I've been in Jerez for about a month now. Kind of immersed in bulerías. They're everywhere. And I love them more and more each day. Really.
So here begins a little series. A nod to Jerez as I get ready to go. I'm leaving for Madrid in a few hours...
Un saludo a Jerez como ya me voy.
Because bulerías doesn’t exist anywhere as it does here. And if it did, it wouldn’t be what it is.
It’s just its own thing here.
And that's that.
I'm not saying you have to be in Jerez to do bulerías or anything like that. No, no. I’ll keep dancing them in Portland, of course, because there's no way I can stop. And we have a lot of fun doing bulerías in Portland, even though it's not the same.
Nor am I saying you have to be from Jerez to do awesome bulerías. Not at all. Most of you know how Ricardo first got me with his bulerias back in 2006. Ricardo who will be in Portland this coming weekend!
But, anyway, las bulerías de Jerez, in Jerez.
So, I want to share with you perspectives from different people here. Along with some things I’ve learned. And some things I’ve felt. And some things I’ve noticed.
I've been dancing a lot of bulerías with Ana María López and Carmen. So much fun. Ohh, and I took a couple of great classes with Manuela Carpio last week.
I hear bulerías all of the time around here. Coming from cars, in bars, passing by the window of someone's house, this guy Salmorete who goes around singing in the street and at restaurants...
And at all of the peña shows and concerts.
Anyway, Ani gave little bulerías consejos daily, as I told you earlier. So, here's one for today.
La bulería puede ser un poquito más corta o un poquito más larga. Nada más.
Bulerías de Jerez are short.
Each individual's dance that is, because bulerías can go on forever and ever. I witnessed that at the fería two years ago. But when it's your turn to dance, cortita is how it has to be...
Stay tuned because tomorrow I'll show you a video snippet of a conversation I had with Pedro Navarro, 'Perico,' about the complexity of this form. You don't want to miss it.
Artwork by Dave Poynter
Comments
What do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this flamenco form. How do you like your bulerías. Do you have questions about them? Leave a comment below.