How to dance Sevillanas

My plan is to enjoy the next Seville Fair to the fullest, but I have a slight problem - I can't dance Sevillanas. I'd like to join the people dancing in the stands and streets. I'm not sure about the dress yet (whether or not to use an authentic, though modern one), but I want to go for longer hair and smoother dance moves.

Grace of Sevillanas. Image taken from ABCdesevilla.es

Sevillanas is an Andalusian folk dance made up of a series coplas (verses), each one with a different choreography, the first of them being considered the easiest. Each of the four coplas the Sevillanas consists of are split up into three sections (partes) and last approximately 1 minute to 90 seconds depending on the tempo, making the entire dance 4-6 minutes long. The music and cante (song) can vary in each copla, but there is a traditional structure that remains the same for all four coplas. This dance is never improvised, however, Sevillians tend to vary the choreography of it. Luckily, its unique and clear structure allows dancers who have learned different styles to perform Sevillanas together. 

For me, the starting point to get the "ball rolling" and make the learning more effective is to visualise its composition. Here you have a scheme from a study assist website (sorry about not translating this).

The structure detailed as follows applies to whatever versions of Sevillanas. For starters, before the actual dance steps there is an entrance (salida) and cante introduction followed by an opening pose (or vuelta normal). The first section of each copla includes standardized steps and choreography, particularly pasos sevillanas and is followed by the first pasada that consists of a series of short steps in which the dancers pass each other, front to front or back to back, switching places as they do so. In traditional versions of the dance, the pasada always ends with one paso sevillana. The second section has different steps than the first one, but lasts the same number of beats, followed by the second pasada. The third section differs from the first two and ends with the cierre, which can include a final turn or a closing dance gesture that is a highly stylized and personalized series of steps ending with the bien parado - a traditional pose. 

Watch out some videos on YouTube to learn:

 

If you find the videos provided very confusing and not helpful, below is an explanatory table (by Marisa) showing the steps in each copla (named, respectively, in Spanish: Primera Sevillana, Segunda Sevillana, Tercera Sevillana, Cuarta Sevillana). Hope it does the trick!

FIRST COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
5 sevillana steps 1 pasada	1 sevillana steps 4 esquinas 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 4 pasadas 1 vuelta (left)
SECOND COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
1 sevillana step 3 rond de jambe 1 vuelta (left 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 6 pas de basque 1 vuelta (left) 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 8 pas de basque (circle) vuelta
THIRD COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
1 sevillana step 1 vuelta (left) + mark 1 vuelta (right) + mark 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 3 zapateados 1 vuelta (left) 1 pasada	1 sevillana step 1 pasada + mark 1 pasada + mark 1 vuelta (left)
FOURTH COPLA
1st section	2nd section	3rd section
1 sevillana step 1 double spin (left) 1 sevillana step 1 double spin (right) 1 sevillana step 1 pasada	1 sevillana step + double stamp 1 careo 2 pas de basque 1 careo 1 vuelta (left) 1 pasada	1 sevillana step + double stamp 4 careos 1 vuelta (left)

Dance terms that can be read from the table are commonly undestood with the meanings given hereunder:

• Careo - type of passing step used in the fourth copla only
• Esquina (corner) - side to side step
• Pasada - passing step, changing place with your partner twice in each copla
• Sevillana - basic dance step performed in Sevillanas that includes a front and backward stepping pattern
• Vuelta - regular (i.e. vuelta normal), upright, pivot turn; or stepping turn (i.e. vuelta de paso), similar to a slow chain turn in ballet
• Rond de jambe and Pas de basque (basque step, a waltzing, 3-count step) - steps from ballet, used in the second copla
• Zapateado - stamping footwork

It'll do, I guess. I wish those of you who choose to get there too all the patience. See you at the 2014 Fair in about ten months!