On Sunday we celebrated the end of the second term of studying Guajiras in class with a sharing of work in progress. My tutor Rowena ‘La China’ is teaching us a most gorgeous routine. At any stage in your career there’s so much to learn and I’m loving the fan work and the music. I can’t wait for the summer term!
What is the Guajira?
The Guajira is one of the so-called Cantes de Ida y Vuelta, which means that it’s a style that has gone away and come back. Flamenco music travelled from Spain to Latin America, in this case Cuba, assimilated cultural influences of Native Americans and African slaves and travelled back to Andalusia, where it evolved into a Flamenco style. In Spanish, the word ‘aflamencamiento’ can be used to describe this last process. It’s fascinating.
What are the main characteristics of the Guajira dance?
The Guajira is usually danced by a female dancer who uses a large fan. It’s often said to be a flirtatious dance. It’s certainly elegant and graceful and a beautiful dance to celebrate the lovely moments in life.
We also experimented with the new camera on the iPhone X with some very interesting results. How do you like this image?
Lucidez Dance 