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AUDIOVISUAL FLAMENCO GUIDE. SPECIAL FEATURE
Jondo on sight
Martín Guijarro, January 2006
Flamenco comes in through hearing, but the sense
of sight is still fundamental... and not just because of baile's
esthetics. The cantaor's gestures, guitarists' way of playing,
the staging of the groups, even the wardrobe, are aspects
of interest to all enthusiasts. And, given that the first
way to learn is through mimicry, the audiovisual is a basic
tool for training. The catalogue isn't renewed as often as
that of records, but as new titles are added every season,
a few guidelines are needed to find your bearings amidst the
current offer of flamenco DVDs.
The internationalization of flamenco has spread out its following
so much that anywhere in the world there are students ready
to learn the secrets of baile. Of course, there isn't always
an instructor on hand. The solution was provided years ago
by audiovisual methods to learn flamenco dancing. With the
change in format, these products have undergone a considerable
improvement, since the DVD makes it possible to choose the
camera angle, includes menus to choose subtitles in different
languages and offers better picture quality. There are two
collections available. ‘El baile flamenco, por Manuel
Salado’ has already released ten volumes of beginner's
and intermediate level taught by Carmen Gamero, plus another
eleven suited to the advanced level with maestra Lalo
Tejada. As an added value, all the music accompanies it
on CD, with and without the sound of footwork, to put one's
knowledge to the test. Some years earlier, coming out on the
market was the pioneer ‘Paso a paso. Los palos del flamenco’
with instructor Adrián Galia. Both offer a wide variety
of technical exercises, steps and ideas to put together the
entire range of flamenco styles. And since the teachers don't
get tired, the lessons can be repeated infinitely.
The
didactic collection ‘El baile flamenco’ launches
eleven new DVDs for advanced-level students
‘El
baile flamenco’ by Manuel Salado. Special Feature. Private
baile classes at home
Frame from El
baile flamenco
Óscar
Herrero has become the ‘virtual’ instructor
of flamenco guitar through the DVD collection ‘Guitarra
flamenca paso a paso’. His specialized courses in soleá,
alegrías and technique have traveled around the world,
becoming indispensable tools for guitar students at all levels.
The series has expanded the faculty of instructors with José
Manuel Montoya, who has focused on bulerías. For
each style, two volumes come out on the market; one with the
lessons and the other of a performance with a group in which
the pupil can get familiar with accompanying cante.
Óscar
Herrero. DVD, news, special features, tablatures...
Óscar
Herrero launches his new study materials for flamenco guitar
and a live DVD
| Percussion
and cante courses |
The development of what is now nearly the fourth flamenco
category, percussion, has also generated demand for classes,
and therefore, supply. There are already three different box-drum
courses out on DVD. One of the most complete ones is that
of Guillermo
McGill, with two volumes: ‘Aprende a tocar el cajón
flamenco’, focusing on the technical exercises for all
styles; and ‘Practica el cajón flamenco’,
an audiovisual of a flamenco group live which the student
can practice with, leaving out the sound of the box drum.
Other methods are those of Nan Mercader, who besides the box
drum offers specialization in other percussion instruments
such as the darbuka. The range is completed with the ‘Método
Dale de percusión’ by Juan Heredia, an elementary-level
course focusing on sevillanas, rumbas and bulerías.
Frame from Aprende
a tocar el cajón flamenco
Although it's always been said that it's impossible to learn
cante, there are now those who have set out to meet the challenge.
Madrilenian cantaor Merenguito
has dared to come out with the first didactic cante DVD. ‘Cante
flamenco paso a paso’ splits up the lessons between
four different styles, with a live performance extra for practicing.
‘Learn
flamenco cajón’ and ‘Practice flamenco
cajón’, by Guillermo McGill. Special feature
Continues
>>
magazine@flamenco-world.com
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