A lifelong passion for flamenco dancing
ONE DANCE TEACHER HAS EXPANDED HER REPERTOIRE OF FITNESS CLASSES SO SHE CAN INDULGE IN THE FLAMENCO DANCE WHICH IS HER PASSION, REPORTS
HTRISH BEAVER
ILTON dance teacher Cornelia Puler is mad about Spanish dancing. Her aim is to spread awareness of the art of flamenco dancing and to encourage people to learn about different cultures through dance.
“Dancing is one of the most important things in life. People reach a certain age when they think it is not appropriate to dance – this is sad. Not all cultures believe dance is for the young. In many traditions, it is part of their culture. To dance is to show you appreciate the music and you express your joy for life,” she said.
Although Spanish dance is her passion, she believes that if you want to live your dream and make money, you have to be pragmatic too. She started to learn ballet as a child and has continued to teach ballet, pilates, spinning and Qfit.
“The key is to be flexible and to watch what trends are happening in the field of exercise. While dance is my passion, there is still a perception that dance is only for little girls and for women who want a hobby.”
Her initial exposure to flamenco dance was through ballet as a child. She still loves ballet and teaches this art form. But, after watching a Spanish dance class as a child, she knew this exotic dance form was something she really wanted to do.
She recalls: “So, my dad told me to pass my ballet exams with high marks and then he’d consider it”.
Luckily for Cornelia, she aced the ballet exams and got permission to learn Flamenco dancing, which has become her career.
Earlier this year, she and three students headed to Spain, to participate in the fabulous Feria De Seville in Spain. The trip is to keep in touch with new trends, and also to allow her students to immerse themselves in the culture. It is a celebration of food, family, tradition and parties.
They planned a lot of events and promotions to raise funds for the trip.
“It is an ideal opportunity for us to practise our skills and to learn more. Dance is not a constant art form, it continually evolves. Some of the steps are traditional, but each area has its own signature style.”
Flamenco dancing is believed to have originated with the Roma people, who travelled through the centuries from North India through Europe, and many of them settled in sunny Spain. They were natural performers, often using their musical skills and dance moves to busk and earn money for their travels.
The Roma passed through many countries, and they absorbed many dance techniques – so the flamenco is drawn from many diverse cultures, such as Indian, French, Jewish and Turkish.
The style of the dark-haired women with their layered feminine skirts and richly coloured clothes has been incorporated into what has been formalised as the flamenco dance.
Puler likes to share her passion for the dance style by hosting events where she and her group can perform. One of these occasions was the Flamenco Fusion evening, recently held at Jackie Cameron’s School of Food and Wine in Hilton.
It is a perfect combination of entertainment and good food influenced by Spanish flavours. Cameron and her students collaborated on a menu that suited the evening. This involved a lot of research into traditional Spanish foods, and it also challenged the student chefs to create authentic and delicious dishes.
Guests enjoyed a traditional tapas starter with gazpacho soup, and the main meal was fresh fish fillets served in a sauce with spicy chorizo sausage as a garnish. The dessert was a fitting finale. Sugary pancake bits with Seville orange jelly and citrusinfused ice cream.
This evening of Spanish food and entertainment invariably ends with an opportunity for guests to get up and learn some basic flamenco moves. During the course of the evening, guests were enthralled as the flamenco dancers swirled, stamped and clicked away with their dainty castanets – an old-fashioned instrument used by dancers to create a rhythm.
“If you are going to survive as a dance teacher, you have to create opportunities to showcase your work. It is also a chance for your students to build up their confidence and, hopefully, entice some of the audience to join the classes.”
One aspect of flamenco dance is the variety of props or accessories that are used to emphasise the graceful arm movements and poses. Lace fans, shawls and hats are all used to give each dance a unique feel. Passionate red roses in the hair and bold black-and-white polkadot skirts made the costumes eyecatching.
Puler also likes to add modern songs in her shows, to show people that flamenco can be versatile, and young people can enjoy the music. Justin Bieber’s hit song Despacito is the perfect rhythmic melody to show off some flamenco style.
Puler says: “In pubs and restaurants, there will be lots of singing and dancing, and everyone joins in and has a chance to dance. It is a great opportunity to imbibe the culture, and to perform in a relaxed environment.”
While many people only focus on the beautiful women performing, the men are also great dancers, and some of their duets are spellbinding. The pair keep their eyes firmly locked on each other, constantly and aggressively building off one another in what becomes an expression of passion, sexual tension, and emotion.
If you would like to learn flamenco dancing or have the
Alma Flamenca troupe perform at a function you can e-mail
Puler for more information at almaflamencaza@yahoo.com.