Left: Kathi Best, Director Flamenco Arts Center and Helena Segovia. Right: Helena and Oscar Valero, background.
Chicago vibrated with Flamenco passion this February for the 6th annual Chicago Flamenco Festival sponsored by Instituto Cervantes of Chicago. I visited Flamenco Arts Center to savor the rhythms of guest artist, Oscar Valero of Valencia, Spain, as he led the class through a satisfying workout.
I met student Helena Segovia between classes and we chatted about what she loves most about Flamenco.
On Flamenco Steps:
Flamenco is kind interesting because it’s not like ballet with plié and tendu and you know, whatever. There are some basic patterns that everybody will use, but when teachers start putting things together and choreographing it seems like people have different preferences. Like some people do a lot of heel work, or you know, different patterns. Sometimes they will use their feet differently then you’ve ever used them, and the longer you study the more able you are to pick things up quickly. But it’s hard in the beginning.
On Music and Flamenco:
Well, it’s very hard to describe what it is about Flamenco. There’s an intensity to it that that I just haven’t found anywhere else. I just love dance and I love all forms of it. I think something that makes Flamenco is that it’s so individual. It’s kind of a solo performance. People do big shows and stuff. But pure flamenco is so beautiful with the individual. It’s very much about the individual. It’s not like ballet where you might want to be a professional and you have to fit into a company. But flamenco is so individual, so about your personality. There’s technique but there’s also an incredible self-expression through a particular musician or through your own work. When Flamenco gets going it’s like there’s always a communication between the dancer and the singer and the guitarist. There’s a lot of communication going on! To dance to live music is another thing. I think dancing to live music gives so much to the dancer.
Flamenco as a journey:
I took a little ballet and modern. So that was a little bit helpful. When you start out it can be very intimidating. I mean even ballet classes and stuff can be intimidating, but with ballet there are so many different levels so if you’re a complete beginner you can get into a complete beginning level and you can learn those steps. But flamenco is a little bit harder because you have to be willing to feel like you don’t understand for a while until you start to get it. The teachers will be kind, and teachers will help you out and give you more simple exercises to do. But it’s a journey. I started flamenco about 6 years ago and that took me about a year to commit to it. I found it by chance and it just-- I love it.