12 ways to find inspiration when you're in a flamenco rut
Practice makes progress, but it doesn’t always come easy. Especially in the middle of winter, when you’re stuck at home. Sometimes the last thing you feel like is picking up the guitar or putting on your dance shoes.
We’ve all been there. Flamenco can bring us so much joy, but… when it does begin to feel like a chore, the good news is it’s easy to reignite the flame.
Here are 12 ways to find inspiration when you’re in a flamenco rut.
1. Make a playlist.
Choose all your favourite tracks or videos and queue them up in a playlist on the platform of your choice. It’ll be ready to dip in and out of anytime you need a reminder of how much you love flamenco.
2. Listen to the classics.
Maybe we’re opening a can of worms here, because ‘the classics’ are going to be different for everyone. But think of some of the earlier recordings of flamenco with singers such as Niña de los Peines, Tomás Pavón and Manuel Torre among many, many others.
3. Watch the groundbreakers.
Again, this one is open to definition, but in the realm of flamenco dance take a look at how artists such as Vicente Escudero, Israel Galván and Rocío Molina have pushed the boundaries of flamenco.
4. Take a different artist’s perspective.
If you’re a dancer, study a guitarist. Really listen to a falsetta without thinking of the dance steps. If you’re a guitarist, study a singer - the way they move and emphasise the melody. So often when we watch flamenco we focus on our own element, but there is a lot to be learnt by focusing on the performance from a different perspective.
5. Listen to flamenco fusion.
Take a shot at artists like India Lucia, Rosalía, Ara Malikian (excellent for castanets practice!) or Ultra High Flamenco. See what it inspires.
6. Watch old videos of yourself.
This can be a great motivator as it allows you to see how far you’ve come. But it also leads onto the next point…..
7. Revisit old material.
Some of the melodies, rhythms or combinations you learnt a few years back can be a great source of inspiration. Use them to vary your practice or warmup drills, or develop them into new material.
8. Practise somewhere different.
In a different room, facing a different direction, on the verandah or in the kitchen! Small changes like this can shake you out of your routine and inspire new energy.
9. Translate some lyrics.
Flamenco is all about the emotion. If you’re not feeling it, try revisiting the lyrics. Taking a letra and translating it into English can add a new dimension to your appreciation of flamenco.
10. Focus on just one detail.
What happens when you ignore the rest and just focus on one thing - the underlying rhythm of the music or the pauses in between different sequences. What can you find there? Focusing in on a tiny detail, whether you’re practising or watching someone else perform, can make the experience so much richer.
11. Make one tiny change to a routine.
That llamada you have with the accent on the ‘6’ - what happens if you move it forward half a beat? Take a well known technique or routine and vary it slightly for a fresh approach.
12. Borrow from another style.
Yes, the world of music and dance is bigger than flamenco :) What inspires you from rock, hip-hop or classical genres? And how can you use it in flamenco? Try practising technique drills to a different music style for motivation and see how it feels.
What are your tips for finding inspiration? Or your favourite flamenco videos that you love to watch again and again? Let us know in the Comments below!
