Flamenco is life
by Lorena Galera (Madrid, Spain)

Rocío Molina

After practically three years without setting foot in my school Amor de Dios, or doing any flamenco, just longing for it after a damn illness, I decided to start again this summer and stronger than ever. I devoted myself entirely and ended up opening a new way for myself in flamenco dancing. And I began by going to see Rocío Molina at Suma Flamenca in Madrid. From that moment on, I decided that I had to continue, even if it meant taking it slowly with sure steps. After many years of admiration, I finally took an intensive course in Seville this summer with the Farruco family. I can’t describe how much I got out of it. Then, in my own city I decided to take classes from maestra La China, in order to delve into the age-old manners of flamenco, but doing it my way. The finishing touch on this summer which hasn’t ended yet was a day trip down to Granada to see one of my favorite bailaoras - for many reasons, and many of them very personal, towards her art and the humble person she is -, at the Generalife Gardens. Eva Yerbabuena dancing to/por Lorca... I keep that for myself... Yesterday I made a wish to a shooting star. This flamenco summer has undoubtedly been the awakening and start of a new flamenco Lorena. I think I’m finally going to reunite with the bailaora I have inside of me and want to be... Flamenco is life!!!

Memories for winter
by Guy Bretéché (Blain, France)

Miguel Poveda, Castillo de Sohail (Photo by Guy Bretéché)

Like every year, we take a trip around Andalusia to listen to flamenco. This year, we discovered the new recital by Miguel Poveda at Sohail Castle. Copla, flamenco, art. Chicuelo’s guitar lighting up the night in Fuengirola. Next came the Casabermeja Festival, which we’ve lived as a ritual for 20 years now. Antonia Contreras and Chaparro’s guitar telling us about the land of Málaga, Tomás de Perrate singing in his deep style, José Mercé and the guitar of Diego, Moraíto’s son, and to finish, the duende of El Pele. Without forgetting the festival in Coín, my hometown by adoption, where such good people live. That night we listened to maestro Antonio de Canillas, 82 years of age, young, fresh, dynamic, explaining the difference to us between the La Rubia de Málaga’s petenera and a petenera he was taught by Coín’s priest’s mother many years ago. Memories for winter.

Antonio de Canillas and Gabriel Cabrera, Festival Flamenco de Coín 2011 (Photo by Guy Bretéché)

A miracle come true
by Asime Can Ozozer (Istanbul, Turkey)

Asime Can Ozozer with Eva Yerbabuena in Federico según Lorca (Photo Miguel A. Molina)

One year after having finished my engineering degree at a very good university in my country, I discovered flamenco in Istanbul. I fell in love with this so complete art form. I decided that flamenco was the road I wanted to take. Little by little, I left everything and moved to Seville... In the year 2000, when I was still working as an engineer in Turkey, I saw Eva  Yerbabuenadance in a concert in Seville. I was speechless. To me, she was very complete and didn’t overuse the impeccable technique she had. Her way of moving around made me weep... Some years later, I found a book of wishes. My wish was to be a part of the Eva Yerbabuena Company. And in the year 2009, through some incredible coincidences, I took part in a seminar organized by Eva. She told us there, “forget about flamenco, since as soon as you say you do flamenco, you limit yourselves… and there’s no limit in art”. Her way of interpreting art and flamenco really impressed me. During the seminar, we interpreted part of ‘Yerma’ by García Lorca. Eva really liked what I presented and she asked me for my phone number on the last day. She told me I had very great potential for performing and that she wanted to do something with me in her company. And here I am, a part of the company of this so great and complete artist, on stage at Generalife, in this summer of 2011. We’re presenting Eva’s new show, ‘Federico Según Lorca’. I’m performing and learning from her at the same time, listening to the music, vocals, guitar and percussion of the great artists in her company... It’s a dream summer, a miracle come true. Thank you Eva, thanks to all the company and thanks to life for having given so much to me.

Asime Can Ozozer with Eva Yerbabuena in Federico según Lorca (Photo Miguel A. Molina)