Sevillanas – Too Fun or Too Hard?

See Kasandra’s Notes on the sequence of each Copla!

By Kasandra “La China”
October 8, 2007

Sevillanas

After one month of studying Sevillanas, the regional folk dance from Seville, our Introduction Class students are either having a fabulous time and feeling triumphant learning the first copla or having a tough time with their first choreographic sequence.

Is Sevillanas too fun or too hard?

Al Mozaico Flamenco Dance Academy usually teaches Sevillanas in Introduction Courses.  Why?  Because upper and lower body coordination happens, arm circle technique is solidified and this forms basis for all Flamenco movement.  Personally, I see great results in my students after having studied Sevillanas.  So much foundation happens there.

While Sevillanas with its four coplas seems like a lot of choreography for a newcomer, we use it because it offers many step patterns or “pasos” by which to coordinate arm circles.  Sevillanas offers 10 different pasos with different timing on arms. 

Moving one’s arms at the same time as doing feet is much like rubbing your stomach and patting your head.  It is not intuitively obvious.  At first, you wonder how you are ever going to do this…if you ever will…or if you are capable.

Well, having taught this for many years, I can try to put this into perspective for you.  These days are your first baby steps into your flamenco journey.  While you THINK you are here to learn how to dance, you have just embarked on the beginning of a much larger process. 

Some of these include:
learning more about yourself
learning some patience
learning how you learn
learning how to have a sense of humour about life
teaching yourself how to learn
learning how to coordinate body parts you never knew you had
how your brain processes information

As an instructor, I am fully aware that people learn in different ways.  Some people are visual learners…teacher does something, you copy.  Then there are musical audio learners that can only dance with the music on.  And then, there are kinetic learners that can only learn through sheer repetition, trial and error, understanding the muscle movement.  Most people are a combination of all three learning types. 

Oh and THEN, there are people that need to be told what to do verbally…that is interesting because they retain things that I say.   I never know who is listening to me when I get onto my proverbial soap box, but once in a while students quote things that I said a month ago.  I am shocked!  FYI:  I have never really been good at that since I got a C- in listening skills in Grade 6…my husband will also tell you that my mind is a sieve because I never remember what he says.  

ANYWAY, there is a huge learning curve for a flamenco student in the first 3 months, so it is not surprising to feel an uphill battle right now…only to feel great later.  When you learn Sevillanas by Christmastime, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction as the fruits of your labour are reaped.  Sounds melodramatic, but flamenco is like that.  You will be challenged.  You will struggle and fight for it.  Flamenco is not for the meek.  In fact, there is a natural selection process.

In any case, it is good for you.  My students tell me this is really going to keep them out of the old age home.

Kasandra’s Notes on Sevillanas Choreography

While this may make no sense to you right now, please rest assured that this is all going to come clear.  You should print this out and then take some additional notes in class so you can remember what this all means.  Everybody takes notes differently, so you might be better off with these notes as a guideline and jot down your own chicken scratch.

FIRST COPLA
5 Sevillanas Steps + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas Step + 4 Grapevine + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas Step + 4 Pasadas + Final Vuelta (Turn)

SECOND COPLA
1 Sevillanas 2 Golpe + 3 Brush Step + Turn + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas 2 Golpe + 5 Waltz Step + Turn + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas + 7 Walk + Final Vuelta

THIRD COPLA
1 Sevillanas + Walking Turn 2X + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas + Grapevine Redoble 3X + Double Redoble + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas + Walk to other side, Back to Back Pasada + Final Vuelta

FOURTH COPLA
1 Sevillanas + 2 Golpe + Paddle Step 2X + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas + 2 Golpe + 2 Carreras + 2 Waltz Step + 1.5 Carreras + Turn + 1 Pasada
1 Sevillanas + 2 Golpe + 7.5 Carerras  + Final Vuelta