Discover Guajiras – The Graceful Flamenco Style with Cuban Influence

Hola my friend,

Let’s get to know the Guajiras. It’s such an elegant dance in flamenco, the song and music are so melodious, with cultural influence from Cuba. Easy listening for anyone, not just flamenco people.

I’m teaching it every Sunday in February. So I thought I’d share it with my readers too.

One of the reasons why I think dancers should experience it is because it feels very different from other flamenco styles. (More below)

It greatly contrasts the ‘heavier styles’ like Soleá or sobre ones like the Farruca. So the more exposure you have to the many styles of flamenco, the better for you!

1. 𝗥𝗵𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗺 (𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮́𝘀):

The Guajiras has a 12 beat rhythm similar to the Alegrías with a moderate pace

2. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 ‘𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹’ 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 & 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀

While the Alegrías feels very sprightly and lively, to me, the Guajiras feels very lyrical and very melodious. And no wonder too. The Guajiras has influence from the Americas, particularly Cuba.

We call it ‘𝑪𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒅𝒆 𝑰𝒅𝒂 𝒚 𝑽𝒖𝒆𝒍𝒕𝒂’ – a song that ‘goes and comes back’. And what do we mean by this?

In those days of trade, the Spanish would go to the Americas and then they would come back. And so with that trade came also cultural exchange. (my video shows the trade route map)

3. 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 #𝟭 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗷𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲

Let’s have a look at the Guajiras by Olga Pericet in a workshop I organised in Seville.

Now, Olga is petite and she’s feminine. You can see she’s playful and she’s teasing the students out.

Not only in her dance is she feminine, playful, coquettish, it’s in her way of teaching too, so that was really really charming to see. And she’s also dancing it with her little touches of’pellizco’.

4. 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀

‘Pellizco’ means a pinch, and it means the flamenco flavour or the personality of a dancer. This can be quite particular with each dancer’s personal style.

It makes flamenco dancers and how we learn flamenco very unique. It’s not a standard or academic form we look for in developing our flamenco dance.

When I learn flamenco from different teachers in Spain, this is what I’m looking to absorb and experience.

5. 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼 #2 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗷𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲

Let’s have a look at another Guajiras, this time by Paloma Gomez in Singapore.

Paloma, you notice, is tall and she’s making great use of her physique with her arms, body extensions. So you can see that these two dancers really contrast each other.

By the way, male flamenco dancers dance Guajiras too! I saw one dancing in Seville as a duet with his female partner. He was stylish and chic, with a hat. Dressed in white and light beige.

6. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 & 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝘆𝗹𝗲

You can be dancing the same style and yet add your own personality and touch. I think that’s what should happen in flamenco. We all find our individuality.

As for me, when I listen to the music and song of the Guajiras, its melody is stirring the feminine nature in me, blossoming it and I feel very elegant and refined.

7. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲

When you dance the Guajiras, tell me what you feel!