Pardon me for being tardy with posts of late. I've been somewhat busy! This is what my weekend involved and that pretty much wrote my evenings off all last week with rehearsing. Thought I'd share some action shots taken by the wonderful Mr. V. of me putting my Senovilla shoes through their paces. These are a couple of my favourite flamenco costumes, both of which made it out last weekend. I got them made some years ago in Seville by a wonderful tailor called Fernando.
An audience loves seeing a flamenco dancer in a red dress. As soon as I step out in this dress you see everyone sit up and whispering and pointing at it with delighted smiles. I hammed up the red with matching earrings and combs. Then I promptly broke an earring during a dance by sending it flying off during a turn! I'm very grateful it was made with plastic beads rather than the real coral it was imitating!
While I do love my red dress, true to my nature, my favourite costume is actually black. I love pouring myself into this sumptuous black velvet dress and slipping on the little bolero jacket and then stepping out to dance. I feel at home. The chiffon frills have tiny sequins stitched on them which catch the light when the dress moves.
Behind me is a very well known gypsy flamenco singer. I know I mentioned some time back I was going to post about the relationship between gypsies and flamenco for Terri of Rags Against the Machine. I still mean to do so in greater depth some time in the future, but in short, flamenco plays a big part in gypsy culture in Spain. The singing is part of a vocal tradition of story telling for them and the guitar and dance evolved around accompanying the flamenco song. Many gypsies are renowned flamenco artists, being either singers, dancers or guitarists.
It's a little bit of a come down going back to work on a Monday after doing all this. Much like this blog, flamenco dancing remains my little secret from work colleagues. When people ask what I got up to on the weekend I shrug and say "Oh, nothing much..."
Hopefully I'll be able to fit some proper outfit posts in next week. In the meantime, hope everyone is having a great week!
Costumes: Made in Sevilla
Shoes: Senovilla
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Wow, V, these pictures, and you, are glorious! How fabulous to lose yourself in the sheer joy of dancing. Thanks for sharing these scenes with us.
ReplyDeleteYou make me want to flamenco sooooo bad! You look like art in motion! Hugs my friend! Serene
ReplyDeleteFrills swirling, hair flying ... these are fantastic! (The second shot is my favorite, I just feel the atmosphere) I can almost hear the voice, the guitar, the hands clapping, and of course, your heels stomping. When I lived in NYC, we would sometimes go to the more bohemian parts of town to tiny cafés that hosted gypsy flamenco evenings. Those cramped quarters just throbbed with life! I can just imagine how you felt being the one interpreting the stories emanating from the singer and guitarist.
ReplyDeleteI smiled at your secret. Few people outside of my dance world know I dance too, and even fewer know I blog ;) -- J xx
Incredible pictures. I love your dresses. And those gorgeous red shoes.
ReplyDeleteI also love a gorgeous black dance dress, and some ballroom dancers do wear them, but they really take away from the lines that a dance couple create in hold; a black tux and black dress melt into one another.
I would love to learn Flamenco dance.
I think its interesting that you keep your dance a secret...for me its hard not to broadcast my dancing! :)
You have quite a fabulous secret life! you look amazing in these photos!
ReplyDeleteDo you mean to tell me that none of your colleagues know about the dancing? I'm very taken by both dresses and I'm still eager to learn of that gypsy/flamenco tradition. I love the motion in these shots.
ReplyDeleteTerri, I used to tell colleagues in the past and I even used to mention it in interviews. I stopped a couple of years ago when I was jobhunting in a tough job market after seeing some advice that it's probably best to keep whacky interests to oneself - only one person at my current workplace knows.
Deletejust...wow!! Geez, when I shrug and say I did nothing special on the weekend I mean it. But you're like some spectacular whirling dervish of gorgeousness. I would immediately pin that first image for the stunning dress, shoes, and striking pose if it weren't totally un-anonymous-ing for you!
ReplyDeleteAmazing photos, Mr. V too!
I can't believe that your work mates know nothing about one of the greatest passions of your life? That's madness!!
ReplyDeleteYour flamenco outfits are just beautiful, I love the coral comb in your hair and watching your fabulously toned bod in action. I always think of you when I look at my 1960s Spanish prints. x
When do we get to see a video?! PLEEEEEEEASE!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could see you dance! I can only imagine how intoxicating the whole experience must be. Even in these tiny glimpses, you look extraordinary. I love the costumes and your gorgeous hair. I would enjoy any links you can provide in the future to hear the music and see examples of dancing.
ReplyDeleteSo happy you enjoyed your "other life" these past few weeks!
love this post and also your blog! It's so nice!!! I follow you!
ReplyDeletePass to my blog and if it likes you follow me too, I will be so glad :D
kisses
http://francescagiusti.blogspot.com/
There is something so tantalizing about your photos without a face, but these are particularly sexy! Wonderful photos. Nice to know about some of the things you do when you're not wearing florals. ;)
ReplyDeleteThese photos are amazing! The outfits! The movement! The pure joy of dance. To lose one's self in beauty.
ReplyDeleteWow! How long have you been dancing? This whole flamenco series is so interesting. More please!
ReplyDeleteAmazing. The energy is just electrifying as it jumps out of the pictures. How can you possibly not say anything to your co-workers the next day? It's like being Superman and Clark Kent!
ReplyDeleteMe encantaría verte bailar algún día.
ReplyDeleteY claro que estás en mi blogroll.
Feliz finde, FLAMENCA DE ALMA Y CORAZÓN!!!
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Absolutely LOVELY! I will keep your secret if you keep posting dancing photos.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I was there with you on stage. How dramatic and sexy you look! It's hard to decide which costume is best, red or black. I think I'm going to have to go with red...you know why...
ReplyDeleteYou must lead a mysterious life to your work colleagues (or if they haven't got much phantasy a rather boring one :) The flamenco dresses are amazing, as is your energy in the photos. Just walked past a steaming salsa school in a very cold Berlin and thought: I should be dancing, to get through this winter. X
ReplyDeleteWow - look at you in action! Fantastic. You look amazing in both this post and the one above.
ReplyDeleteOh WOW what an amazing dancer you are, and what gorgeous dresses! I so love the energy and the passion that comes through in these photos. I used to learn the flamenco... inspiring me to take it up again!
ReplyDeleteMesmerizing! I can only imagine how much more so in person.. :)
ReplyDelete