Despite the spring snow, just a hint of green is enough to lighten my load. But nothing lifts my spirits like dance. Not that I dance… I don’t, but I move about with enthusiasm. And I love watching dancers dance.
So you can appreciate my watching, not once but twice, Flamenco at 5:15. It is a short, Oscar-winning documentary by Cynthia Scott. Filmed in 1983 at the National Ballet School of Canada and starring Susana, the dance teacher, and her husband Antonio Robledo, a classically trained pianist, the Robledos introduce the senior ballet students to the art of Flamenco.
A pleasant surprise along El Camino de Santiago
What a treat to watch this husband/wife team nurture the young and talented. You can order the DVD on-line at Amazon for $29.95, or… you can watch the documentary FOR FREE. Go to http://www.openculture.com/freemoviesonline. Once you are at the Open Culture site, scroll down the alphabetical list of 625 free movies to find Flamenco at 5:15.
Linger awhile: you just may see more than one movie that you would like to watch.
Movies are good, but nothing beats watching dancers live and in-person. Tango week in London is a treat. September is the month to catch the performances, or you can show up for a free beginners class, or if you already tango, you can take classes to hone your skills.
Alfresco dancing to live music takes place on the Southbank.
Anyone can participate. As I do not tango and only “move with enthusiasm,” I did not dance, but my alter-ego was on the pavement. You should have seen my fancy footwork!
What I liked best was that most people came without partners, and regardless of one’s age or color or socio-economic status, partners came together for the love of dance. Sexual orientation was not an issue. Guys in drag were never short of partners. Age was no barrier. Those “of age” held their own and held it well. It was nice to see that a person’s ability to dance was valued more highly than the person’s age.
I have questioned friends and neighbors about the possibility of taking tango lessons here at-home in Westcliffe but have met little enthusiasm. Women are interested; men are not. Why is that? I can’t figure it out.
Does learning the tango preclude hunting, fishing or driving a tractor? If men only knew how tango skills would enhance their sex appeal, they might have more interest. So… this is it. CALLING ALL MEN. If you like dance, and you have interest in learning to tango, call me. I am in the phone book. Alternatively, comment at the bottom of this blog. I’ll find the teacher, but first I need some interested students.
You probably have your own list of favorite dance movies, but my top five include Billy Elliot, Strictly Ballroom, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, Shall We Dance (not the American movie with Richard Gere but the 1996 Japanese movie with the same title) and Mad Hot Ballroom, a documentary that follows elementary school-age kids in New York City who are preparing for a citywide dance competition.
OK, Guys… leave your inhibitions at home; sign up for lessons and stand ready for the payoff. It is never too late to become a hot property.
Ah, such good advice! As always an educational, interesting blend of photos and observations.
Thank you, Phyllis, I just returned to Westcliffe after a few days down below. Hoped to have some messages from male neighbors on my answering machine – men begging to take a class. No one called. Luckily my heart is still singing from Saturday’s La Boheme.
If you aren’t a regular at watching the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD at your hometown cinema (Greeley?), you should check it out. The Met will broadcast the final performance of the season in May. I don’t have the date at-hand, but you should check it out. You will thank me.
Loved it! But I bet it will be hard to get the guys to change. Monica
Dear Monica, As I said in my reply to Phyllis, no guys have written or called. Pretty depressing. Snow here yesterday and maybe more today. Nothing to write home about but hearing about our gray skies and bone-chilling cold, can only make you appreciate San Carlos more.
Doris: I have a cousin in Portland who taught Tango for some years, even traveling to Argentina a time or two. She is semi-retired now, but what an interesting way to earn a living. And, she became a night owl as well.
Dear Marty, I want to meet this woman! Does she plan to visit you this summer? Will you introduce us? xo