Any establishment or space dedicated to teaching dance, which trains the individual and therefore promotes personal development, is called an academy, an institution governed by those rules that guarantee educational quality.
So far, so good. The disagreement arises in the teaching model, as I observed during yesterday's session at the Academy of Juan Tejero, a teaching center that, since implementing the essence of Jerez in Seville 16 years ago, enhances the practical experience of bulerías dancing, but through the cantewhich is what allows the exploration of movement and the understanding of concepts that are not so much physical as musical time.
And to establish the truth of what I affirm, the cantes live from John of the Maria, Miguel Lavi, Sebastian del Puerto, Sandra Rincón, Kina Méndez y Rosario Heredia, in addition to the guitar of Juan Manuel Moneo, all at the service of Juan Tejero's dance, Irene Carrasco and the numerous disciples who transmit their emotions by connecting to the cante.
To put the matter into context, we would have to go back to the Royal Order of December 28, 1799This law granted privileged treatment to the 'national dance', and led to the subsequent creation in 1807 of an official academy of theatrical dance for the cultivation of Spanish dance. With the groundwork laid, it would be the man from Antequera who would... Mr. Miguel Barrera who opened the first Dance Academy in 1845, on Jimios Street in Seville – from there it would go to Tarifa Street – premises that successfully expanded throughout the city in order to offer evenings mainly for the tourists of that time.
In those academies, as both confirmed Alejandro Casona , the GlinkaIn 1846 and 1847, the "ole," "vito," and "fandangos" of the bolero dancers (Baile de Palillos) coincided with the gypsy dancers of Triana (Bailes de Candil), thus both schools of Andalusian origin (Escuela Bolera and Flamenco) will coexist, influencing each other during the 19th century.
Then they hired professional flamenco singers in the Gypsy style, a fact that marks the change in the Academies: from the didactic to the artistic, becoming Dance Halls, where new forms would gradually be imposed that, until 1860, did not appear defined as flamenco in the strict sense.
Of those establishments in Seville, we highlight the East Hall, Mr. Miguel Barrera, as well as the The Recroom, Mr. Manuel Barrerawho were neither cousins nor brothers, in addition to the Hall of Dawn, The Bell Ring, with rehearsals open to the public in which all kinds of dances, both national and Andalusian, would be shown.
The proposals included Seguidillas, Boleros, Manchegas, Boleras de Jaleo, Jaleo de Jerez, Jaleo de Sevilla, La Malagueña y el Torero, Boleras robadas, Jota aragonesa, Ole de la Curra, Soleá de Arcas, Polo del contrabandista, los Panaderos de Cádiz, Bailes por Alegre, Soledades, El Garrotín, Tango Americano, Madrileña, Ole de la Esmeralda, Gallegada, Baile inglés, La Sal de Andalucía, Fandango and El Vito.
"Juan Tejero not only teaches the benefits of the integral development of the flamenco dancer, he also instructs by transmitting knowledge, while taking the reins of the bulería to ensure that the fundamental aspect is not forgotten: dancing to the cante»
It goes without saying that the bulería does not appear, given that that era of Escuela Bolera, Stylized Dance, Flamenco Estilizado y Bailes Populares was written between 1840 and 1930. We would have to wait, then, until December 1909 for him to record it under that name. The Girl of the Combs, album released in April 1910, and a term she herself introduced in the press from November 1911, where she defined the bulería as her style, meaning that she was the first to record it, not that she created it.
However: Since when has the bulería been danced? We can't say it dates back to Roman times. Dancing certainly took place at private parties, in courtyards, and in neighborhood yards. But when did it flourish in the public eye? It's logical to think that dance emerged in parallel with the appearance of... canteI make this assertion because there are no resources in the video library to prove otherwise, so we are forced to turn to the newspaper archives. And these, in turn, compel us to look once again at La Niña de los Peines.
We read in The Liberal From Seville, in this regard, two pieces of news of great interest. The first, dated at the beginning of spring 1911, where after announcing his performance and that of Mr. Antonio Chacon In the Imperial Hall, it adds: "Tomorrow, farewell to these last two artists. La Niña de los Peines, as a gift to the public, will dance." And the second, more explicit, also appeared in The Liberal In July 1917, we read: "Today, farewell to the remarkable and applauded singer Niña de los Peines, who as a gift to the public will dance for the first time Gypsy Bulerías."
There is more data that leads us to confirm that, once installed, cante Bulerías, it was from the 1920s onwards that it acquired artistic status as a dance thanks to virtuosos such as Bottle cap o The Coquineras...up to the contributions from Cádiz, Jerez or Utrera, in addition to Carmen amaya, which around 1940 gave him a terrifying mastery of rhythm and syncopation.
Later, in 1997, the Jerez Festival, focused on Spanish dance and the flamencobut with complementary activities to reinforce the training, leaving the bulería at the mercy of Angelita GomezAnd the million-dollar question arises: what was the teacher teaching 29 years ago? Listen up!: how to dance to the cante.
My admired Angelita corrected the students of the Andalusian Dance Company the call, and it wouldn't allow anyone to stomp on the canteDo you know why? Because we had to listen to the cante There was no rush, and that had to be respected because dance means expression, art, creativity, passion, movement, and freedom. But it also requires discipline, perseverance, and effort. And for that, you have to have the codes, the clear rules, without forgetting that every dancer is obligated to follow them. The rest of us, the audience, aren't even asked to read them, but we are obligated to demand authenticity and not a sham.
Juan Tejero puts this set of principles into practice, Located in the Arenal Market in Seville since 2010, he honors me by naming me godfather of his Academy insofar as it persists not only in facilitating learning, but also instills in its students the ways to achieve specific goals.
That's why Juan Tejero not only teaches the benefits of the dancer's integral development, but also instructs by transmitting knowledge, while taking the reins of bulería so that the fundamental thing is not forgotten: to dance to the canteAnd the reader will ask: why? And the answer questions itself: would you dance Sevillanas without dancing for the canteNo, right? Well, exactly the same thing has to be done in the flamenco.
