Hello all!
It’s been a while. My focus for the first two months of this year had to be elsewhere and I could not dedicate the time to the blog. A couple of weeks ago my friend and director of the flamenco school I attend “Algeria” , asked me whether I’d like to join her for a few days at the flamenco festival in Jerez. I gave it some thought, and when I learnt that a Maltese dancer was performing at the festival, the decision was easier 🙂
I spent literally three days in Spain at the festival, just enough to switch off for a while and escape the realities the world is going through. Even though my photos mainly consist of Ingrid and myself at a table in a plaza in the sun, with tapas, in truth it was much more than that.
The shop owners, restauranteurs and artists who had gotten used to the Maltese ‘delegation’ going year in year out to the festival (especially our Miss Ingrid;) , but did not see us for the past two years were overjoyed to see that we were back. You could tell that it was not only a matter of finances and this year they finally started seeing some activity but also because their art was being celebrated and the atmosphere which the festival brings with it was not present in these last two years, due to travel and other restrictions. You’re back, you’re back is what they were telling us and the emotion amongst us could be felt!
The performances were spectacular, the song, dance and music mesmerizing. You come to realise that during the hard times, art was put aside, neglected and it is the time when people need it most. The arts are a form of expression and either if you are performing or watching a performance you can relate to those emotions which are being transferred from performer to audience. I find it healing and a place where I am true to myself, a cathartic process.
At this time when watching a country being invaded and people’s lives being turned upside down, one feels a sense of guilt of leading a normal life and enjoying even the little pleasures. I don’t know what little I can do from my end, bar sending items of need or donate and it makes me feel helpless. What we can do is focus on the changes we can bring about, small changes. Think of the confrontations we can avoid in our daily lives, empathize with others, understand that we all could be going through challenges and battles. If everyone could do their little part, the world would be a much better place!
Flamenco is about song, music and dance where technique and rhythm are key…however it is much more than that. It is an art form where the suffering or joys are expressed through the beautiful song accompanied by the melody of the guitar which the dancer expresses with the most beautiful of movements. Today more than ever I feel the need to dance to let out the anger, frustrations at this insane state of the world. I want to watch the artists relate these emotions to fill me with hope for a better world.
I am not all about fashion…as you can see 😉 This was definitely a different blog post, which I felt the need to write.
The beauty of flamenco is that it encompasses so much…as my teacher says…flamenco is a way of life…
Wishing you all a good weekend ahead
Yan
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