joined by her two gorgeous andtalented sons, Isaac, 27 and Nino, 21, both graduates of the Escuela de Amor de Dios, which is considered the "Harvard" of flamenco. They are touted as the new generation superstars of flamenco in Spain.
According to LCB's Cecile Hidalgo who worked with them during the show, "they call their mother 'Mama' (just listening to their carinoso tone of voice would make your heart melt). Indeed, they grew up with Mama and as witnessed, they share the same passion and delight for dance, as they performed on stage."
"They express their love for dance as they stamped their feet and clapped their hands with the accent on every flick of their hand and head," Cecile observes.
It was such a high-level performance that during the gala show, one of the stage's wooden planks gave way because of the intense footwork of Clara's sons.
Davao connection
Looking at her strong foreign features, one would never guess that Clara was born and raised in the Philippines. Born to a Filipina mother and an American father, she comes from a family of seven children -- two girls and five boys, all of whom in one way or another has the inclination for the arts.
Clara discloses that their family stayed in Davao for close to ten years when she was a child.
Their residence was in Bajada and she spent a few years studying at Stella Maris Academy of Davao.
Clara recalls how she walked through the "talahibs" (long grasses) to reach Stella Maris.
"Dakudao Avenue then was a big canal without any semblance of a street," she shares.
While a student at Stella Maris, she had her first ballet training with the only ballet school in Davao headed by Carmen Locsin. She revealed that this exposure to dance at an early age contributed greatly to her training as a very effective flamenco dancer.
Clara's family eventually moved to the United States.
Beyond borders
In the US, Clara pursued her professional ballet training in Boston before finally joining the Ramon de los Reyes Spanish Dance Theater as principal dancer and choreographer. It was here where she first showcased her artistic genius with the widely-applauded Carmina Burana, that had successful repeat runs in first-rate theaters in the Americas and Europe long after its debut.
Despite being a foreign artist, she made a name for herself in Madrid, the mecca of flamenco, even founding her own dance company, Ballet Espanol de Clara Ramona. For over 20 years, she has staged productions of critical acclaim the world over and collaborated with distinguished flamenco artists such as La Tati, Tomas de Madrid, and Antonio Alonso.
Beyond the conventional borders of flamenco, Clara paved the way for its blossoming in Asia, conducting workshops in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan, including a China tour of the legendary Carmen Burana with her company.
In her steps
More than a performer, Clara's greater mission is nurturing world-class talents, formerly as a faculty member of the Boston Conservatory of Music and Dance, her alma mater, and the Walnut Hill School of
Performing Arts, in addition to leading seminars at the Harvard University Dance Program, Boston University School of Fine Arts, and Bates College Dance Festival.
With this objective in mind, she opened the Clara Ramona Centro de Danza Flamenca in Makati City.
Through her incisive teaching, students learn the aesthetics of theatrical performance and are enlightened on what is authentic flamenco, which is essentially non-verbal communication between the musician and the dancer.
There is no separation between the dancer and the song. Ultimately, Clara's classes can make students more expressive with their motions.
Truly, "Ole"!
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LCB-PAC offers basic flamenco classes every Friday from 6-7 p.m. In the near future, there is a plan to invite Clara Ramona to conduct flamenco classes for students in the advanced level. For inquiries, you may call LCB at telephone number 3005844.
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Special thanks to Mark Oliver Kong for providing the additional photos in this article.
For your comments and suggestions, you may e-mail me at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com.
