http://www.gypsyrumor.com
About two years ago I began to perform flamenco in a local coffee shop after spending many years in flamenco dance classes and was surprized with how poor my performance was. I knew I wasn't the best flamenco dancer in the world, but I was genuinely shocked with how much I sucked. My footwork was imprecise, my dance movements seemed awkward and worse of all I didn't know how to communicate with the guitarist and the singer I was performing. In a classroom of sometimes up to 20 students, my footwork seemed fine. What I didn't realize is that it wasn't me that was doing fine, it was the whole group dancing together that was doing a great. When dancing solo in that small coffee shop I realized that in fact my footwork sucked and thank god there were only a small group of people that had witnessed it. Also the guitarist that I performed with did play each palo (or flamenco form) his own way, which was different from the way the guitarist in the classroom was playing. So I had all these choreographies that I had learned, but they did not fit with the way the guitarist was playing nor the way the singer was singing. And I did not have the language even, to tell the guitarist what I wanted. I knew that things just didn't fit, but I didn't know why and therefore I was clueless as to how to fix it. The guitarist and the singer were trying to be flexible and accommodating, but I wasn't able to communicate with them what is it that I was doing.
This experience was demoralizing, but over time I turned things around by becoming my own teacher using simple techniques and exercises which I do on my own that help me correct my own shortcomings as a flamenco dancer and turned me from a student to performer. Overtime I can see better results when I am dancing and performing. My goal is to share my learning experience with you, hoping that you can benefit from all the things I learned the hard way through trial and error. Which is why I created the website www.gypsyrumor.com.
I want to stress that I don't consider myself to be an expert in flamenco nor a teacher. Even in Vancouver, the city where I live which is very far away from Spain there many people who are better flamenco dancers and more knowledgeable about flamenco than I am. I am not here to pretend that I am an expert. In fact, I continue to learn and take classes and work on correcting various shortcomings in my dancing. My goal instead is to share my dancing experience with you, telling you about things that worked for me and others that did not. Towards that goal I have three things that I want to tell you about:
1- an ebook
2- blog
3- online class tutorials
Right now I am writing an ebook which is titled -- From student to performer: How to become your own flamenco dance teacher. In it I am explain in detail and with example how I managed to overcome the performance hump. Things like practice exercise that I do daily to improve my precision. Video taping myself dancing to catch technique mistakes and devising a tailored exercises to fix my own mistakes. How to maximize what you learn in a dance class and adapt choreographies your learn in the class into your performance. This ebook is not available yet, because I haven't finished writing it. However, you can be among the very first to receive free as soon as it is finished by signing up to my mailing list. Simply go to www.gypsyrumor.com/blog and on the right hand side there a box where you can provide your email and click the submit button. You will be sent a verification email and once your email address is verified your email addressed will be added to mailing list and you will be among the first to receive this free ebook in your email account.
The second thing that I have for you is a blog which you can access at www.gypsyrumor.com/blog where I post useful bits of information about flamenco.
The third thing that I have for you are flamenco online tutorials which you can access at www.gypsyrumor.com/tutor. These full length videos of dance exercises that you can do on your own at home. These exercises have helped me become a better dance and I hope that you will derive benefit from as well. There is free content on the website and over time I will also add content for a nominal fee to help me support this website. The point of Gypsy Rumor Tutor is not to replace your face to face dance classes with your teacher. I myself continue to take classes and benefit from learning from a great teacher and If you have access to a good teacher, I encourage you to take classes if that is available to you. Use Gypsy Rumor Tutor as a supplement to the existing classes you are taking to help you improve faster. Or as an alternative only if physical access to dance class in not possible.
I hope you will enjoy what I have developed for on gypsyrumor.com and I look forwards to hearing from you with comments and feedback.
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Xvicha Maglakelidze With He's Student Flamencoby GeoGuitarz607 views
Great channel. It's a challenge to study something new, to be a beginner at an art form when you are past 10 years old.
vivaloriflamme 3 months ago
Thanks! I soooo understand what you're saying. Found your video while looking on YT for flam. performances to inspire me. I've studied less than 2yrs, & I also try to video myself to check my technique, which hurts! Thankfully our teacher makes us demonstrate our footwork 1 by 1, so we know when we sound good...or not! I'll have to check your site. I am sending my sincere wish that you feel comfortable performing solo soon and are very satisfied with your perfomances. (& same for me!)
seiyona 4 months ago