La versión español está después de la versión inglés.
OUR FRIEND ISABEL began taking flamenco dance lessons this year and asked me to see her recital Friday night. It was her second recital; we weren’t able to attend the first two months ago. The performance began at 9 and included a variety of classes, a variety of ages, and a variety of dance styles. The music selection was great, although, the first group of kids danced to Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” (as in… “The club isn’t the best place to find a lover. So the bar is where I go…”). Kind of like when an old friend started teaching pre-school in the 1970s and all the toddlers loved to dance to “Push Push In The Bush”; imagine three-year-olds shimmying to: “Are you ready, are you ready for this? Do you like it, do you like it like this?”
Anyway, there was flamenco and more flamenco, modern dance, ballet, and belly dancing. Although the belly dancing was well performed to great music, it’s a genre that has never done a thing for me. I wonder why.
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NUESTRA AMIGA ISABEL comenzó a tomar clases de baile flamenco este año y me pidió que viéra su recital el viernes por la noche. Fue su segundo recital; no pude asistir al primer hace dos meses. La presentación comenzó a las 9 e incluyó una variedad de clases, una variedad de edades, y una variedad de estilos de baile. La selección de música fue genial, aunque el primer grupo de niños bailaban “Shape of You” de Ed Sheeran (como en … “El club no es el mejor lugar para encontrar un amante. Así que el bar es donde voy…”). Algo así como cuando un vieja amiga comenzó a enseñar preescolar en los años 70 y a todos los niños pequeños les encantaba “Push Push In The Bush” (Embiste Embiste En El Arbusto); Imagínate a los niños de tres años que se estremecen: “¿Estás listo, estás preparado para esto? ¿Te gusta, te gusta así?”
De todos modos, hubo flamenco y más flamenco, danza moderna, ballet, danza del vientre y, desafortunadamente, más danza del vientre. Aunque eso se realizó con buena música, es un género que nunca ha hecho nada por mí. Me pregunto porque.
Ella es Isabel encendida en el centro.
“Cuando tu corazon ardan …”
“… debes darte cuenta ….
“… El humo entra en tus ojos”. – Jerome Kern y Otto Harbach, 1933
¡Gracias a dios por esos abanicos (pernicones)!
Supongo que no tengo estómago para eso.
I guess there’s a lot more to Belly Dancing than meets the eye. A friend took it ans loved it. Never my thing.
The video was well done to the beat of this great song! Reminded me of our visit to a HUGE dance we went to in SF……big videos screens of 30’s and 40’s classic movies all in sync to ‘modern’ dance music. So many people there all having a ball.
What Jim said!
The music I love!
Ron:
I love listening to good flamenco singers and musicians but don’t usually enjoy the dance. This had some great moments.
Ron:
I’m surprised at how much appreciation I’ve developed for this music since moving to Spain. I’m still not a big fan of the dance performance. But these groups are much more fun than just a couple.
Jim:
If there’s more than meets the eye, I don’t want to see it! (But I do understand the skill involved… Maybe if they used different bellies…)
Beautiful pictures. Smoke Gets in Your Eyes is my absolute favorite Jerome Kern song! My maternal grandmother used to belly dance. It’s great exercise. She was a four by four ( four foot tall, four foot wide) but she didn’t let that stop her. Because of her, I have no fear of wearing a swimsuit in public. Yep, blame her 🙂
deedles, the platters had THE BEST version of that song!
You got that right, Carebear! IS there another version of this song 🙂 ?
Deedles:
Yep. Ask just about anyone they’d probably tell you the song was FIRST performed by The Platters… and for good reason.
anne marie:
I think most people would say the song was originally by The Platters!
Deedles:
I’m glad you have no fear of wearing a swimsuit in public! Everyone should be comfortable and I’m sure you look beautiful. As for grandma… .Wow! (My grandmother did a box step at weddings.)
Beautiful, no. Comfortable, yesirree Bob! I hate soggy t shirts and shorts.
Deedles:
We are all shapes and sizes and we should all be comfortable!
Looks like great fun, will SG take lessons with you? Fun video, someone should do the all male dance class.
David:
SG loves to dance. He’d probably love to learn flamenco and Sevillana. And, yes, it was frustrating to see so few men performing.
isabel is a beautiful woman; looks like fun!
anna marie:
Isabel IS beautiful … outside and in.
Gorgeous costumes. looks like a really good show, though I’m with you about the belly dancing!
Bob:
It was fun, but went on a bit too long. I finally left after more than an hour and half and missed Isabel’s second group performance. It started at 9 — close to dinner time and by 10:30 I thought I’d fall over from hunger.
I’ve always been fascinated by bare female midriffs in a non-heteronromative sort away, so would have found the belly dancing interesting.
As for that video, I also find that fascinating–to the point of drooling–in a non-heteronormative sort of way. It didn’t even need music.
Kirk:
I’m fascinated by body parts but belly dancing just doesn’t do it for me. As for the video, I love the song, but the original video is SO hetero it really turns me off. I was very happy to find this … and share it.
Nice dancing.
Adam:
There were some very good performers. Some groups were clearly very advanced.