My First Flamenco Recital: T’s Testimonial (2022)
After I started learning at Benito García Flamenco Academy,
I did not take part in a recital until I had learned my fourth choreography.
The truth is, back then, the first recital I had seen had been so wonderful
that I wondered, “Would someone like me damage the academy’s reputation by going on stage?”
That was what I was thinking.
But one day, a classmate and our teacher Beni gave me a gentle nudge,
and I decided to take part in a recital for the first time.
Looking back now, it is curious: once you decide to take part,
somehow, the circumstances begin to fall into place, and your habits start to change too.
The makeup workshop was fun, and I left the choice of accessories to Beni.
The choices were completely different from anything I would have thought of, yet they made me think, “Yes, these really could work!”
At that time, costumes were available for hire, so it was possible to take part without buying a new outfit.
Above all, people often say, “One performance on stage teaches you more than a hundred practice sessions,”
and after taking part, I felt that the saying reflected my own experience.
Of course, you cannot go on stage without practising,
but until then, I had practised to keep up with the class and memorise the choreography.
Once I decided to take part, I began practising with an audience in mind.
Even my commute, whether on the train or on foot, became time to work on my posture.
For the formations, Beni would look at who was in the group
and put them together in a flash, almost like magic.
And there were my fellow dancers, all working towards the same goal.
Even the rehearsals felt wonderfully lavish!
Then came the stage lights and the outstanding artists.
To the classmate and to Beni, who encouraged me that day:
thank you, truly, from the heart.
At the time, I was looking forward to the next recital, which would be at the same venue as the first one I had seen.
I was so excited; it felt a little like returning to where it all began.
Comments