Author:
Briseyda Zarate FLAMENCO
Jan 28, 2010, 6:08 pm
"FLAMEN-CURA--Flamenco as Medicine for the Soul"
Dear students and friends,
this March I will be attending the Festival de Jerez for the first time. This is one of the most important Flamenco festivals in Andalucia and all of Spain, where flamencos from all over the world come together to witness the best and latest works, as well as to partake in workshops, juergas (jam sessions/party's) and in the unique and incomparable aire and soniquete (feeling and groove) of Jerez de la Frontera. This was the first place I journeyed to over a decade ago, led by my passion for Flamenco, the music, the dance and the life-style. My first trip was the beginning of a life-long spiritual artistic journey that came after quitting my job as a school teacher to become a professional Flamenca. I have to say I enjoyed the children, but something just wasn't right, I was over-worked, depressed and unhealthy. On the contrary when I danced I felt alive and overjoyed! For this reason, it was a risk worth taking. Although I was scared, I knew I had waited long enough to be happy and I was no longer willing to put my childhood dreams of music and dance on the back burner. Armed with this faith in myself I left my job, boyfriend and the extreme skepticism and doubt of so called friends and family behind to follow my heart in Jerez . Jerez is a magical place where flamenco is a way of life. In my time there I learned buleria, my favorite palo (rhythm). I also learned the very valuable lesson that flamenco lived in me and that I could only find it inside of myself, no one could give it to me, they could only guide me, I would have to do the work. This understanding made it clear to me that I had a special mission and calling; to become the best artist I could be, my most authentic self and to guide, encourage and help others in doing exactly the same.
Many of you know me in one way or another, either as your teacher, friend, colleague or all of the above. I'd like to share with you a little more about my journey into into a creative life. I come from a family of risk takers, of immigrant people brimming with dreams and courage. My parents are from Tanganciquaro, Michoacan, a village in Mexico, where they lived on the same street and grew up on the same side of the sidewalk. My heritage is Mexican Indigenous from the Purepecha tribe, Spanish, Arabic, and French. I grew up in Delano, California in a farm working family where hard work, persistence, patience and the burning desire to succeed and overcome adversity where of the up most importance. One of the most treasured gifts my parents gave me as a child was music and dance. My father and all of my uncles played traditional Mexican guitar, Corridos, Huapangos, Rancheras, you name it! My mother and grandmother sang their hearts out to the bittersweet music, sometimes sad and angry, sometimes funny and joyous and always, always from the heart. My siblings and I were their guinea pigs, singing and playing along. My first experience with dance was in a tap class at the age of 5. I was overjoyed by the sounds, the rhythms, the movements, the turns! As a child I knew with every bone in my little body that I was a dancer. Most of the time I kept that truth to my self because "Mom, I will be a professional dancer!" is not what my parents wanted to hear, not after all their struggle and strife! Dreams of becoming a lawyer or doctor would be more re-assuring and befitting of their struggle, plus they could brag to their friends. Dance class was a major luxury and sacrifice for my parents being that there wages totaled up to $1.25 an hour, just enough to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. For these gifts I will always be grateful. Dance has always been my therapy, my medicine. It was the place where I could freely say all that I was unable or prohibited to say with words. Although my family was wonderful in so many ways, I also grew up around an alcoholic father, who physically abused my mother and I. Unless she was singing, my mother was emotionally absent and numb. Surviving sexual abuse as a child has also been part of my experience. Dance is and was the safe haven for all of my feelings to flourish completely free of inhibitions and recriminations. Simply put, for me, dancing has healed and continues to heal me.
Since my first trip to Jerez almost a decade ago, I have grown in so many ways, as a "Bailaora" and artist. My dreams have and are still coming true. I've learned from the best, started my own dance company, produced, choreographed and artistically directed my own shows, worked with amazing people in amazing venues in Spain, Latin America and across the US and taught master classes. I do what I love and for that I am eternally grateful. On this trip I will embark on yet another dream, a very special multi-media project that I have entitled "FLAMEN-CURA" FLAMENCO CURES or HEALS. The word Flamencura to me in the traditional sense, means full of unique and personal aire, pellisco, soniquete, compas, duende, majestad, poderio, sentio-Style. All of those elements in an artist that give me goose bumps. The word Cura, means the cure, the answer to all ailments. For this project I will interview dancers, musicians, singers, teachers and students alike with the purpose of uncovering the power of flamenco as an ancient healing art form. This will kick-off the makings of a multi-media performance inspired by these interviews and dedicated to all of our healing, as artists, as people and as inhabitants of this planet.. Up until now I have self-produced and funded all of my flamenco schooling and productions, you have helped me by coming to a show, taking my classes or housing me when I didn't have a place to stay. For this I thank you. As I seek funding on a major scale for this project, I am first coming to you for your support in form of donations. These contributions will go to trip expenses including travel, food, lodging and equipment, whatever you may be able to contribute will be greatly appreciated and will go directly to the completion of the "FLAMEN-CURA" project. As a contributor you'll be invited to a private screening of the footage upon my return with plenty of food and drink and be mentioned in the documentaries credits. My initial goal is to raise $4,000.00, to get me to Jerez and the project off the ground. You may contribute anywhere from $10 to $1000, skies the limit! If this under-taking speaks to you at all, please feel free to contribute. Thank you again in advance for your on-going support and faith in me.
...y que viva el ARTE!,
Briseyda
To Make your tax-deductible donation to the FLAMEN-CURA Project please contact us at 323.719.1613 or email us at briseydazarateflamenca@hotmail.com.
To find out more about Briseyda's work go to www.briseydazarateflamenco.com
this March I will be attending the Festival de Jerez for the first time. This is one of the most important Flamenco festivals in Andalucia and all of Spain, where flamencos from all over the world come together to witness the best and latest works, as well as to partake in workshops, juergas (jam sessions/party's) and in the unique and incomparable aire and soniquete (feeling and groove) of Jerez de la Frontera. This was the first place I journeyed to over a decade ago, led by my passion for Flamenco, the music, the dance and the life-style. My first trip was the beginning of a life-long spiritual artistic journey that came after quitting my job as a school teacher to become a professional Flamenca. I have to say I enjoyed the children, but something just wasn't right, I was over-worked, depressed and unhealthy. On the contrary when I danced I felt alive and overjoyed! For this reason, it was a risk worth taking. Although I was scared, I knew I had waited long enough to be happy and I was no longer willing to put my childhood dreams of music and dance on the back burner. Armed with this faith in myself I left my job, boyfriend and the extreme skepticism and doubt of so called friends and family behind to follow my heart in Jerez . Jerez is a magical place where flamenco is a way of life. In my time there I learned buleria, my favorite palo (rhythm). I also learned the very valuable lesson that flamenco lived in me and that I could only find it inside of myself, no one could give it to me, they could only guide me, I would have to do the work. This understanding made it clear to me that I had a special mission and calling; to become the best artist I could be, my most authentic self and to guide, encourage and help others in doing exactly the same.
Many of you know me in one way or another, either as your teacher, friend, colleague or all of the above. I'd like to share with you a little more about my journey into into a creative life. I come from a family of risk takers, of immigrant people brimming with dreams and courage. My parents are from Tanganciquaro, Michoacan, a village in Mexico, where they lived on the same street and grew up on the same side of the sidewalk. My heritage is Mexican Indigenous from the Purepecha tribe, Spanish, Arabic, and French. I grew up in Delano, California in a farm working family where hard work, persistence, patience and the burning desire to succeed and overcome adversity where of the up most importance. One of the most treasured gifts my parents gave me as a child was music and dance. My father and all of my uncles played traditional Mexican guitar, Corridos, Huapangos, Rancheras, you name it! My mother and grandmother sang their hearts out to the bittersweet music, sometimes sad and angry, sometimes funny and joyous and always, always from the heart. My siblings and I were their guinea pigs, singing and playing along. My first experience with dance was in a tap class at the age of 5. I was overjoyed by the sounds, the rhythms, the movements, the turns! As a child I knew with every bone in my little body that I was a dancer. Most of the time I kept that truth to my self because "Mom, I will be a professional dancer!" is not what my parents wanted to hear, not after all their struggle and strife! Dreams of becoming a lawyer or doctor would be more re-assuring and befitting of their struggle, plus they could brag to their friends. Dance class was a major luxury and sacrifice for my parents being that there wages totaled up to $1.25 an hour, just enough to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. For these gifts I will always be grateful. Dance has always been my therapy, my medicine. It was the place where I could freely say all that I was unable or prohibited to say with words. Although my family was wonderful in so many ways, I also grew up around an alcoholic father, who physically abused my mother and I. Unless she was singing, my mother was emotionally absent and numb. Surviving sexual abuse as a child has also been part of my experience. Dance is and was the safe haven for all of my feelings to flourish completely free of inhibitions and recriminations. Simply put, for me, dancing has healed and continues to heal me.
Since my first trip to Jerez almost a decade ago, I have grown in so many ways, as a "Bailaora" and artist. My dreams have and are still coming true. I've learned from the best, started my own dance company, produced, choreographed and artistically directed my own shows, worked with amazing people in amazing venues in Spain, Latin America and across the US and taught master classes. I do what I love and for that I am eternally grateful. On this trip I will embark on yet another dream, a very special multi-media project that I have entitled "FLAMEN-CURA" FLAMENCO CURES or HEALS. The word Flamencura to me in the traditional sense, means full of unique and personal aire, pellisco, soniquete, compas, duende, majestad, poderio, sentio-Style. All of those elements in an artist that give me goose bumps. The word Cura, means the cure, the answer to all ailments. For this project I will interview dancers, musicians, singers, teachers and students alike with the purpose of uncovering the power of flamenco as an ancient healing art form. This will kick-off the makings of a multi-media performance inspired by these interviews and dedicated to all of our healing, as artists, as people and as inhabitants of this planet.. Up until now I have self-produced and funded all of my flamenco schooling and productions, you have helped me by coming to a show, taking my classes or housing me when I didn't have a place to stay. For this I thank you. As I seek funding on a major scale for this project, I am first coming to you for your support in form of donations. These contributions will go to trip expenses including travel, food, lodging and equipment, whatever you may be able to contribute will be greatly appreciated and will go directly to the completion of the "FLAMEN-CURA" project. As a contributor you'll be invited to a private screening of the footage upon my return with plenty of food and drink and be mentioned in the documentaries credits. My initial goal is to raise $4,000.00, to get me to Jerez and the project off the ground. You may contribute anywhere from $10 to $1000, skies the limit! If this under-taking speaks to you at all, please feel free to contribute. Thank you again in advance for your on-going support and faith in me.
...y que viva el ARTE!,
Briseyda
To Make your tax-deductible donation to the FLAMEN-CURA Project please contact us at 323.719.1613 or email us at briseydazarateflamenca@hotmail.com.
To find out more about Briseyda's work go to www.briseydazarateflamenco.com
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