FLAMENCO

Traditionally the musical outlet for the poor and oppressed, and heavily rooted in Spain, Flamenco has now become a form of expression for a whole new generation of dancers and is rapidly becoming a global art form, most recently casting its spell over the people of Atlanta.

I tried tango but didn’t like it because I will not be led by men,” says Menosky, a graphic designer who performs weekly in the Atlanta dance ensemble, Perla Flamenca. "But when I danced flamenco, I knew that it was it for me. It’s so much more than an art form. It’s a history and a culture and a life, and it allows you to express yourself in so many ways, so many different aspects of emotion. Because I’m a very emotional person, it just kind of fit me.”

Menosky isn’t the only Atlantan who has been touched by this centuries-old Spanish art form. In a town where fancy footwork is normally associated with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, flamenco has gained a significant foothold over the past five years, with audiences getting so swept up in the gypsy passion that they’ll set aside their sangria to soak up the clapping, stomping, swirling and strumming.

Flamenco dancing is indigenous to Spain, and more specifically to Andalusia, but it is actually rooted in the expression of several cultures, including that of the gypsies, Jews and Moors, who were thrown together by persecution following the expulsion of the latter from Spain in 1492. Flamenco is most strongly associated with the image of female dancers in brightly colored dresses sashaying to and fro whilst stamping their feet and clapping loudly. In fact, the fundamental dance step, which involves making blunt, loud and sharp impacts in a series of quick steps, becomes part of the music, as the two merge with the singing to become a unique tripartite art form. "It’s the rhythmic footwork, the beautiful costuming and the storyline that makes it so neat,” says Jerry Fields, a flamenco percussionist. "Even in a big dance club, people will stop what they’re doing to watch it. When you see someone sweating as they dance or playing beautiful guitar, you can see that the art is bigger than the people on stage. People are hungry for that in today’s society. They want something that’s so amazing it makes them stop and notice.”

In Atlanta, flamenco aficionados have the chance to enjoy the dance on a weekly basis during performances in packed local bars, restaurants and nightclubs throughout town, as well as at occasional theater shows and local cultural festivals. Anyone hoping to master castanets or perfect a planta can drop in on a dance class almost any night of the week for a bit of Spanish-laced coaching. Occasionally, serious flamenco students can take part in workshop lessons from internationally renowned flamenco acts such as Paco Pena (who performs at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts on February 19th).

Atlanta hasn’t always been this flamenco friendly. Just ask Martha Sid Ahmed, who moved to the city in 1979 only to find no flamenco community and plenty of dance studios that were apprehensive about letting her teach because, "They were afraid of having their studios destroyed by the footwork and noise”. Sid Ahmed faced a "long hard climb” to put flamenco on the map. She started out performing locally at public schools and occasionally luring internationally renowned performers to town. In those days, Sid Ahmed explains that flamenco acts didn’t play to packed houses or merit reviews in the local press. Atlanta finally became more receptive to the art in the mid-’90s as the population became more international and the interest in Latin culture and music grew, she says. An influx of new flamenco talent also helped. Sid Ahmed credits local guitarist Witold Tulodziecki and dancer Ulrika Frank for their role in sparking an interest in flamenco. Class enrollment jumped, the first flamenco recital was staged, two dance companies-Perla Flamenca and the beginner’s level group, Perlita Flamenca-were formed, and more and more performers and teachers entered the fray.

"We all share the same level of respect for flamenco, and recognizing that this is such a huge art keeps you humble and modest,”

Sid Ahmed says. "I work like the devil to give students as much as I can in class, but I also encourage them to study elsewhere and see what they can see. This is not the world. This is an appetizer.”

Some dancers, such as Julie Galle Baggenstoss, are ready for flamenco’s main course. Baggenstoss, who often performs with Tulodziecki and Fields, left a full-time job in journalism to follow her passion.

"The phone kept ringing for flamenco teaching jobs,” says Baggenstoss, who studied flamenco in Spain. "So, as I was getting more and more teaching opportunities, I realized I should focus on dancing instead of writing.”

Though Baggenstoss says her leap of faith wasn’t the easiest decision-dancing isn’t exactly viewed as a "real job” she says, even though she spends hours on marketing herself, developing new material and teaching classes- she knows she has been an inspiration to people itching to pursue their heart’s desire.

"The biggest reaction I get from people is how they wish they had the courage to pursue their passion, too,” she says. "Deep down, they know it’s something they’d rather be doing than working their nine-to-five desk jobs.” Unlike other communities, which are often rife with "nasty flamenco politics”, Frank explains that Atlanta welcomes newcomers with open arms, regardless of their skill level.

"I brought in someone for a workshop once who said ‘Atlanta feels like a flamenco family, where New York feels like a flamenco fight’,” says Frank, who currently resides in Washington, DC.

"That’s why the community here is so alive. It doesn’t matter what level you are and what you do. Everyone should feel welcome.”

Spanish dancer Antonio Hidalgo says that kind of inclusiveness is rare in flamenco.

"In most flamenco communities that I know, the relationship between the different schools is not too good,” says Hidalgo, who taught a 40-person workshop in summer 2004. "It was nice to see that in Atlanta this was different. The community is very much together, and there’s lots of potential here. There are artists who are 100 % involved in making flamenco more popular.”

Flamenco is on the cusp of a huge wave and about to claim more aficionados like Menosky and Baggenstoss and Frank.

"I wish it was not, because life would be so much simpler,” she says. "But to watch and listen to it, it is hard not to be affected by it. When the lights go out, the singing begins, the guitar notes fill the air and the dancers begin to move, you find yourself left breathless. It just takes you over completely.”

The growing popularity of this unique art form is not just confined to Atlanta. Just as tango and yoga had their moment of integration into Western society as the urban professional’s extra curricular activity of choice, so too flamenco is about to enter the fold on a global level. Surely that has to be "quick step” in the right direction.

FINDING FLAMENCO IN ATLANTA
Any night of the week in Atlanta, flamenco lovers can take in performances or perfect their skills. The following links will lead you into the arms of the area’s local flamenco community.
www.jaleole.com
Atlanta’s "Voice of Flamenco” keeps locals up to date with the latest news, reviews and events across town.
www.atlantaflamenco.com
Atlanta Flamenco Productions is run by a group of local artists committed to promoting flamenco performances and education. Dance and guitar classes as well as performance schedules are posted here.
www.flamencoclasses.com
Julie Galle Baggenstoss’ personal web site for flamenco classes and performances.
www.wellbridge.com/acn
The Athletic Club Northeast has flamenco dance classes at its facility.
www.gilbertscafe.com
Gilbert’s Mediterranean Café in Midtown Atlanta hosts Perla Flamenca each Wednesday night.
www.barcelonaatlanta.com
Dancers perform with guitarist Witold Tulodziecki each Friday night at this popular tapas bar northeast of downtown Atlanta.